Cuisine is an essential component of culture. For generations, Vietnamese cuisine culture has been produced, nurtured, and developed alongside the nation’s history. Each region on the S-shaped territory has its own distinct peculiarities in terms of processing, spice use, and eating habits, all of which contribute to the vivid panoramic culinary image.
Vietnamese cuisine culture
Vietnam’s area is separated into three regions as an agricultural country in the tropical monsoon region: north, central, and south. As a result, our country’s cuisine is divided into three distinct regions with distinct characteristics. Not only are there distinctions in geographical features, climate, and weather, but also in culture and customs, which have produced their own characteristics in the method of eating, taste, habits, and ingredient combinations in Vietnam.
Some facts about Vietnamese cuisine
Because Vietnam was founded by the wet rice culture, rice was the main element in the main meals. Vietnam does not consume wheat, barley, or grains in the same way as countries in North Africa and the Middle East do. In terms of vegetables, Vietnam uses a wide range of vegetables and fruits in a variety of meals, including boiled, fried, pickled, and eaten raw. It is essential in every Vietnamese meal for soup dishes, particularly sour soup.
The number of dishes prepared from animals is smaller than that of plants. The most widely utilized meats are pork, beef, birds such as ducks and chickens, shrimp, fish, crabs, snails, mussels, oysters, and so on. In daily recipes, Vietnam does not employ lamb, turtle, tortoise, or rat meat. Only in certain parts of the country is it considered a specialty meal, consumed with wine or soaked in wine.
Vegetarian foods are essential in Vietnamese culinary culture. Aside from Buddhists, some people use foods made from plants rather than animals for various reasons, such as having medical concerns.
In Vietnamese food, the most important aspect is flavor. Because the recipes feature a subtle blend of spices. Furthermore, Vietnamese people enjoy tough, crispy components such as chicken wings, bamboo shoots, or animal innards. Vietnamese recipes do not prioritize consuming healthful food, thus there are few stew options, which frequently take a long time to prepare. According to historian Dr. Nguyen Nha, Vietnamese culinary culture comprises nine key features, which are as follows:
Sociability and diversity in Vietnamese Cuisine Culture
This characteristic is reflected in Vietnamese people’s willingness to incorporate the essence and good values of other ethnic groups’ culinary cultures into their own cuisine. However, this is the selective acquisition of carefully, only applying the traits appropriate to the nation’s lifestyle, customs, and habits, so making it one’s own. Even inside the country, regional culinary cultures are learning and mingling.
With only one pancake meal (Banh Xeo), each location has its own distinct taste and texture. Central pancakes are thick and thinly coated, and they are served with broth. Southern pancakes, on the other hand, have a thinner crust and are cooked on a larger pan; they are frequently served with fish sauce. This demonstrates the various elements of Vietnamese cuisine culture.
Concerning Pho, Southern pho has a sweet flavor and a dark water tone, with fatty water on the surface. Southerners who eat Pho always top it with sweet black sauce and serve it with raw vegetables. Meanwhile, the broth with a clear color and pleasant taste is the hallmark of a wonderful bowl of Pho in the North. This is also an interesting topic that we covered in our previous blog post Saigon Pho vs Hanoi Pho.
Low on fat
Low fat is the second element of Vietnamese culinary tradition. Vietnamese foods contain less fat and meat than recipes from Eastern countries such as China, as well as European and American countries. Whatever it is, veggies, tubers, and fruits are the main elements.
There is always a bowl of vegetable soup or a platter of boiled veggies with the meal. Soup-based meals like noodle, Bun and Pho are all served with raw veggies. The rolls and salads are a clear manifestation of the low-fat nature of Vietnamese cuisine.
Richness of flavor
As previously stated, our country’s cuisine emphasizes the factor of delectability. The foods get richer and more appealing by employing a range of spices. The components are carefully marinated before processing. In our country, there are numerous varieties of fish sauce and seasoning sauce. Furthermore, each meal comes with its own dipping sauce to complement the exquisite flavor. Banh Beo, for example, is served with sweet fish sauce, whereas Banh Loc is served with salty and spicy fish sauce.
The summation and harmony
Vietnamese cuisines include a wide range of ingredients such as beef, shrimp, crab, fish, vegetables, and more. Furthermore, each meal contains a variety of flavors such as sour, spicy, salty, sweet, fatty, and so on.
Tasty and healthy
It is not irrational to associate the words delicious and healthy. It embodies the essence and values of Vietnamese dining and drinking. Vietnamese cuisine employs a wide range of spices, blending numerous components to create distinct flavors. However, eating healthily is insufficient. The food must also be healthful, with a yin-yang balance to promote health. Duck and snail meat, for example, have a cold property that helps the body recover. As a result, they are always served with ginger and laksa leaves with heat qualities to balance them out.
Chopsticks
Using chopsticks to pick up is one of the most notable elements of Vietnamese and Asian cuisine cultures in general. Children are taught from a young age to pick up carefully and not drop food. Chopsticks have become a vital soul in every Vietnamese dinner. Unlike the West, where various tools are used, Vietnamese people can execute many tasks with just a pair of chopsticks, such as separating, skewering, stir – frying, frying, baking, stirring, and even seasoning.
Collectivism and community
Unlike Westerners, who typically eat a cup of soup and a cup of sauce for each individual, Vietnamese people always have a bowl of common dipping sauce and a bowl of soup in the center of the group food tray. The items in the round tray are always scooped out into bowls and plates and then neatly presented. The bowl of dipping sauce is not only a spice that adds flavor to the dish, but it also represents the Vietnamese people’s solidarity and togetherness. Because it is a shared dinner, everyone must be careful, sensitive, and observant in order to avoid being assessed based on their cultural level.
Vietnamese Cuisine is about Hospitality
Vietnamese people are friendly. This is visible in Vietnamese cuisine. Almost every youngster has the practice of inviting an adult to eat first at every meal. When visitors arrive, Vietnamese people always demonstrate care and warmth by inviting them to remain for an intimate meal with their family.
All-in-one
In contrast to Westerners, who serve each person a portion of food on a plate, cup, or bowl, the Vietnamese always serve multiple items on a tray. Each meal is presented in a huge plate/bowl at the same time. Members are able to choose their own dishes, and at the end of each meal, all dishes are cleaned up at the same time. The West, on the other hand, divides meals into appetizers, main courses, and desserts, and consumes one dish before bringing another.
Regional differences in Vietnamese cuisines
Because the country is separated into three sections, each region’s cuisine has its own distinct characteristics: North, Central, and South. Vietnamese cuisine is rich and diverse due to the influence of several culinary cultures. Each location has a distinct flavor that is portrayed through each ingredient, preparation method, dish name, and so on, as well as how it is presented and eaten.
Northern cuisine
Northern cuisine in general, and Hanoi cuisine in particular, have a distinct flavor profile that favors salty and rich flavors. When compared to the South, it will be less sweet, and when compared to the Central region, it will be less spicy. The main spices utilized are fish sauce and shrimp paste. Northern recipes make extensive use of vegetables and freshwater aquatic goods such as crabs, fish, and mussels.
Because of the region’s historically poor agricultural, residents in the north rarely consume meat and fish. Hanoi cuisine is regarded as a typical example of Northern cuisine. Pho, Bun Thang, Banh Cuon, Bun Dau Mam Tom, Mien, Vong rice flakes, La Vong fish cake, and other popular foods are enjoyed by both locals and visitors from other countries.
Southern cuisine
When we think of Southern cuisine, we think of sweetness. Many individuals are unfamiliar with Southern dishes, particularly Western foods, when they first try them. The South loves sweetness since it is influenced by Cambodian and Thai food. Furthermore, coconut milk or coconut water is used in almost all recipes, from sweet dishes like tea and cakes to savory dishes like braised fish and braised meat.
Southern cuisine is rich in dried fish sauces such as Ca Sac sauce, Bo Hoc fish sauce, and Ba Khia fish sauce, among others. Unlike the North, Southern cuisine makes extensive use of salty and brackish seafood. This food is simple and rustic, and does not necessitate advanced cooking techniques as in the North and Central areas. Field Mice with Coconut, Steamed Bats and Crows, Ground Cobras cooked with green bean porridge, coconut worms, earthworms, grilled snakehead fish… are some of the specialties of the South.
In addition, “seasonal specialties” are another feature of Southern food. Food and fruit resources are plentiful here due to ideal weather conditions and rivers. The continuous alluvial deposition system contributes to the richness of fish and shrimp in the South.
Central Cuisine
Because the Central region’s environment is too harsh, with strong sun, heavy rain, frequent storms, and floods every year, the cuisine is largely spicy and hot to combat the cold. Furthermore, if the braises are salty, the dish will last longer without the need for a refrigerator. Due to the use of several spices, dishes have a rich red and dark brown color.
Furthermore, because Central Vietnamese people spend half of the year in rainy and flood-prone conditions, they prefer salted foods that can be stored for a long time in jars or cans; you can find a lot of canned products in this region. Everything, from vegetables to meat to seafood, may be salted and bottled. Sour shrimp, shrimp paste, and seasoning sauce are popular in Hue, Da Nang, and Binh Dinh.
Hue cuisine is well-known in Central Vietnam’s culinary tradition. Because of the influence of royal cuisine, most foods are highly processed and presented. Each dish is only served in a small bowl, with only enough for one person to consume. Banh Beo Chen (Rice Cake in a Bowl) and Banh Loc are typical. Hue cuisine is especially known for its sweet-soup dishes and salads that need careful cutting.
Home meals in Vietnamese Cuisine Culture
Home dinners are an essential component of Vietnamese cuisines. Every day, Vietnamese meals are served at noon and late. This is not only a time for the family to gather after a long day of work, but it is also a time for members to confide and share their joys and sorrows. Aside from rice, each Vietnamese meal normally consists of three to five dishes, depending on the family’s economic situation.
During the meal, participants will take turns bringing rice from the common rice cooker into the bowl. Soup is frequently served in the middle of each meal. If you don’t have time, a bowl of vegetable broth will suffice. There’s also stir-fry, a flavorful dish made from animal meat that’s fried, braised, or fried. A cup of fish sauce for the whole family to share is essential at every meal. Some households also consume more raw veggies and pickles.
Snacks and roll dishes in Vietnamese Cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine is also well-known for serving food in the middle of the day. They are sold in a variety of ways, including peddlers, homemade, and in popular restaurants. Cakes produced from rice flour and sticky rice flour are the most well-known snacks.
In terms of roll dishes, Vietnam has now broken the world record for the most. Fresh, healthy, and low-fat vegetables are abundant in Vietnamese rolls.
These are just a few facts regarding Vietnamese cuisine. If you have the opportunity to investigate it for yourself, you will undoubtedly discover more and more fascinating aspects of our culinary culture. It does not emerge from a regional size, but rather from a familial or even a personal scale. If you’re interested, make plans to visit Vietnam as soon as possible.
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