Depending on your pho philosophy, you can go super-simple or ornate with the tabletop pho garnishes. I keep things easy with regular spearmint (húng) from my garden and chiles that I’ve purchased or grown at home. Conventional limes can be bracing and take over pho flavors, so I prefer the Garlic Vinegar on page 106 for a light tang; ripe (yellow) Bearss lime and Meyer lemon are good, too. During the warmer months, I’ll add Thai basil (hung quế) because it’s at its peak- ditto for a type of spicy mint (hung cay) sold at Viet markets. When I’m in the mood for bean sprouts, I’ll buy superfresh ones and blanch them to mellow their flavor and texture.
This recipe for Pineapple Pork from Simple by Jean-François Mallet (no recipe has more than six ingredients) delivers great flavor with just soy sauce, pineapple and fresh cilantro. Pork chops are pan-fried and then finished in a bath of soy sauce, chunks of pineapple and sprinkled with freshly snipped coriander.
Ingredients
Raw Brussels sprouts and kale leaves may sound like an odd combination for a salad, but these two cabbage-like vegetables are perfect together; since the uncooked leaves hold up well for hours, they're ideal for picnics and making ahead
Making empanadas is a labor of love. The recipe for our pint-size version, which streamlines the process by calling for store-bought pie dough, can also be assembled ahead of time and baked just before serving
This Yemenite sauce is fresh and bright from herbs, while also having an intensely spicy kick to it. It's the ideal accompaniment for falafel or sabich sandwiches, but it also goes great with a variety of grilled vegetables, fish, meat, and eggs. And it should last a few weeks in the fridge (though I've never had a jar linger long enough to actually find out).
1. Scald the milk in a small saucepan while constantly stirring. Remove from the heat, add the sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and the butter and mix well until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the butter has melted. Transfer to a bowl.
Ingredients
Lilli chatni, or cilantro chutney, will most likely be found on every Gujarati family’s kitchen table at dinner time.
Hot Chili Condiment