Vietnamese Flavors: East Asian, Easy-to-Love
At the crossroads of history, Vietnam and its cuisine have been influenced by China, India, France and Thailand. The flavors of Vietnam are best experienced in the street markets of this small but distinctive country on the South China Sea.Lively and aromatic markets in the cities and towns across Vietnam provide hungry diners delectable snacks and hearty, home-style dishes. Tempting meals can be enjoyed at stall after stall from predawn into the wee hours of the night.Locals know which vendor serves the tastiest bowl of pho, the iconic Vietnamese rice noodle and beef broth soup; where to head at midday for a hearty Banh Mi (Garlic Grilled Pork nestled in a French-influenced baguette-style roll), where to find a distinctive cha gio (Vietnamese fried spring rolls) like Mom used to make, or an irresistible bun, a traditional Vietnamese noodle dish served with cool garnishes and warm toppings.Many of these flavorful street foods have become popular with Americans, as we’ve come to love dishes introduced by gifted Vietnamese restaurateurs on Main Street, USA. Now it’s easy to bring these East Asian flavors home.Vietnamese flavors and ingredients are irresistible:• Vietnamese cuisine is characterized by dishes with contrasting flavors and textures, and with many herbal touches—mint, cilantro, spearmint, Thai basil, and lemongrass. Pineapple Fish Soup is a favorite soup that offers different flavors with each bite, allowing each diner to customize his soup by adding fresh mint, cilantro and minced shallots• One ingredient the Vietnamese cook relies on—instead of salt or soy sauce—is fish sauce. This seasoning staple is a hallmark of the Vietnamese flavor profile, making dishes distinctive. Although fish sauce has a quite pungent aroma, its flavor is mild. Ginger Lime Dipping Sauce, stirred together easily and served with many dishes as a table sauce, features fish sauce spiked with crystallized ginger.• On the Vietnamese table, meats and vegetables are commonly served side by side with several dipping sauces and “table salad”—a platter filled with lettuce, cucumbers, shredded carrot, daikon, mint and bean sprouts. Carrot and Cucumber Pickle is a fresh relish that is found often on the Vietnamese table. • Foods are often wrapped in lettuce or rice paper, dipped in sauce, and eaten with one’s hands. Banh Xeo is a typical meal-in-one Vietnamese dish: Crepes made with rice flour and coconut milk are filled with a stir-fried pork-and-shrimp mixture and crisp vegetables—then served rolled up inside a lettuce leaf and eaten with a dipping sauce.Bring Vietnam to your home kitchen:• Cooking Vietnamese is relatively inexpensive, and while our American supermarkets might not be as colorful and festive as the open-air markets of Vietnam, most now carry basic ingredients such as fish sauce and rice noodles. You might want to explore your city’s Asian markets, however, for fun and a wider variety of ingredients.• Organization is a key factor in cooking Vietnamese. Read recipes thoroughly and have all ingredients ready to use, and in place, before you begin cooking. Arrange your ingredients “mise en place” (“put in place,” in French), on a tray in the order they will be used.• For dessert, offer Vietnamese coffee---very robust, dark roast coffee served with sweetened condensed milk. Offer fresh oranges, or another simple tropical fruit such as mango, papaya or pineapple, perhaps with a side of coconut shortbread or ginger cookies. (
Lively and aromatic markets in the cities and towns across Vietnam provide hungry diners delectable snacks and hearty, home-style dishes. Tempting meals can be enjoyed at stall after stall from predawn into the wee hours of the night.
Locals know which vendor serves the tastiest bowl of pho, the iconic Vietnamese rice noodle and beef broth soup; where to head at midday for a hearty Banh Mi (Garlic Grilled Pork nestled in a French-influenced baguette-style roll), where to find a distinctive cha gio (Vietnamese fried spring rolls) like Mom used to make, or an irresistible bun, a traditional Vietnamese noodle dish served with cool garnishes and warm toppings.
Many of these flavorful street foods have become popular with Americans, as we’ve come to love dishes introduced by gifted Vietnamese restaurateurs on Main Street, USA. Now it’s easy to bring these East Asian flavors home.
Vietnamese flavors and ingredients are irresistible:
• Vietnamese cuisine is characterized by dishes with contrasting flavors and textures, and with many herbal touches—mint, cilantro, spearmint, Thai basil, and lemongrass. Pineapple Fish Soup is a favorite soup that offers different flavors with each bite, allowing each diner to customize his soup by adding fresh mint, cilantro and minced shallots
• One ingredient the Vietnamese cook relies on—instead of salt or soy sauce—is fish sauce. This seasoning staple is a hallmark of the Vietnamese flavor profile, making dishes distinctive. Although fish sauce has a quite pungent aroma, its flavor is mild. Ginger Lime Dipping Sauce, stirred together easily and served with many dishes as a table sauce, features fish sauce spiked with crystallized ginger.
• On the Vietnamese table, meats and vegetables are commonly served side by side with several dipping sauces and “table salad”—a platter filled with lettuce, cucumbers, shredded carrot, daikon, mint and bean sprouts. Carrot and Cucumber Pickle is a fresh relish that is found often on the Vietnamese table.
• Foods are often wrapped in lettuce or rice paper, dipped in sauce, and eaten with one’s hands. Banh Xeo is a typical meal-in-one Vietnamese dish: Crepes made with rice flour and coconut milk are filled with a stir-fried pork-and-shrimp mixture and crisp vegetables—then served rolled up inside a lettuce leaf and eaten with a dipping sauce.
Bring Vietnam to your home kitchen:
• Cooking Vietnamese is relatively inexpensive, and while our American supermarkets might not be as colorful and festive as the open-air markets of Vietnam, most now carry basic ingredients such as fish sauce and rice noodles. You might want to explore your city’s Asian markets, however, for fun and a wider variety of ingredients.
• Organization is a key factor in cooking Vietnamese. Read recipes thoroughly and have all ingredients ready to use, and in place, before you begin cooking. Arrange your ingredients “mise en place” (“put in place,” in French), on a tray in the order they will be used.
• For dessert, offer Vietnamese coffee---very robust, dark roast coffee served with sweetened condensed milk. Offer fresh oranges, or another simple tropical fruit such as mango, papaya or pineapple, perhaps with a side of coconut shortbread or ginger cookies.
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