Caramelize

sweet corn • carrot • kohlrabi • cauliflower • pork back fat or pork belly (about 300 grams) • granulated sugar • fish sauce • water • chili sauce (such as sriracha) • black pepper • red chili pepper • shallots •

brown rice (about 300 grams) • carrots • green beans (about 200 grams) • pork belly (about 300 grams) • ground pork (about 50 grams) • bird’s eye chilies • fish sauce (45 ml) • sugar (about 36 grams) • MSG (optional, about 2 grams) • chili sauce (about 7 ml) • caramel sauce (about 15 ml) • ground black pepper (about 2 grams)

whole carp • ground galangal • minced lemongrass • fermented soybean sauce • caramel sauce • fish sauce • salt • MSG (optional) • soy sauce • sour starfruits • sugar • pork belly (about 200 grams) •

ong can fish (about 1.1 lbs or 500 grams) • garlic • small shallot • green and red chili peppers • sprigs of fresh green peppercorns • cooking oil (15 ml) • braising sauce (45 ml) • pair of wooden chopsticks • stainless steel pan

shrimp (about 500 g), 7 oz pork belly (about 200 g) • shallots, turmeric powder • fresh coconut for coconut water, seasonings

large tiger prawns • garlic • small shallot • Fish sauce, salt, sugar, chili sauce, black pepper

Snakehead fish • chili peppers • okra • luffa (sponge gourd)

pork chops (about 800 grams) • pork fat (about 200 grams) • orange Fanta (12 oz/355 ml) • chopped green onions (about 30 grams)

(about 1 1/2 cups or 300 grams) broken rice • pork chops • Asian pear • large eggs • cucumbers • pork cracklings and rendered pork fat • green onions • Minced garlic • Minced onion

Ground pork • Wood ear mushrooms • Cellophane noodles • Eggs (2) • Black pepper • Garlic • Shallots • Broken rice • Pandan extract • Salt • Pork belly • Boiled eggs •

tuna • pork (about 50 grams) • shallots • cooking oil • fish sauce • sugar • bird’s eye chilies • ground black pepper • MSG (optional)

catfish (about 400 grams) • water (300 ml) • scallions • shallots • garlic • Fresh chili pepper, chili flakes • Sugar, chicken bouillon powder, MSG • Black pepper, fish sauce

Pork (shoulder or belly) • Seasonings: sugar, fish sauce, bouillon powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper • Shallots, garlic, chili, lettuce, scallions • To serve: banh hoi (fine rice vermicelli sheets) or rice vermicelli noodles

basa catfish • pork belly (about 100 grams), fatty cut • ginger • small shallot • fresh galangal • bird’s eye chilies • Fish sauce, sugar, cooking oil, sweet soy sauce

pork with both lean and fat, pork belly is best • garlic • onion • green onions • salt • garlic powder • MSG • fish sauce • heaping teaspoon sugar • pepper

Pork belly (about $1 worth) • water • Ingredients: fish sauce, pepper, sugar, MSG, chili, shallots • To serve with: cucumber, banana, greens

pork belly • salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon good fish sauce

peeled shrimp • Fish sauce, salt, seasoning powder, MSG, sugar, pepper • Cilantro, finely chopped onion

tray goby fish (12 fish) • Seasonings, garlic, chili • cluster whole black peppercorns

ripe bananas (about 600 grams) • coconut cream or coconut milk powder (about 100 grams) • soft, dense French bread (about 180 grams) • sugar (about 100 grams) • coffee liqueur or rum • whole milk (about 120 grams) • all-purpose flour (about 40 grams) • unsalted butter (about 30 grams) • large egg • vanilla extract • salt

glutinous rice flour (about 400 grams) • all-purpose flour (about 8 grams) • gac seeds (for color) • Water • Filling: • split mung beans (about 250-300 grams) • vegetable oil (about 15 ml) • salt (about 5 grams) • sugar (about 12 grams) • Syrup: • Water • Sugar (to taste) •

tiny river shrimp • starfruit • Green onions, ginger, garlic, chili, seasonings

Fresh fish (carp, grass carp, black carp, etc.), firm flesh, over 6 1/2 lbs (over 3 kg) • pork belly (about 1 kg) • shallots • garlic • large pieces of old galangal (the older, the more fragrant) • large piece of ginger • White rice wine • Annatto oil • Homemade caramel sauce (do not use store-bought, as it’s too dark and lacks aroma; make it by caramelizing sugar) • Oyster sauce, fish sauce, seasoning powder, MSG, cooking oil, soy sauce

freshwater fish (this time I used grass carp) • Pork belly (the fattier, the better) • Seasonings: galangal, ginger, turmeric, shallots, sugar, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder

Pork shoulder (or pork butt) • Seasonings: fish sauce, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, honey, caramelized palm sugar syrup, seasoning powder • Minced garlic and shallots • Rice vermicelli noodles • Fresh herbs, cucumber

mackerel (about 200 grams) • Shallots • Seasonings, fresh chili peppers, chili powder, palm sugar

catfish steak, cleaned • pork belly (about 200 grams) • scallions, garlic, chili peppers, black pepper, sugar, fish sauce, salt, chicken bouillon powder

purple sweet potatoes (500 g) • tapioca starch (about 200 g) • black grass jelly powder • sugar (about 200 g) • non-dairy creamer

catfish • galangal • sugar • pork belly (about 200 grams) • fresh tea leaves • Seasoning powder • Sugar • Fish sauce • MSG (optional) • Cooking oil