Book excerpt: My Vietnamese Kitchen is a collection of recipes passed down through Uyen Luu’s family. Uyen was born in Saigon and spent her childhood there before leaving Vietnam in the aftermath of the war. She regularly travels back there to visit family and pick up more classic and modern recipes for dishes found in the homes and on the streets of Vietnam. The recipes in the book tell a story—about Uyen’s family and the culture of food in Vietnam. In essence, the food of her country aims to strike the perfect balance between sweet, sour, salty, bitter, hot and umami, and to cater for any occasion and time of day, every mood and ailment. Uyen describes some of the most commonly used produce and guides you through chapters such as Breakfast, Soups, Snacks, Noodles, Lunch & Dinner, and Sweets, weaving in tales of etiquette, personal history and tradition and providing evocative photos of her travels throughout. Popular recipes include pho soup, banh mi baguettes and summer rolls.