Vietnamese cuisine is based on blends of specific spices and herbs, and on
specific cooking methods. It also transmits an entire culture through its
rituals. The use of chopsticks is essential in Vietnam. Recipes vary from one
region to another, with three main sectors: North, South, and Central. A few
constants exist: ubiquitous vegetables, flavor taking priority over appearance,
and very low-fat and very healthy dishes. The meats used are most often pork,
chicken, beef, duck, goose, and there is also a lot of fish and shellfish.
Desserts are absent from meals but are enjoyed as a snack in the morning or
afternoon. The dishes are seasoned with numerous spices, herbs, and sauces,
which are combined according to yin and yang for a perfect balance of the dish.
Furthermore, there is no chain of dishes; a wide variety of dishes are offered
at the same time. Nuoc mam is a sauce found on every table.
Dishes
+ Rice is an essential base, which comes in 3 forms: regular rice, sticky rice,
and fragrant rice.
+ Pho: noodle soup served in a large bowl, made with boiled bones, ginger and
nuoc mam, then strips of meat, coriander, anise, various spices, which can be
eaten at any time of day.
+ Banh bao: steamed bun, filled with pork, fragrant mushrooms and onions.
+ Spring rolls: inside you can find crab, pork, egg, vermicelli, carrot,
mushrooms and various seasonings, all wrapped in a rice paper, to be dipped in
the sweet and sour sauce.
+ Banh tom: fried shrimp fritters.
+ Nom Chim Quay: papaya and barbecued pigeon salad.
+ Bun Cha: grilled pork with rice vermicelli.
+ Stir-fried noodles.
+ Spring rolls: They're found everywhere and eaten at any time. They come in
beef, duck, chicken, or pork flavors.
Desserts
In restaurants, dessert often consists of fresh fruit: pineapple, banana,
orange, papaya, grapefruit, or, more expensive because rarer, mango, jackfruit,
durian.
Banh deo: a cake made from sticky rice flour stuffed with candied fruit, sesame
seeds, and fat, very sweet. It is eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
+ Mut: candied fruit.
+ Che: a dessert made with white beans, corn, or sweet potatoes, drizzled with
coconut milk.
+ Yogurts and ice cream, souvenirs from the French era, have survived and are
easily found almost everywhere.
Drinks
Do not drink tap water, which is not drinkable. Bottled water is easily
available, and must be opened in front of you.
+ Tea: this is the national drink, very cheap. It is often green tea.
+ Beer: it is also very popular and inexpensive. Bia Hoi is a local beer, light
and pleasant.
+ Coffee: Vietnam is the world's second largest producer of coffee. It is a
common drink, served as individual, very strong filter coffee.
+ Rice wine.
Types of restaurants
There are many different places to eat in Vietnam: roadside eateries, street
vendors, more traditional restaurants. In the city, there are many restaurants
open to the street, very basic in terms of furniture but where the food is very
good and very cheap.
More articles:
