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Food and eating habit are one of criterions to value a
nation’s culture, life as well as living standard. To some people, value a
dish isn’t simple to measure the nutritious level, to see the decoration or
to know its taste but to find out the relation between food itself and
natural characters of the place where people live. In general, there is
something in common and differences between Vietnamese cuisine in the North,
the South and also in the Middle. Materials, spices, way of cooking, as well
as serving are dominant characters which flexibly changed from place to
place in this country.
Vietnam travel and cuisine
Vietnamese food has long been appreciated in France, yet, it was the U.S
residents who discovered its fine features. Vietnamese chefs like to refer
to their cooking as "the nouvelle cuisine of Asia." Indeed, with the heavy
reliance on rice, wheat and legumes, abundance of fresh herbs and
vegetables, minimal use of oil as well as treatment of meat as a condiment
rather than a main course, Vietnamese food has to be among the healthiest on
the planet.
The main features.
Cuisine in the country of about 90,000,000 people differs strikingly between
the north, south and central regions, but two key features stand out.
Firstly, rice plays an essential role in the nation's diet as it does
throughout Southeast Asia. Humorous speaking, Vietnamese is noodle-crazy.
You have seen regularly the appearance of noodle in their breakfast, lunch
and dinner, in homes, restaurants and at roadside stands. Noodles are eaten
wet and dry, in soup or beside soup, and are made in different shapes and
thicknesses of wheat, rice and mung beans such as bun cha, Cao Lau, Hue beef
noodle, bun rieu…Rice is also a main ingredients for making banh chung, banh
bao, banh xeo, banh beo, xoi…
Secondly, no meal is complete without fresh vegetables and herbs. Thanks to
the tropical climate, fresh vegetables are available all the year round. As
the result, dishes with fresh vegetable become familiar with every family,
especially with poor people in the old days. Some popular dishes are canh,
goi ngo sen, nom du du, rau muong, ca phao…Vietnam can also be considered as
a tropical paradise of dessert and beverage with che, sugarcane, fruit
smoothies, bubble tea…
With different cooking methods, different dishes were made, extremely
enjoyed and gradually popularized in the country. A key portion of every
meal from the North, the Central to the South is a platter containing
cucumbers, bean threads, slices of hot pepper, sprigs of basil, coriander,
mint and a number of related herbs found principally in Southeast Asian
markets.
Food of three regions
Vietnamese cuisine reflects its geography and history. Geographically, it
consists of two great river deltas separated by a belt of mountains.
Vietnamese describe their country as two great rice baskets hung on a
carrying pole. The Red River Delta surrounding Hanoi provides rice for the
residents of North Vietnam. The tremendously fertile Mekong Delta, centered
by Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) produces rice plus a wide variety of
fruits and vegetables.
As a former colony of China, Vietnamese adopted not only the Confucianism,
Buddhism, but also the habit of eating by chopsticks. Due to its proximity
to the border, North Vietnam reflects more Chinese influence than central or
south. Soy sauce rarely appears in Vietnamese dishes except in the North. It
is replaced by the most important and common ingredients in Vietnamese
cuisine - fish sauce or nuoc mam and shrimp paste. In the North, fish -
dipping sauce is usually used plain or almost mixed with nothing. In the
South, sugar, vinegar or lemon juice are added to weaken the sauce’s smell
while in the Middle, people mixed the sauce with some chilly.
Actually, in the North, dishes with salty taste seem to be much preferred to
suit the chill weather. On the contrary, the Southern cuisine is a
combination between sweet and sour. Foods of the Middle are famous for its
hot but sensitive taste that closely links with eating habit set for
hundreds of year by royal families
Northern cuisine exhibits fewer herbs and vegetables than the other regions
because its climate is less hospitable than the Mekong Delta. For heat,
North Vietnamese cooks rely on black pepper rather than chilies.
The royal tradition in the Central region goes back beyond the recent
Vietnamese monarchy to the ancient kingdom of Champa. The royal taste
reveals itself in the preference for many small dishes placed on the table
at once. The more lavish the spread, the wealthier the household. However,
even the poorer families are likely to have multiple dishes of simple
vegetables.
Style of cooking
The Vietnamese cook their food in a variety of ways, from deep fry, stir
fry, boil to steam. Unlike the Chinese, the Vietnamese use a minimal amount
of oil while cooking. Their purpose is to preserve the freshness and natural
taste of food as much as possible. Hence, Vietnamese cuisine is often
considered as one of the healthiest foods in the world.
A typical family meal
A typical Vietnamese meal (lunch or dinner) will include steamed rice, a
soup dish to eat with rice, a meat or fish dish and a vegetarian dish
(either stir fried or boiled).
Vietnamese do not eat in separate servings; however, food is placed in the
middle. Each member of the family has a small bowl and chopsticks which
allow him or her to take food from the table throughout the meal.
Though there were many rises and falls through the time and historical
events, including cultural crosses between Vietnam and other countries,
Vietnamese cuisine is always deep and strong in identity. It reminds people
of the folk creation and adaptation to nature. Increasingly famous worldwide
restaurants have sprawled over the globe, yet, no Vietnamese food abroad can
equal in flavor or quality to the one made in Vietnam itself. In brief,
Vietnamese cuisine depends heavily on rice grown in water paddies throughout
the country with dishes varying from simple everyday meals to most complex
dishes designed for the King. Reaching a balance between fresh herbs and
meats as well as a selective use of spices, Vietnamese food can be
considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.
Drinks in Vietnam
Drinks during your Vietnam travel are also amazing. Leave alone those soft
drinks you can find anywhere in the world, coconut-based beverages are
something you should not miss in this Vietnam holiday! And you can't wait to
tell your friends how great the Vietnamese yogurt tastes after just one sip.
Your Vietnam holiday can be as juicy as a peach once you soak in its drinks.
Don't bother what to eat during your Vietnam tour, maybe you just need which
you should begin with!
Fruits in Vietnam
Avocados, banana, grapefruit, jackfruit, lychee, mango, pomelo,
papaya...okay, maybe these are not enough for your shopping list for
tropical fruits in your Vietnam holiday. Regional favorites are depending in
seasons and areas, always fresh and cheap! |
