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History of Vietnamese food
While Vietnamese food has long been appreciated in France, the former colonial power, U.S. residents are only beginning to discover its many fine features. Vietnamese chefs like to refer to their cooking as "the nouvelle cuisine of Asia." And indeed, with the heavy reliance on rice, wheat and legumes, abundance of fresh herbs and vegetables, minimal use of oil, and treatment of meat as a condiment rather than a main course, Vietnamese food has to be among the healthiest on the planet.
As in any country, Vietnam's 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 either end of a carrying pole. The Red River Delta surrounding Hanoi provides rice for the residents of North Vietnam. The tremendously fertile Mekong Delta, centred by Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) produces rice plus a wide variety of fruits and vegetables both for itself and the central strip of the country whose principal city is the former imperial Hue.
A former colony of China, Vietnamese adopted Confucianism, Buddhism, chopsticks and the wok. But in spite of centuries of domination, Vietnamese food retained its own character. 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 what is perhaps the most important ingredient in all of Vietnamese cuisine -- fish sauce or nuoc mam. Stir frying plays a relatively minor role in Vietnam and once again is seen more in the north than elsewhere. Frying in general is less important than simmering.
Northern cuisine exhibits fewer herbs and vegetables than the other regions because its climate is less hospitable than that of the Mekong Delta. For heat, north Vietnamese cooks rely on black pepper rather than chillies. Residents also exhibit a particular fondness for beef, picked up from the Mongolians during their 13th century invasions.
The royal tradition in the central region goes back beyond the more 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. But even the poorer families are likely to have multiple dishes of simple vegetables.
Servings are larger and fewer in the south; and hot chillies replace black pepper for heat. The profusion of fruit in the area means that sweet fruit occasionally makes its way into a dish of meat and vegetables. Preparations are less complex than many of those in the centre and the style of cooking often resembles that of neighbouring Cambodia. This is the part of Vietnam responsible for curries. Once again history influences cuisine for ancient Angkor, centered in Cambodia, once ruled this portion of Vietnam
Vietnamese Food Terms
Ban Cuon
a variation on the Chinese Dim Sum (steamed filled dumplings), where only the dough is steamed then filled. The dough is made into a ball from rice flour and water then rubbed over a cheesecloth tautly stretched over a pot of boiling water. As the steam cooks the 'wrapper', it is pulled off, rolled up with a minced filling of pork, shrimp, mushrooms and onions then dipped in hot sauce before being eaten. Commonly made and served by street vendors or at market stalls.
Banh Hoi Nem Chua
cooked rice noodles served with raw pork.
Banh Hoi Tom
cooked rice noodles served with lobster.
Banh Trang
rice-paper wrappers made from rice flour, water and salt. These are moistened in warm water then quickly filled to be fried, or used uncooked as wrappers for slivers of meat or fish and fresh herbs. Usually dipping sauces are provided for the diners.
Ca-Kho
raw fish.
Ca Ran Chua Ngot
a special main dish of quickly fried whole fish served with a delicate sweet and sour sauce touched lightly with chilies and onions, nuoc mam, vinegar, and sugar. The stir-fried slivered tiger lily buds, mushrooms and scallions form the garnish.
Cha Gio
the general name for wrapped tidbits of fish, seafood, vegetables, which are eaten as is after being dipped in various sauces or which may be deep-fried in their wrappers (as when using rice-paper wrappers). The finger-sized rolls may be served as appetizers or as art of a meal.
Hu-Tien
a broth with noodles often served as a hot satisfying breakfast dish.
Mang Tay Nau Cua
soup based on chicken stock with crab meat and asparagus and mushroom pieces. The soup is thickened with cornstarch and served garnished with slivers of scallions and crumbled hard egg yolk.
Micha Trong Kroeuny
strips of plaice fillets dusted with rice flour and briefly browned in fat then lightly cooked in a spicy sauce of garlic, scallions, chilies, and Nuoc Mam.
Mien Ga
light, flavorful chicken broth (fat-free), served with cellophane noodles and thinly slivered scallions to garnish.
Mut
a sticky sweet candy that can be prepared from fruits, vegetables, or seeds cooked in syrup until translucent.
Nonhchon
the short grain rice preferred by the South Vietnamese.
Nems
deep-fried pastry-wrapped delicacies very similar to Chinese egg rolls and eaten after being dipped into Nuoc Man or Nuoc Cham.
Nuoc Cham
to the basic Nuoc Mam the cook adds chilies, black pepper, cayenne, scallions, onions, garlic to taste in order to produce a fiery hot sauce, Nuoc Cham to the diner's liking.
Nuoc Leo
a peanut dipping sauce made by mixing Nuoc Mam with chicken broth and Hoisin Sauce then garnishing with slivers of chilies, garlic and crushed roasted peanuts.
Nuoc Mam
the single most important sauce of Vietnamese cuisine. It is prepared (mostly commercially) by layering fish and salt in barrels and allowing them to ferment. The first liquid that oozes off naturally is considered to be of high quality. The liquid that results after pressing the fermented mixture is stronger in color, flavor and odor and is considered to be of lower quality. This sauce is as common as salt and pepper is to the western table. No dish is complete without at least a little Nuoc Mam, but each dier adds more, according to taste.
Pho
the only Vietnamese dish that is served in individual portions. All other dishes are served in dishes to be shared at the table. Lengthy cooking and careful seasoning produces the beef or chicken broth that is poured over cooked noodles. The shredded meat of your choice is arranged on top. Each diner adds fresh green herbs, garlic and chilies. Sauces are served in tiny side dishes for dipping meat slivers with chopsticks. A porcelain soup spoon may be used to aid the delivery of slippery noodles to the mouth.
Tamthom
the long grain white rice preferred by the North Vietnamese.
Thit-Kho
pork. The preferred meat, eaten frequently by the upper class, often by the middle class, and almost never by the poorer class.
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