An: To Eat: Recipes and Stories from a Vietnamese Family Kitchen by Helene An and Jacqueline An

  • Mama's beef pho (page 53)

    from An: To Eat: Recipes and Stories from a Vietnamese Family Kitchen An by Helene An and Jacqueline An

    • Categories: Soups; Main course; Vietnamese
    • Ingredients: beef brisket; pho broth; beef pho broth; star anise pods; onions; fresh ginger; banh pho noodles; fish sauce; red onions; scallions; cilantro; Thai basil; bean sprouts; ngo gai; limes; serrano chiles
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Cashew chicken

    • anya_sf on July 03, 2025

      I mostly doubled the recipe, using 1.5 lbs chicken, but even more vegetables. Annoyingly, the recipe calls for 3 Tbsp (which I doubled) of the "House Sauce" but that recipe makes 3 cups. I made 1/4 of that, and the resulting sauce was probably over-reduced, as the final sauce was pretty strongly flavored - but still really tasty over rice. Another quibble: recipe says to quarter the red onion, but surely you'll want smaller chunks as shown in the photo. I skipped the gingko nuts, but added carrots and snow peas (also shown in the photo, along with zucchini, which would have been good too). With the larger volume of vegetables, I cooked those first and removed them before cooking the chicken.

  • Baby bok choy in garlic sauce

    • anya_sf on November 20, 2019

      Quick and easy, great flavor. My boy choy were smaller so I left the smallest ones whole.

  • Lavender mojito

    • anya_sf on October 16, 2020

      I used Mt Gay amber rum as that's what I had on hand; I don't think it made a huge difference. There are no instructions for making the lavender syrup so I just guessed. Perhaps I made it too strong, as I thought this was just OK. It was very pretty and I think could taste better with some tweaking.

  • The Beverly

    • anya_sf on November 26, 2024

      With the peach vodka, this cocktail had brunch/bridal shower vibes. Easy to drink. Sweet, but balanced by the juices.

  • House sauce

    • anya_sf on July 03, 2025

      Made 1/4 recipe but it reduced too much (still usable though), so watch the simmering time.

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Reviews about this book

  • Epicurious

    ...An family's traditional recipes, as well as beloved "secret" dishes from their restaurants...If you're looking for a good cookbook to read cover-to-cover, not just cook from, this is a good call.

    Full review
  • ISBN 10 0762458356
  • ISBN 13 9780762458356
  • Published Apr 26 2016
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 296
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Running Press

Publishers Text

In Vietnamese, "AN” means "TO EAT,” a happy coincidence, since the An family has built an award-winning restaurant empire - including the renowned celebrity favorite Crustacean Beverly Hills - that has been toasted by leading food press, including Bon Appétit, Gourmet, InStyle and the Food Network. Helene An, executive chef and matriarch of the House of An, is hailed as the "mother of fusion” and was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute for her signature style that brings together Vietnamese, French, and California-fresh influences. Now her daughter Jacqueline tells the family story and shares her mother’s delicious and previously "secret” recipes, including "Mama’s” Beef Pho, Drunken Crab, and Oven-Roasted Lemongrass Chicken.

Helene’s transformation from pampered "princess” in French Colonial Vietnam, to refugee then restaurateur, and her journey from Indochina’s lush fields to family kitchen gardens in California are beautifully chronicled throughout the book. The result is a fascinating peek at a lost world, and the evolution of an extraordinary cuisine. The 100 recipes in An: To Eat feature clean flavors, simple techniques, and unique twists that could only have come from Helene’s personal story.