Origin Story

Whether it’s the classic PB&J or the savory cheeseburger, the sandwich is a lunchtime staple that can be found in any American school cafeteria. As a child of Vietnamese refugees, I grew up with a different kind of sandwich from many of my schoolmates, a sandwich that has made a name for itself as an iconic Vietnamese food: the bánh mì.

If all of South Asia were to be characterized by just one dish, we’d argue it should be biryani. In case you’re not familiar with it, at its most basic, biryani is a rice casserole: one that’s layered with meat, seafood, or vegetables, then flavored with warm spices, herbs, and gravy, then cooked over a low flame, sometimes with a cover made from dough.

Sushi was once considered unimaginable to most Americans—who in their right mind would want to eat raw fish?—but similar to how sushi made its way into the mainstream, poke is following in its footsteps decades later.