A Pantry Dinner That Doesn't Taste Like Cat Food Plus bánh chưng, internet monkeys, and a full-circle moment NIK SHARMA Feb 23, 2026 Happy Lunar New Year! Last weekend, I took my very first bánh chưng class at Alma Backyards in Compton with my friend Rie McClenny, hosted by the Bánh Chưng Collective, to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Until now, I’d never eaten bánh chưng—let alone tried making it. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a Vietnamese steamed rice cake filled with sticky rice, mung beans,...