BBQ

The long week-end is all about the BBQ with friends and family. But depending whether it's East or West, the spread may be different. For the Eastern BBQ, there is plenty of grilled goodness including vegetables, shrimp, and Asian pork skewers, and rice noodles to go with it. But we also have fresh rolls (goi cuon), stuffed with Asian sausage instead of the usual pork and shrimp mix, spring rolls (cha gio) and dumplings. There is also a green papaya salad (goi du du) with spicy beef jerky and chopped basil. The complication is that there is a different dipping sauce for every dish.

For the Western BBQ, we have toasted bread, fresh salad, salmon, and large steaks. Grilled corn adds a touch of sweetness to the meal. For dessert, a slice of chocolate cake from 3 tarts hits the spot. But to mix it up, some lychee and rambutan will do nicely.