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Regional
Specialties | Central
| North | South | Vietnamese
Eating Style
Popular Dishes | General Family Meals
| Bibliography
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INTRODUCTION Provocative, colorful, and savory, Vietnamese cuisine reflects the influence of a multitude of cultures: Chinese, French, Indian and others. Yet, it remains original and distinctive, even from other Southeast Asian cuisines, distinguished by its use of a unique variety of herbs, vine leaves, and aromatic grasses. For those who taste Vietnamese dishes for the first time, as well as those who have made it one of America's hottest new food sensations, the dishes delight and tantalize with their intriguing variety of textures and subtle flavors. But while the flavor combinations may seem exquisitely complex, the preparation techniques are deceptively simple. Imagine serving CHA GIO-delectable combinations of crabmeat, pork, shredded carrots, wood ear mushrooms, and bean vermicelli wrapped in race paper and fried to a golden brown. Or PHO with its paper-thin slices of beef cooked in a broth aromatic of cinnamon and star anise. Or crunchy BANH XEO, filled with pork, shrimp, mung bean and bean sprouts and served with nuoc cham (dipping sauce.) In general, Vietnamese food is lighter than Chinese food and uses a variety of spices and fresh vegetables. Since Vietnam is an agricultural and fishing country, the main staples are rice, vegetables, and fish. Vietnamese eat rice several times a day in either small or large bowls with a lot of vegetables and little meat or fish. |
Because of geographical and historical differences, northern, central, and Southern Vietnam have each developed different regional cuisines. Northern cuisine reflects greater Chinese influence as is evident in the different "thick soups," stir-fried dishes, and restrained use of chilies. The central region uses the most chilies, which is not surprising as this spice was introduced to Vietnam by the Portuguese who stopped at ports like Da Nang in central Vietnam before heading for China and Japan in the 18th and 19th centuries. The south shows the influence of Indian and Indonesian spices, again a result of trading activities since the first century.
HAPPY
PANCAKES: (Banh
xeo)
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This Vietnamese "crepe," folded like an omelet, then drizzled with vibrant, spicy nuoc cham, never fails to please. They are remarkably thin and crisp and the size of big dinner plates. They are filled with green onions, mung beans, bean sprouts, pork, and shrimp. They are often found on Vietnamese restaurant menus by the name of Banh Xeo. "Banh" means rice dough and "Xeo" describes the sizzling sound it makes as it cooks over a hot fire. The batter is very simple, just rice flour, coconut milk and water; the trick is in keeping the temperature constantly high throughout the cooking process. Covering as it cooks creates the distinctive hard crust on the bottom. A non-stick skillet works best. |
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1/2 cup cornstarch |
1/2 pound fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined, washed and sliced in half lengthwise | |
| 1/4 cup Swansdown or other cake flour | 1 medium onion, sliced paper thin | |
| 1 cup rice flour | 1/2 pound bean sprouts | |
| 1 cup water | 10 fresh muschrooms, thinly sliced | |
| 1 1/4 cups coconut milk, fresh or canned | 3 eggs, beaten | |
| 1/4 teaspoon turmeric | 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for each pancake | |
| 1/2 pound fat pork shoulder, sliced paper thin | 2 teaspoons fish sauce | |
| 2 shallots or white part of 2 scallions, minced | 2 cloves garlic, minced | |
| 2 cloves garlic, minced | Ingredients: | |
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Make the batter by combining the cornstarch, cake flour, rice flour, water, coconut milk, and turmeric. Mix well and force through a sieve to eliminate lumps. Combine the pork with half the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce, half the shallots, and a sprinkling of black pepper. Combine the shrimp with the remaining fish sauce, garlic, and shallots. Arrange the pork, shrimp, onion slices, bean sprouts, and mushrooms on a platter in separate mounds; have the batter and beaten eggs ready. Heat a 10-inch frying pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, about 4 slices of pork, a slice of shrimp nd keep stirring until al are well cooked. Reduce the heat to medium and add 4 1/2 tablespoon of batter, 1 tablespoon of bean sprouts, a few slices of onion, add a few slices of mushroom. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of egg over the pancake, cover, and cook for 2 more minutes. Uncover, fold the pancake in half, as for an omelet. Serve it with fish sauce. |
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ROLLING
CAKE: 
Rolled Pancake is not a dessert, but a charming literal translation from the Vietnamese. It is really like a fresh rice-paper roll, except that it is folded. This dish can be prepared several hours ahead and then steamed or served at room temperature. After you make a few fresh rice papers, you will become quite adept and will find it both times saving and easy to place the filling on each paper as it comes from the pan. However, at first you might want to prepare the filling, set it aside, then make the rice papers and then assemble them.
| Ingredient: | Accompaniments for Serving: | ||
| 10 tree ears | 1 teaspoon oil | 2 tablespoons vegetable oil | 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander |
| 4 black Chinese mushrooms | 2 shallots or white part of 2 scallions, chopped | 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes | Vietnamese Pa^te' |
| 3/4 pound ground pork | 2 cloves garlic, chopped | 1 cup bean sprouts, blanched in boiling water | |
| 1 teaspoon fish sauce | 1/4 cup chopped onion | 1 cucumber, shredded | |
| 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper | Fresh rice papers | 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves |
In separate bowl, soak the wood ears in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain; chop fine, and set aside. Combine the pork with the fish sauce and black pepper. Heat the oil, add the shallots and garlic and fry for a few seconds, and then add the onion. Add the meat mixture to the pan and fry until all trace of red color is gone. Add the finely chopped wood ears and fry for a few more minutes. Remove the filling from the pan and reserve for later use. Prepare the fresh rice paper as in the basic recipe. As each rice paper comes from the pan, drop it onto an oiled cookie sheet and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the pancake horizontally, leaving equal space on each side. Fold both sides over the meat first, then the top part. Fill all the pancakes and set aside.
HUE BEEF NOODLE SOUP with LEMON GRASS:
Hue is the ancient capital of central Vietnam. In the center, the tomato paste is generally fried with powdered hot chili peppers before being added to the soup. Prepared this way, the soup, served both piping and spicy hot, will almost surely bring tears to your eyes. This soup is served as an entire meal.
Bring the water to a boil and drop in the beef shank, lemon grass, and pork hocks. Boil, uncovered, for 15 minutes, removing scum from the top 3 times during that period. Turn the heat down to medium, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. When the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and add to the broth along with the fish sauce, salt, and optional MSG. Heat the oil in a small pan; add the tomato paste and fry for about 1 minute, then pour into the soup. Add the shrimp sauce mixture and boil for another 5 minutes. After the meat has cooled, cut it into thin slices, cut each pork hock slice into 2 inches chunks. Serve in individual soup bowls. Place the noodles on the bottom of each, then the two kinds of meat, then some onion rings.
| Ingredients: | |
| 2 stalks fresh lemon grass/2 teaspoons dried | 1 tablespoon tomato paste |
| 9 cups cold water | 1 teaspoon shrimp sauce, ,mixed well with 1 teaspoon water |
| 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef shank, cut into piecies | 1/2 lb rice stick |
| 1 lbs fresh pork hocks, cut through the bone, into 1 inch slices | 1 small onio, thinly sliced |
| 3 tablespoons fish sauce | 2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh coriander |
| 1 teaspoon salt | 1 cup shredded cucumber |
| 1 teaspoon vegetable oil | 1 cup shredded lettuce |
CRAB DUMPLING AND NOODLE SOUP:
This soup, which comes from the north of Vietnam, is served as a special breakfast meal and is traditionally topped with finely shredded banana blossoms or curls of water spinach stems. The broth is made from crushed whole crabs. Then uncooked crab's meat is pushed through is sieve. Combined with water and simmered with tomato and onion, during which time a thin raft of cooked meat forms on top. The word "rieu," which means soft and foamy.
PHO:
One of Vietnam's
favorite dishes is a noodle soup called pho. The dish itself originated from
North Vietnam, but it is
generally eaten by everyone. Pho has been famous for its taste and at the
same time, appreciated as a wholesome, nutritious meal. Pho provides a delicious
one-dish meal for your breakfast, lunch or even dinner. What makes authentic
Pho so simulating is quite simple: long hours of simmering the choicest beef
produces a broth that maintains its full and rich flavor, which is delicately
seasoned with seven different types of natural spices to give an aroma and
taste that can only be described as irresistible! Pho begins with the boiling
of beef shinbones in a huge cauldron until the rich gelatinous consomme is
concentrated. This takes about 24 hours. It is then spiced up with a delicate
balance of herbs, spices and salts. You will be served a bowl of light-bodied
broth ladled over your choice of beef, accompanied by fresh rice noodle and
garnished with coriander and onions. Basil leaves bean sprouts and green peppers
are optional to your liking. Pho is normally accompanied at the table with
a plate of lime slices, bean sprouts, and sweet basil along with some chili
sauce and hoisan sauce(a brown sauce made of sugar, vinegar, soya bean, water
and salt) added for taste. Although traditionally a morning meal in Vietnam,
pho is now served anytime in noodle shops in the United States.
STAR ANISE BEEF STEW WITH LEMONGRASS:
Cinnamon trees, peppercorn cines, and the evergreen that produces star anise thrive in Vietnam and are of the highest quality. This is a luxurious beef stew, due in part to the good cut of brisket used and to the combination of flavors: star anise, lemongrass, tomato, and the last-minute garnish of fresh basil, which has its own pleasant anise taste.Very tasty and just a bit spicy is this popular combination of curry, lemon grass, and coconut water. Instead of going to a Hanoi Soup restaurant for breakfast, one goes to a breakfast restaurant that serves bo kho and a few other dishes. Bo kho is served with French bread for breakfast, as a main dish with rice, or with rice sticks(bun) or Japanese alimentary pastenoodles(somen) for lunch or dinner. (6 servings)
| Ingredient: | |
| 1 stalk fresh lemon grass | 3 bay leaves |
| 1 1/4 pounds boneless beef shank | 2 cups cold water |
| 2 teaspoons granulated sugar | 1/2 teaspoon curry powder |
| 1 tablespoon salt | 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into slices |
| 4 cloves garlic, chopped | 2 potatoes peeled and cut into 1 in. chunks |
| 1 tablespoon vegetable oil | 1 teaspoon tomato paste |
Cut the beef into cubes as for stew. Sprinkle over the meat 1 teaspoon each of sugar and salt, 1 clove of the chopped garlic, and the black pepper. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Heat the oil; add the remaining garlic and fry it until it develops an aroma. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, and lemon grass and stir for 1 minute, then add the meat and stir for a few minutes more. Add the cold water and curry powder and stir well; cove and simmer for 1 and half hours. When the simmering time is up, add the carrots, coconut water, and remaining salt and sugar and simmer for 15 minutes, covered. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes longer.
Top of Page
SIMMERED FISH:
Deservedly famous throughout Vietnam, this savory delight from the South will win ectatic comments. If catfish is not available, balckfish or halibut are fine. This is frequently served along with Sour Fish Head Soup. (4 servings)
| Ingredient: | |
| 2 slices catfish/blackfish/halibut | 3 cloves garlic, chopped |
| 3 tablespoons fish sauce | 5 shallots or white part of 5 scallions, sliced |
| 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar | 2 ounces pork fat, sliced 1/2 inch think |
| 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil | 2 tablespoons Caramelized Sugar |
Sprinkle black pepper over the fish slices, then add the fish sauce and sugar. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small saucepan. Fry the garlic for a few seconds, then add about two-thirds of the shallots; stir and add the pork. Stir briefly and add the fish slices. Rotate the fish in the oil, back and forth and from one side to the other, to coat with oil and to sear; do this for about 3 minutes. Add the remaining sauce from the plate and contained the fish and fish sauce, then add the caramelized sugar. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Top of PageSOUR FISH HEAD SOUP:
An excellent way
to get twice th epleasure out of your fish purchase. You can use either the
fish head or the fish carcass if you wish. To the people of the South, this
is as much their traditonal dish as Southern Fried Chicken is to osoutherners
and it will meet with instant praise. (4 servings)
| Ingredients: | |
| 2 scallions, white part only | 1 quart water |
| 2 tespoons salt | 1/2 cup canned sliced sour bamboo |
| 2 tablespoons + 4 teaspoons fish sauce | 1/4 fresh pineapple, cut in a lengthwise section + Dash of MSG |
| 1 large fish head or fish carcass, split down the center | 2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh coriander and scallion green |
Sprinkle the scallions, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 teaspoons fish sauce over the fish head. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and drop in the sour bamboo and pineapple slices. Cook at a lively boil for 5 minutes. Drop the fish head into the actively boiling water and, keeping at a boil, add the 2 tablespoons fish sauce, remaining teaspoon salt, and a dash of MSG. Boil the fish heas for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer to a soup tureen, sprinkle on the coriander and scallion green, and serve.
VIETNAMESE CURRY:
This is a real
Vietnamese curry. Although adapted from the Indian, which is always made with
white potatoes, the Vietnamese version has the option of using white or sweet
potatoes, the latter being greatly favored by the Vietnamese. The Indian influence
is greatest in the South, where curried dishes are more popular then elsewhere
in Vietnam. This is usually served with noodles as a party dish. When it is
part of a family meal, it is eaten with rice. (8 servings)
| Ingredients: | |
| 1 stalk fresh lemon grass | 4 cloves garlic, chopped |
| 3 1/2 teaspoons curry powder | 3 bay leaves |
| 1 teaspoon granulated sugar | 1 large onion, cut into wedges and sections separated |
| 4 teaspoons salt | 2 cups water |
| 1 chicken, cut into pieces(big or small) | 1 carrot, cut tnto slices(big or small) |
| 7 tablespoons vegetable oil | 2 cups coconut milk or canned |
| 3 potatoes white/sweet, cut into piecies | 1 cup milk or water(if you use canned coconut milk) |
Combine the curry powder, black pepper, sugar, and salt and marinate the chicken in the mixture for at least 1 hour. Heat the oil and fry the potatoes over high heat until brown. When well browned, remove from the pan and set aside until ready to cook the curry. Pour off most of the oil from the pan, leaving 2 tablespoons for cooking the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over a high flame. Fry the garlic for a few seconds, then add the bay leaves, onion, and lemon grass; stir briefly and add the marinated chicken, stirring long enough to sear the meat slightly. Add the 2 cups of water and the carrot, then cover and bring to a boil. For another 10 minutes, then add the prefried potatoes and the coconut milk. Cover again and simmer for another 15 minutes.
RICE: Rice is consumed in a great many different ways-rice flour is made into flat or round noodles, sweet and savory rice cakes, and translucent sheets of rice paper for wrapping the filling that goes into Vietnamese spring rolls. It is fermented in shrimp and fish pastes and fermented and distilled into rice wines. Sticky or glutinous rice know as nep ("nep") is used in banh chung and in sweet soups known as che ("chair")
BAKED POMFRET WITH CHILLI AND SALT:
Pomfret with red chilli, garlic, onion, and shredded baked up and usually eat with rice. Saute garlic and red chilli with the excess oil in wok. This pomfret is shallow-fry over medium low heat with lid both sides until golden and cooked. We eat this with fish sauce.
STEWED SPARE RIBS WITH TOMATO SAUCE:
This is stewed ribs with tomato sauce chopped into pieces and stewed with potatoes, onion, and minced garlic, but tomato sauce is most important to have as an ingredient. This used to be done in saucepan and saute until slightly golden. Stew further until spare ribs and potatoes are tender.
FRIED VEGETALBES WITH SHRIMP PASTE:
When we talk about fried vegetables with shrimp paste, it could be any kind, not necessary spinach. Not only fried with shrimp paste, but it also with shallots, garlic in a blender or crush finely. This usually cooked until it softened.
STIR-FRIED OX RIBS:
The ox ribs had chop into pieces. Marinate for half an hour. Sometimes people stir-fried the ox ribs with different kind of vegetables like broccoli, onion ect..it depend on your liking.
FRIED VERMICELLI IN HOT BEAN SAUCE:
This is string beans cut into thick strip fried with vermicelli. Added with ginger, garlic, hot bean paste, red chilli and stir well until softened. The vermicelli also stir evenly until all sauce is absorbed. Sprinkle with a little sesame seeds on top after dish up.
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5
1. FRIED VERMICELLI IN HOT BEAN SAUCE 5. BAKED POMFRET WITH CHILLI AND SALT
2. FRUED VEGETABKES WUTG SGRUNO OASTE 4. STEWED SPARE RIBBS WITH TOMATO SAUCE
3. STIR-FRIED OX RIBS WITH PINEAPPLE
Vietnamese eating style usually be placed on a low table, but a rural family may simply squat around a pot of rice and bowls of other foods placed on a straw mat on the floor. Knives are not used at meals, as meat and vegetables are usually cut into bite-sized portions before or after cooking so that they are easily picked up with chopsticks. Rice is served in individual bowls, but all other foods are placed in communal bowls, and diners serve themselves using their own chopsticks or serving spoons.
Traditional etiquette requires family members to wait until the father (or in an extended family, the grandfather) is at the table before the meal begins.
Table manners are fairly simple. It is polite to take food and place it in the rice bowl before eating it and not to transfer it straight from the serving dish to the mouth. When not being used, chopsticks should rest on top of the rice bowl, or by its side. It is also considered rude to place chopsticks upright, sticking into the food.
Certain dishes are very popular throughout the country and may also be found on the menus of Vietnamese restaurants around the world. Of these, perhaps Cha gio (similar to the Chinese spring rolls) and Pho (beef noodle soup) are the best known.
Cha gio is made with thin, crispy rice paper filled with minced pork, vermicelli, onion, and a wafer-like wood fungus known as moc nhi. They are served with lettuce leaves. Other popular dishes are banh cuon, a steamed rice pancake filled with minced pork and dried shrimp and garnished with fried shallots, and chao tom, sticks of young sugarcane wrapped with ground shrimp and grilled. Beef noodle soup, or pho, and other noodle soups are very popular and make a satisfying one-dish meal. Flat rice noodles are garnished with slices of beef and served in a bowl of tasty broth. Noodle sellers usually provide customers with another large bowl that contains lettuce leaves, mint, basil, coriander, and other herbs to go with the noodles. Fish sauce and sliced chilies are the usual condiments, with a dash of lemon or lime for the soup.
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Book:
Osbome, Christine. Southeast Asian Food and Drink. New York: The Bookwright Press. 1989, p. 10.
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