At Slanted Door in San Francisco, chef Charles Phan upended notions of what fashionable Vietnamese delicacies might be. His Shaking Beef turned a signature dish, however he was additionally recognized for his inventive variations of Lemongrass Hen, Hen Pho, Crispy Bánh Xèo, and extra. Phan died on the ange of 62 in January 2025, however his legend of daring taste and playful Vietnamese meals lives on. Honor his legacy by cooking one in every of his dishes tonight.
Hen Pho
Diana Chistruga
This soup — which has an intense hen taste accented by fragrant roasted onion and ginger — was a favourite when Phan’s youngsters have been rising up, and the household would eat it for breakfast or lunch at the least 4 occasions per week. Phan’s recipe provides a big pinch of sugar to the broth to steadiness the pungent fish sauce, similar to his mom did.
5-Spice Hen Banh Mi
Meals & Wine / Photograph by Jason Donnelly / Meals Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco
Ever the innovator, Phan used aromatic Chinese language five-spice powder as a substitute of the extra conventional lemongrass to season the meat on this sandwich. Fermented crimson bean curd provides a funkier taste than miso, so use it in case you have it.
Spicy Lemongrass Hen
Kelsey Hansen / Meals Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
Phan was agency in his beliefs about the appropriate and flawed strategy to stir-fry. “A wok is not like a salad bowl with a flame underneath it. You do not need to throw every little thing in directly and toss. It’s essential to layer flavors by including components in the appropriate order.” On this case, meaning lemongrass, aromatics, and loads of chiles.
Shaking Beef
Phan’s shaking beef at Slanted Door was the stuff of legend. A tart dipping sauce of lime juice, salt, and pepper makes the entire thing sing.
Crispy Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crêpes) with Shrimp, Pork, and Bean Sprouts
Phan usually discovered bánh xèo (a.ok.a. “joyful pancakes”) at eating places to be insufficiently crisp relatively than lacy skinny and crackly. After years of devoted experimentation, he discovered that refrigerating the batter in a single day then cooking the crêpes in a nonstick skillet was the appropriate methodology.
Caramelized Black Pepper Hen
In 2018, Meals & Wine selected this recipe as one in every of its 40 better of all time. A number of years earlier than, requested what he favored to prepare dinner rapidly at dwelling, Phan cited this candy, sizzling Vietnamese dish that comes collectively in simply minutes.
Stir-Fried Child Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms
Phan most popular child bok choy for this straightforward stir-fry but in addition shared a intelligent methodology that will just do as properly should you can solely discover the extra mature model.
Garlic-Brined Pork Banh Mi
Plan forward if you are going to be making this recipe, primarily based on a late-night store in Hoi An, Vietnam, the place Phan picked up the tip of soaking the pork in a single day in a garlicky brine earlier than roasting it.
Shrimp and Jicama Rolls with Chili-Peanut Sauce
Rising up in Vietnam, Phan and his classmates purchased chewy rice-paper rolls crammed with crunchy jicama and candy shrimp from road distributors who arrange on the playground. His model made issues neat by together with the sauce inside, however he’d at all times make additional for individuals who wished to dip.
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatball Sandwiches
Ever playful, Phan modeled these pickled carrot and cilantro-topped pork burgers after his beloved banh mi.