GOOD FOODS DON'T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED

My concept of a good dish is that the ingredients have to compliment each other in taste. In some occasions, contrasting flavors work well together, but it is rare. More than often, good foods can be created in a most simple way, with just few ingredients. I also believe that our ancestors were always right. Why change something that has worked for thousands of years? We can create new dishes, change them to suit our tastes, but we have to respect those that are called "classic" and leave them alone.

One nice thing about Vietnamese foods is that they rarely require a lot of spices. If you have salt, pepper, onions, garlic, fish sauce in your pantry, you are ready to cook a lot of Vietnamese dishes. Another plus about Vietnamese foods is that you do not have to worry about whether you have seasoned your foods enough. People can add fish sauce at the table to suit their taste. As a reason, when you cook Vietnamese foods, or foods of any cuisine, you rather under season than over season. You can add, but you cannot subtract.

There is a Vietnamese stew that can't be simpler in anyway to prepare, but it's delicious. All you need is a stock pot, pork meat cut into chunks, potatoes. Cover the ingredients with water, season with fish sauce, pepper, onion, garlic. Cover the pot and cook until the meats and potatoes are tender. You can adjust the taste with more salt or fish sauce before serving. You can save time by cooking this dish in a pressure cooker, or using a slow cooker overnight. It's a one pot dish with everything thrown in at the same time. It can't be simpler than that!

From this dish as a starter, you can add galanger, turmeric, lemon grass, yogurt and maybe a little bit of vinegar to give it a mild sour taste, you have a classic North Vietnamese stew. Otherwise, a little curry powder, some coconut milk, few bay leaves can be added to the dish to make a perfect curry.