This forum is to introduce newcomers to the various cuisines offered throughout Asia. Feel free to discuss any of these dishes as well as the cuisine in general at the companion forum -
Asian Popular Foods by Country hosted by our very own
Rinshinomori. Dishes presented as example are nothing more than examples. Feel free to explore the Food.com database of recipes and learn more about each of the countries presented here.
Vietnam has three distinct culinary regions - Northern Vietnam, Central Vietnam and Southern Vietnam. In all three regions, easy access to the ocean has made seafood a Vietnamese speciality.
Examples:
Vietnamese Fish Simmered in Caramel Sauce (Ca Kho To) 56112
Vietnamese Stir-Fried Crab 374405
In Northern Vietnam, colder climate limits the production and availability of spices and as a result, the foods here are often less spicy than those in other regions. Most Northern Vietnamese foods feature light and balanced flavors that result from subtle combinations of many different flavoring ingredients. Fish sauce, soy sauce, prawn sauce, and lime are among the main flavoring ingredients. Northern Vietnam has produced many signature dishes of Vietnam, such as pho, bun neu, and banh cuon, which now are available around the country.
Examples:
Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)
Pho Bo - Beef Noodle Soup 115147
Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) 288361
Banh Cuon (Spring Rolls)
Fresh Spring Rolls Goi Cuon 383686
Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Cold Spring Rolls) 20445
The abundance of spices produced by Central Vietnam's mountainous terrain makes this region's cuisine notable for its spicy food. Once the capital of the last dynasty of Vietnam, the city of Hue's culinary tradition (ancient Vietnamese royal cuisine) features highly decorative and colorful food, served in sophisticated meals constituted by many complex dishes in small portions. Chili peppers and shrimp sauces are among the frequently used ingredients. Some Vietnamese signature dishes produced in this region are bun bo Hue and banh xeo.
Example:
Bun Bo Hue (Vietnamese Noodle Soup Hue Style)
Vietnamese Hue Noodle Soup - Bun Bo Hue 32207
Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Hue Style Noodle Soup With Lemongrass) 113776
Banh Xeo (Shrimp Crepes)
Sizzling Saigon Crepes banh Xeo 265472
The warm weather and fertile soil of the Mekong Delta has allowed Southern Vietnam to grow and raise a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, as well as livestock. As a result, foods in Southern Vietnam are often vibrant and flavorful with liberal uses of garlic, shallots, and fresh herbs. With a large taste for sweetness, sugar is added to food more than in the other regions.
Examples:
Cha Tom (shrimp wrapped in sugarcane)
Vietnamese Grilled Sugarcane Prawns 141746
Vietnamese Grilled Jumbo Shrimp on Sugarcane Sticks 173064
Once a tributary province of China for over a thousand years, Vietnam shares many characteristics with China. Many dishes such as wontons, dumplings, wheat noodles, baozi, Yangzhou fried rice as well as chow mein were adopted and added with their own styles and flavors to the Vietnamese culinary tradition. Ethnic minorities in the mountainous region near the China-Vietnam border also adopted some foods from China. Ethnic Tay and Nung adopted roasted pork and braised pork belly.
Examples:
Vietnamese Caramelized Salty Pork ( Thit Kho) 212297
Vietnamese clay pot pork 88691
The French introduced to Vietnam baguettes, which were then combined with Vietnamese stuffing to become a popular fast food in Vietnam called banh mì and known overseas as the "Vietnamese sandwich". The French also brought to Vietnam onions, potatoes, tarragon, asparagus, and coffee. From India by way of the annexed Indianized kingdom Champa in central Vietnam, the Vietnamese adopted curry.Though not common in the North, ca ri is a quite popular dish in central and southern Vietnam. The most common form is the chicken curry, while goat curry is in second place. Chicken curry is an indispensable dish at many social gathering events such as weddings, funerals and the yearly death anniversary of a loved one.
Examples:
Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)
Vietnamese Pork Sandwich (Banh Mi Thit) 51295
Banh Mi Thit Hoi an (Vietnamese Pork Sandwich) 288318
Ca Ri (Vietnamese Curry)
Vietnamese Vegetable Curry 340871
Vietnamese Chicken Curry With Sweet Potatoes 401954
From the Khmer, Vietnamese adopted prahok, a fermented fish paste. From Thailand, Vietnamese adopted mango sticky rice and Thai hotpot - a very popular party food in Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Some fruits also arrived from Thailand, for example: soursop and sapodilla.
Celticevergreen
Rinshinomori
Stella Mae
