Family blends two cultures of eating
By Judy Buchenot Buchenot@comcast.net January 4, 2012 3:22PM
Heather Heminthavong spoons the broth into a bowl for a serving of Pho. | Judy Buchenot~For The Beacon-News
The recipe
Heather Heminthavong shares her version of Pho, a popular Laotian favorite.
Pho
5 quarts water
4 tablespoons chicken bouillon
2 15-ounce cans diced mixed vegetables
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 ribs celery, sliced
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon lemon pepper
1½ pounds boneless chicken
Rice noodles
Assorted condiments
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and boil for two hours. Soak rice noodles in warm water for 15 minutes. Spoon broth into individual serving bowl and add a single serving of rice noodles to the hot broth. Set out a selection of condiments for adding to the soup as desired. Suggested items are bean sprouts, soy sauce, hot chili sauce, fried garlic, chili paste, chopped cilantro, chopped mint and limes.
Article Extras
Updated: January 11, 2012 12:53PM
One of the challenges facing some brides is learning how to cook her husband’s favorite dishes “just like mom used to make.” For Heather Heminthavong, this task was a little overwhelming because her husband is from Laos.
To make things even more interesting, her husband’s mother and six sisters seldom cook using recipes. Heather patiently watched the family prepare meals and took many notes until she was able to make the Asian-style dishes.
“The first thing I learned to make were egg rolls,” says Heather, who lives in Yorkville with her husband and six children, ranging in age from a college freshman to a toddler. “My husband, Souk, is a fabulous cook, so he has helped me learn so many things. I have Americanized many recipes to make them easier.
“Souk came to the United States when he was 7 years old, so he likes many American dishes also. We eat a fusion of the two cultures most of the time.”
One of the things that Heather found interesting about her in-laws meals is the use of sticky rice, a long-grain sweet rice that is eaten with every meal and even used in desserts. The rice must be soaked overnight and is usually prepared in the morning to use throughout the day. The rice is kept in a bamboo basket where it continues to steam after being cooked.
Heather’s children like to eat the sticky rice as a snack. They form the rice into a ball and often dip it into a soy sauce or spicy sauce for extra flavor. Although her husband’s family makes sticky rice daily, Heather usually makes it about once a week.
A family favorite is Pho.
“It is a great comfort food,” Heather says. “It is inexpensive to make and feeds a lot of people. I make it about three times a month. It can be made with oxtails, meatballs, chicken or turkey.”
The basic broth is first prepared and then rice noodles are added. Each person then personalizes the dish from an array of condiments.
“Pho can be whatever you want,” she says.
Contact columnist Judy Buchenot at Buchenot@comcast.net.
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