Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook

by Nini Nguyen

Đặc Biệt Hat (Pink)

Navy blue 100% cotton hat with pink hand stitched Đặc Biệt. Locally made in New Orleans.

Đặc Biệt Hat (Green)

Navy blue 100% cotton hat with green hand stitched Đặc Biệt. Locally made in New Orleans.

Private Experiences

Let Chef Nini cook with or for you! Cooking classes and private dining experiences available.

Zojirushi Rice Cooker

Perfect rice, every single time. No checking, no guessing.

Le Creuset Braiser

My go-to for braises, soups, and anything that needs low, slow heat. It goes from stovetop to oven without blinking and cleans up like a dream.

Our Place Always Pan 2.0

Non-toxic, non-stick, and genuinely does the work of four pans. If I could only have one pan in my kitchen, this would be it.

All-Clad Non Stick Everyday Pan

When I need serious sear and even heat distribution, this is what I reach for. It’s the kind of pan that lasts a lifetime if you treat it right.

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

Know that ALL of my recipes are made with kosher salt; never table salt. Please take that into account if trying to substitute table salt. You’ll need about half of what the recipe calls for, or else you’ll be like, damn, this chick needs to check her sodium levels.

Megachef Premium Anchovy Fish Sauce

My favorite brand for cooking with is Megachef… the blue bottle, which is the Vietnamese formula. For dipping or raw applications, I go with Red Boat.

Three Ladies Jasmine Rice

Hom Mali rice comes with a green stamp on the package that certifies it’s the real deal, in the same way genuine Parmesan cheese is labeled DOP. I like the Three Ladies Brand, both for their jasmine rice and sticky rice.

Burlap & Barrel Spices

These spices are things I always have on hand.  Most of these come from my motherland, Vietnam. Some come from places that inspire me like the cayenne and the curry. This collection is a great start of a pantry to cook from Đặc Biệt!

Fried Garlic/Shallots

So many dishes start with onions and garlic because they make everything good. Well, ending with fried garlic or fried shallots make everything even better! In the words of the great Ina Garten, store-bought is fine. I’m not especially brand loyal to any of the store-bought fried garlics, but as far as shallots are concerned, I like the Cock Brand fried onions.

Hot Sauces

They’re our go-to way of adding spice as the finishing element of dishes like noodles or soups. Sriracha tends to be a bit sweeter, and sambal is more acidic and full of seeds, and each has time and place. I love sriracha on just about anything but I love sambal whenever I want a Louisiana-style hot sauce, because it brings acidity and heat like its Louisiana counterpart.

Rice Flour

Not all rice flour is the same. Thai rice flour has a finer grind that gives you that signature chewy, delicate texture in bánh and desserts.

Makrut Lime Leaves

These are non-negotiable in my kitchen. Fresh or frozen, they add a floral, citrusy depth that no other ingredient can replicate. A few leaves in a curry, a braise, or even a marinade and the whole dish lifts. Once you cook with them you will never go back.