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Home >> About Vietnam :>> Vietnam's Foods Vietnamese cuisine over the last 200 years is a unique combination of Asian and French cooking. Of Asian origin is the importance of vegetables in the daily diet, and the habit of chopping up food before preparation. Accordingly chopsticks are used at the table. The food in the north consisted of stir-fries and noodle-based soups, revealed the heavy influence of Chinese cooking. The mountainous middle section, with the former Imperial capita of Hue, at its center, has an abundance of fresh produce. It was in Hue that royal chefs developed the more elaborate dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. The southern region is tropical, sustaining rice paddies, coconut groves, and many more spices than the north. As in the rest of Southeast Asia, there is an ancient layer of Indian cultural presence, most obviously evidenced in the religion of Buddhism. French colonization of Vietnam, which began in the 16th century and ended in the middle of the 20th century, also had a deep influence on Vietnamese cooking. The cuisine balances all these influences. One street vendor may sell noodle soup (pho bo) from his cart. The next vendor over might sell baguette smeared with one of the many ground pork concoctions. Both may be complemented by the ubiquitous native fish sauce (nuoc nam) or dipping sauce (nuoc cham -- made from fish sauce, water, sugar, and lime juice and seasoned with chilies and garlic). As in many of the neighboring countries, a Vietnamese meal is rarely divided into courses. All the food is served at once and shared from common dishes. Most meals include a soup, a stir-fry, and another main dish. Like the Chinese, the Vietnamese eat from a bowl with chopsticks. Vietnamese cooking is generally not as rich or heavy as the coconut milk curries, of Thailand or India. Having a significant amount of fish and seafood is central to the diet. Other meats -- pork, beef, and chicken -- are also common, but in smaller quantities. Vegetables are often left raw, especially in the South. The distinct flavors of Vietnamese food come primarily from: mint leaves, coriander, lemon grass, shrimp, fish sauces, star anise, ginger, black pepper, garlic, basil, rice vinegar, sugar, and green onions. Many flavorful marinades are made by some combination of these flavorings. Marinated meat or fish is quickly sauteed in the wok and served with an array of raw vegetables and herbs. All this may be eaten over rice or rolled in a rice-paper wrapper or lettuce leaf, then dipped into a pungent sauce. Some of our classic tours are designed so that you can attend a cooking class to learn how to cook some typical Vietnamese dishes. You’ll have chance to buy and bargain as a local people at a local market. No one but only you are the person who prepare all ingredients for your own dishes and cook them by yourself.
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