Ẩn Chứa? Simple Vietnamese Recipes That Taste Like Home, written by Julie Mai Trần, features an inspiring collection of over 70 dishes from across Vietnam along with vibrant photography and memories. A few highlights include Beef Stir-Fry (Bún Bò Xào), Quảng-Style Turmeric Noodle Soup (Mì Quảng), Braised Shiitake Mushrooms and Tofu (Đậu Hũ Kho Nấm), Deep-Fried Pillow Cakes (Bánh Gối), and House Special Fried Rice (Cơm Chiên Đặc Biệt). I will also be sharing her recipe for Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bún Chả Hà Nội) following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Julie Mai Trần
Julie Mai Trần developed a love of cooking through her mother. In 2019, she created Share My Roots, as a way to share Vietnamese recipes, heritage, and family stories. Her work has also been featured in Voyage LA Magazine and Shoutout LA.
Julie is a first-generation Vietnamese Chinese American and currently based in Los Angeles, California. This is her first cookbook.
Ẩn Chứa

Julie begins Ẩn Chứa with a short introduction and how she was inspired to write this book by her parents, their stories, and history.
For those new to Vietnamese cooking, Julie has also put together a guide to basic pantry ingredients and condiments with names (in English and Vietnamese), descriptions, and uses. She even added a few notes on making the meals vegetarian or vegan when possible.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Ăn Cơm Chưa?: Bún and Cơm Đĩa (Vermicelli and Rice Dishes); Home Away from Home: Soups, Braises and Stews; Queen of Bánh: All Things Batters and Doughs; Cooking with Love: Đặc Biệt Specials; Food on the Streets of Vietnam: Appetizers, Snacks and Plates to Share; Coming Full Circle: Classic Vietnamese Sweets; and The Essentials: Sauces, Dips and Condiments. The contents have a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
The photography is also provided by Julie. Every single recipe is paired with a beautifully styled, full-page photo of the finished dish. There are also a few step-by-step photos demonstrating specific techniques such as making Vietnamese Caramel Sauce and steaming Rice Rolls.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English and Vietnamese. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, personal stories, yield, and serving ideas.
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs

I have enjoyed Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bún Chả Hà Nội) a few times in restaurants, but I think this was my first time making them at home!
These pork-based meatballs from Hanoi are flavored with brown sugar, honey, fish sauce, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, and green onion. After forming into individual patties, they are panfried until golden on each side and cooked to an interior temperature of at least 165˚F (73˚C). Julie has also included instructions for heating the meatballs in the air fryer.
There are a couple different ways to serve Bún Chả Ha Noi. I went with the recommendation to pair the meatballs with a diluted Nước Chấm broth alongside the herbs, vermicelli noodles, pickled carrots and daikon, and scallions.
You can also put everything on a platter with the concentrated Nước Chấm for dipping.
Notable Ingredients
Fish sauce (Nước Mắm) is a condiment created by slowly fermenting fish (generally anchovies) in a salt water mixture, then pressing to produce a thin liquid. It provides a savory umami flavor. Brands from different countries will vary a bit in taste and quality. Fish sauce can be found in some larger grocery stores and markets with Southeast Asian ingredients.
Lemongrass is a tall perennial herb native to Southeast Asia. It has a light citrus flavor. I have been able to find it in the vegetable section of larger grocery stores and Southeast Asian markets. Cut away the fibrous parts of the stalk, the top third if not already trimmed, and the woody root before using. I usually freeze extra lemongrass in about 2 inch (5 centimeter) pieces for future use.
Perilla (Tiá Tô) is an herb with a peppery and slightly bitter taste perfect for pairing with soup, grilled meat, and Bánh. The beautiful leaves are green on top with a purplish hue underneath.
For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to find all of these ingredients at Lotte Plaza Market in Chantilly. For those in the Los Angeles area, I often would stop by Westminster Superstore in Westminster, California.
More Dishes

I also made Pâté Chaud Meat Pastry (Bánh Pâté Sô), Shaking Beef (Thịt Bò Lúc Lắc) and Vietnamese Garlic Noodles (Mì Xào Tỏi), Fried Pork Wontons (Hoành Thánh Chiên), and Pickled Carrots and Daikon (Đồ Chua).
The Pâté Chaud Meat Pastry (Bánh Pâté Sô) comes together with a store-bought puff pastry and a savory ground pork and pâté filling. The combination of flavors was fantastic, especially warm from the oven.
Shaking Beef (Thịt Bò Lúc Lắc) is a favorite of mine and I was so excited to see it paired with the Vietnamese Garlic Noodles (Mì Xào Tỏi). This meal was definitely a highlight of our week. Pieces of marinated beef are quickly seared and sautéed with bell peppers and onions, then served with sweet and savory garlic noodles.
The Fried Pork Wontons (Hoành Thánh Chiên) were perfect for using up some leftover wonton wrappers. This quick and delicious snack pairs the wrappers with a savory ground pork filling. The wontons are fried in hot oil until golden and paired with sweet chili sauce or Sriracha.
I made the Pickled Carrots and Daikon (Đồ Chua) to serve with the Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs. Thin slices of carrots and daikon are tossed briefly in salt, then rinsed and soaked in a vinegar mixture until pickled. They are such a refreshing addition to many meals.

Ẩn Chứa is a fantastic pick for those interested in the cuisine of Northern, Central, and Southern Vietnam. The recipes have been created with the home cook in mind. There is a wonderful variety of meat and vegetable-based meals along with drinks and desserts.
Having a market with Southeast Asian ingredients will be helpful in locating items such as fish sauce, perilla leaves, lemongrass, dark soy sauce, daikon, Shaoxing wine, fermented shrimp paste, flat rice noodles, culantro, quail eggs, tamarind pulp, bird’s eye chilies, and more.
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs Recipe
Excerpt from Ẩn Chứa
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bún Chả Hà Nội)
Ingredients
Pork Patties:
- 1 pound (455 grams) ground pork
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 milliliters) honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23 milliliters) fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 shallots chopped
- 2 tablespoons (9 grams) finely minced lemongrass optional
- 3 green onions sliced (white part only)
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) neutral oil if panfrying
- Cooking oil spray if air frying
Nước Chấm:
- 3/4 cup (175 milliliters) warm water 110˚F (43˚C)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) fish sauce
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 bird's eye chilies sliced and seeded (optional)
- Juice of 2 limes
- Additional 2 cups (475 milliliters) water if serving "broth style"
For Serving:
- 1 1/2 pound (680 grams) dried rice vermicelli noodles cooked
- Fresh lettuce, mint, and perilla leaves
- Scallion oil
- Pickled Carrots and Daikon
Instructions
Marinate the Pork Patties:
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, brown sugar, honey, fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, shallots, lemongrass (if using) and white parts of the green onion.
- Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.
- Form 1 1/2 inch (4 centimeter) meatballs and flatten each slightly into a patty so they cook evenly. This recipe will yield 12 to 14 patties.
Cook the Pork Patties:
- The internal temperature should reach 165˚F (73˚C) for cooked pork patties.
Panfry Method:
- In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of neutral oil over medium heat. You will be cooking the patties in two batches- don't overcrowd the pan, or the meat will steam instead of brown.
- Cook half of the patties in a single layer.
- After the pork has begun to brown on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes, add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to deglaze the pan and prevent the marinade from burning.
- Continue to cook for 2 minutes. This will also help give the meat an even color.
- Flip the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to deglaze the pan whenever the marinade cooks too fast.
- In between batches, add water and wipe down the pan, if needed.
Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat an air fryer to 350˚F (180˚C) for 5 minutes.
- Spray the tray with cooking oil.
- Air fry the meatballs in a single layer for 5 minutes.
- Flip and air fry for 5 minutes, but adjust the time as needed based on your air fryer.
Make the Nước Chấm:
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, fish sauce, garlic, bird's eye chilies and lime juice.
- To serve the patties in a "broth style," transfer the Nước Chấm to a medium-sized pot, add the additional 2 cups (475 milliliters) of water and warm the "broth" over the stove.
Serve:
- Plate the pork patties over rice vermicelli noodles and herbs.
- Top with scallion oil and serve with a side of Nước Chấm and pickled carrots and daikon.
- Alternatively, serve the Nước Chấm "broth" in individual bowls for guests to submerge their patties and dip their noodles and herbs.
Mahy
Oh wow – I have never seen meatballs like these before. Definitely something to make this weekend!
Kathleen
Oh my, this looks and sounds amazing! I’ve never tried these flavors before, but I can’t wait to make these for my family.