Vietnamese cuisine overview

Vietnamese cuisine (cuisine translates to ẩm thực in Vietnamese: ẩm: drink and thực: food) is known for its common use of fish sauce, soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Vietnamese recipes use many vegetables, herbs and spices, including lemon grass, lime, and kaffir lime leaves. Throughout all regions the emphasis is always on serving fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs as side dishes along with dipping sauce. The Vietnamese also have a number of Buddhist vegetarian dishes. The most common meats used in Vietnamese cuisine are pork, beef, prawns, various kinds of tropical fish, and chicken. Duck and goat/lamb are used much less widely.

The three regions

Vietnamese cuisine can be basically divided into three categories, each pertaining to a specific region. With North Vietnam being the cradle of Vietnamese civilization, many of Vietnam's most famous dishes (such as phở) have their birthplace in the North. The North's cuisine is more traditional and more strict in choosing spiciness and ingredients. The South's cuisine has been influenced by the cuisines of southern Chinese immigrants, and thus Southerners prefer sweet flavors in many dishes. As a new land the South's cuisine is more exotic and liberal, using many herbs. Central Vietnamese cooking is quite different from the cuisines of both the Northern and Southern regions in its use of many small side dishes, and also its distinct spiciness when compared to its counterparts.

Món nhậu or cocktail delicacies

Meats such as snake, soft-shell turtle, and goat are enjoyed almost exclusively as "cocktail delicacies" with alcohol, and are not considered typical everyday fare. However, dog meat consumption is more widespread in the North, where it is considered a borderline mainstream meat, although not eaten nearly as often as pork or fish.[1] While it can be found, dog meat is harder to find in the larger cities, and tourists may not always see it.

Hột vịt lộn is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. It's typically served with fresh herbs (rau ram or Vietnamese coriander), salt, and pepper; lime juice is another popular additive, when available.

The typical Vietnamese family meal

A typical meal for the average Vietnamese family would include:

Individual bowls of rice

A roasted meat or fish dish

A stir-fried vegetable dish

canh (a clear broth with vegetables and often meat) or other Vietnamese-style soup

Prepared fish sauce and/or soy sauce for dipping

All dishes are communal and to be shared apart from the individual bowls of rice.

Popularity of Vietnamese cuisine

Outside of its country of origin, Vietnamese cuisine is widely available in Australia, United States, Canada, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, and Russia, and is also popular in areas with dense Asian populations.

In recent years it has become popular in other Asian countries such as South Korea, Laos, Thailand, etc.

Certain dishes which have become trademarks of Vietnamese cuisine include Phở, Bun, Banh Mi, and Goi Cuon.

Noodle soups

Vietnamese cuisine boasts a huge variety of noodle soups, each with influences and origins from every corner of the country and each with a distinct and special taste. A common characteristic of many of these soups is a rich and very tasty broth.

Source: Wikipedia.org