I don't cook Western cuisine often, but when I do, my favorite thing to cook are casseroles. Any kind of casseroles, really. I have a soft spot in my heart for this simple dish due to how much it reminds me of Vietnamese "Đồ Kho" - a catch-all phrase for "food braised in caramelized sauce."

And no, before I confuse you further, let me be clear: there is absolutely nothing remotely similar between the flavor profiles of casseroles and "Đồ Kho."

The connection resides in the original humble essence of the two dishes: a poor working person's invention to make use of any meager ingredients they could scrape together to create a filling and frugal meal. They are both what Mama would throw together after a 12-hour work day to feed us.

It is common knowledge in the West that anything and everything can be thrown into a casserole dish to make a meal. Well, the same is with "Đồ Kho." In fact, at one desolate point in our history, the only ingredients "Đồ Kho" could afford to have were: onions, garlic, sugar, salt, and water.

As as history and cultures evolved, so did cuisines, and so did the unassuming casseroles and "Đồ Kho." Nowadays, a new generation of cooks have reinvented the quintessential comfort meals into more modern gourmet versions. I myself love to add decadence to my casseroles with butternut squash and a good blend of spices, just like how I love to pretend I'm a Michelin-star chef with my fiery take on "Đồ Kho." 🙂

But at the end of the day, both dishes should accomplish what our ancestors originally intended: to feed us and comfort us even when the pantry is nearly bare.