Coco Rico is a mild, coconut-flavored soda from Puerto Rico that is also used as an ingredient in Vietnamese cooking. If you can’t find it, substitute the same amount of Sprite mixed with ¼ teaspoon of coconut extract.
A glug of clear, dark caramel sauce lends depth and a touch of bitterness that balance the otherwise sweet and fatty dish.
Adapted from Adventures In Starry Kitchen: 88 Asian-Inspired Recipes from America's Most Famous Underground Restaurant. Copyright © 2017 by Nguyen Tran. Reprinted with permission by HarperOne, a division of HarperCollinsPublishers.