Similar to how the Italian tradition of combining pasta with brodo (soup), Vietnamese food culture utilises the combination of rice and vegetable soups to not only nourish the family but also create a unique dining and sensory experience. If you haven’t tried ladles of rich soup with your rice and perfectly cooked pumpkin, do yourself a favour and make Vietnamese pumpkin soup to experience that authentic Vietnamese home cooked flavour.

One similarity between a Vietnamese and Cantonese stir fry is the fine balance of textures achieved through carefully selected ingredients and cooking technique. For this stir fry, expect a meaty chew from the lobster (or crab), a crispy and fresh snap from the snow peas, and a velvety ginger sauce that gels everything together.

Two of my guiltiest food pleasures has to be diving into a big basket of perfectly fried chicken and indulging in a bowl of flavoursome Vietnamese noodle soup. Growing up, Bun Bo Hue was my favourite noodle soup and I would religiously ask mum to cook it. With its savoury umami, spiciness and lemongrass aroma, it was only fitting to marry these flavours in a crispy fried chicken batter.

The flavours of bun mang ga (chicken and bamboo noodle soup) are very subtle; a light broth naturally flavoured from poaching the chicken with ginger, fish sauce and onion. Once the bamboo is incorporated, the broth is elevated to a subtle woody, earthy and tart profile. These flavours are carried through each mouthful with the aid of soft and slightly chewy rice vermicelli noodles.

Seafood in Vietnam is often grilled on coal, boiled, sautéed or steamed with lots of herbaceous flavours, and served with a fresh and fragrant dipping sauce; this recipe is no exception. The oysters are steamed until they’re plump and juicy then paired with one of the Chinese culinary world’s most iconic fragrant duos: ginger and spring onions.

Long grain rice steamed to textural perfection with vibrant carrots, sweet corn, luscious peas and glistening pieces of Chinese sausages.