Gluten-Free Nui Gao Xao Thap Cam (Vietnamese Combination Stir-Fried Rice Noodles)

While cruising the aisles at the Asian grocery store, I stumbled upon these rotini-shaped rice noodles. While round and flat rice noodles aren't unusual when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, Italian-shaped rice noodles are a little less common. Although, really, since Vietnam has far more rice fields than wheat ones, this wasn't totally unexpected.

Like my Gluten-Free Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring/Egg Rolls) recipe, there are plenty of Vietnamese dishes that are naturally gluten-free, but it doesn't hurt to make posts pointing that out for my non-Vietnamese readers. While this Vietnamese stir-fry could easily be made with longer Vietnamese rice noodles, the rice rotini noodles provided a nice variation. If you can't find any rice rotini noodles, you can substitute with wheat rotini if gluten isn't a concern.

Chao Ca (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Fish)

There's something so comforting about a bowl of rice porridge. I've blogged it plain, with chicken, with ground pork, with preserved duck eggs, with leftover turkey, and with clams. The only meats left are with beef, duck, and fish. Although, thankfully, not together.

I prefer to make a good chicken broth stock for my Chao Ca (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Fish) so that it's not quite so fishy. While you can use any fish on hand, I prefer white fish fillets for the milder flavor, but chose to use some leftover baked salmon so you can see it more easily in pictures. There's not much to it; once you've got your stock done, add flaked or chunks of fish and simmer until done. Add some thinly sliced ginger, sprigs of cilantro, or chopped scallions if you have any on hand.

Banh Mi Ca Moi (Vietnamese Sardine Sandwich)

I admit, I don't come across too many recipes for sardines. I love them; the savory, soft fish in tangy chili tomato sauce. I usually eat them the way my mom served them when I was growing up -- reheating the sardines in a small pan on the stove top and adding a few dashes of fish sauce for flavor. Then, I'd either stuff them into toasted Vietnamese-French bread or use the bread to mop up the fishy tomato sauce.

So really, that's not much of a recipe. Nor is it very photogenic. But there's no reason why you can't make a full Vietnamese sandwich with sardines, complete with pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber slices, and sprigs of cilantro. In fact, the fresh vegetables are the perfect pairing to balance the fishiness of sardines.