The traditional cuisine of any nation of the world is undoubtedly influenced by the location of the state on the globe and its history. Vietnam was no exception: it stretched from the north to the south, this country has widely developed regional culinary traditions. In the north, they prefer hot and soups, in the central part of Vietnam they respect ancient sophisticated recipes of high complexity, in the south they often use a large number of spices, dried herbs and red hot pepper.
Vietnam is famous for its unusual and refined cuisine, unlike any of the cuisines of other eastern countries: China, Korea or Japan. The true delights are Vietnamese pork sausages and rice pie. Noodles are traditionally served as a side dish or the first dish. In the preparation of many dishes of Vietnamese cuisine, various seasonings are often used, such as coriander, lemongrass, basil, mint, black and red pepper, as well as fresh vegetables, garlic, ginger, shrimp.
The exceptional freshness of seafood, vegetables and other ingredients, the use of a minimum amount of fat, the delicate piquancy of spices, the variety of rice varieties that grows on the fertile plantations of the delta of the Red River is the guarantee of the popularity of delicious and healthy Vietnamese cuisine among gourmets and those who prefer healthy food.
Characteristic features of Vietnamese cuisine
As mentioned above, the cuisine of North and South Vietnam has a number of differences. So, in the north prefer black pepper, while in the south - more burning chili, in addition in South Vietnamese cuisine in general, more spices and vegetables are used. Throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner, Vietnamese can eat lump or boiled rice. It did not pass without a trace for the national cuisine and the period of colonization of Vietnam by the French: on the streets everywhere are selling very popular cheeses, pates and, of course, fresh baguettes. In the inheritance from the French, Vietnamese also received a passion for coffee. A characteristic feature of the local drink is the prevailing taste and aroma of mocha. Serve this coffee in a small cup or a cup and usually add condensed milk to it.
Unlike the kitchens of other Asian countries, Vietnamese fried foods are in the minority, which makes the dishes of the national cuisine more healthy and light. Salads are prepared without adding oil, so they are very refreshing. The main ingredients are chicken, pork, seafood, shrimp, fresh herbs, vegetables, light spices and seasonings. Also in Vietnamese cuisine there is almost no beef.
The meal of the usual Vietnamese family looks like this: a fish and meat dish with a garnish of rice, noodles, vegetables and eggs. Banh Cuon is a favorite Vietnamese dish - rice cake, which is even prepared for New Year's table. For such a pie, sticky rice is taken, which is prepared for a couple wrapped in bamboo leaves. Serve rice cake with salad, shrimps or meat.
One of the most popular traditional Vietnamese dishes is Pho bo, a soup with noodles and beef, which can be changed to other meat if necessary. In the beef broth, which is filled with Pho bo, add shoots of fresh beans, tomatoes, onions and sprigs of mint. Also to this soup is perfect for baking pastry or vermicelli. The latter, by the way, is also used in a variety of Vietnamese dishes, in particular, as accompaniment to pork on grill, fried eggs and rice pies. Vermicelli, made from cassava flour, is the basis of such dishes as Mien Ga, Mien Luon, Mien Bo.
Traditional Vietnamese dishes
Vietnamese cuisine is rich in a wide variety of different sauces with original tastes. Especially popular are pasta from shrimp mam tom( "mom"), peanut sauce nuoc leo( "nyok leo") and fish sauce nuoc mam( "nyok mam").The latter is one of the most common ingredients in Asian, and in particular Vietnamese, cuisine. Having many different names, it is widely used in many countries of South-East Asia, for example, in Thailand this sauce is known as Nam pla. In fact, it is an alternative to another popular element of Chinese cuisine - soy sauce. Preparing "nyok mam" from fresh fish and sea salt, the process of fermentation takes from six months to twelve months.
The resulting liquid is passed through a filter and bottled. The taste of the sauce differs depending on the stage at which fermentation was stopped. The highest quality of fish sauce is achieved in the absence of all kinds of food additives, which are used in the "nyok mam" variants of a lower sample. The present fish sauce is a reddish-brown thick liquid rich in protein. Before consumption, "nyok mam" is bred and added to the dishes during their preparation. There is a kind of fish sauce with the addition of sugar, garlic and lime juice - nuoc cham.
Other popular Vietnamese dishes are: soup with tomato and rice noodles, in which is added shrimp or crab paste - bun rieu, rice pancakes stuffed with shrimp, meat, spices and sprouts masha - nem ran, sweet thin rice pancakes with coconut milk -banh xeo. Even Vietnamese love young bamboo shoots, which, despite the unpleasant smell, are quite tasty and useful. The inhabitants of Vietnam themselves give such a characteristic to the national cuisine - excellent taste with an unpleasant smell.