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Vietnamese cuisine encompasses thefoods andbeverages originated fromVietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes (ngũ vị): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, andspicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflects one or more elements (such as nutrients and colors), which are also based around afive-pronged philosophy. Vietnamese recipes use ingredients likelemongrass,ginger,mint,Vietnamese mint, brown sugar,long coriander,Saigon cinnamon,bird's eye chili, soy sauce,lime, andThai basil leaves.[1] Traditional Vietnamese cooking has often been characterised as using fresh ingredients, not using much dairy or oil, having interesting textures, and making use of herbs and vegetables. The cuisine is also low in sugar and is almost always naturallygluten-free, as many of the dishes are rice-based instead of wheat-based, made withrice noodles,bánh tráng rice paper wrappers andrice flour.[2]
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Besides indigenous Vietnamese influences, which are the major core of Vietnamese food, owing to historical contact with China and centuries ofsinicization, some Vietnamese dishes share similarities with Chinese cuisine. In culinary traditions, the Chinese introduced to Vietnam several dishes, includingvằn thắn/hoành thánh (wonton),xá xíu (char siu),há cảo (har gow),hủ tiếu (shahe fen),mì (wheat noodles),bò bía (popiah),bánh quẩy (youtiao),mooncake andbánh pía (Suzhou-style mooncake),bánh tổ (nian gao),sủi dìn (tang yuan),bánh bò,bánh bao (baozi),cơm chiên Dương Châu (Yangzhou fried rice), andmì xào (chow mein). The Vietnamese adopted these foods and added their own styles and flavors to the foods. Ethnic minorities in the mountainous region near the China–Vietnam border also adopted some foods from China. EthnicTày andNùng in Lạng Sơn province adoptedthịt lợn quay (roasted pork) andkhâu nhục (braised pork belly) from China. Some New World vegetables, such as chili peppers and corn (maize), also made their way to Vietnam from theMing dynasty.
The French introduced baguettes to Vietnam, which were combined with Vietnamese stuffing to become a popular fast food in Vietnam calledbánh mì thịt, known overseas as "Vietnamese baguettes".Bánh mì is just the bread, whereasthịt implies meat or stuffing. The French also introduced Vietnam to onions, potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, lettuce, tarragon, carrot, artichoke, asparagus, and coffee.
The western-introduced ingredients often have a name derived from a similar native Vietnamese ingredient, then adding the wordtây (meaningwestern). Onions are calledhành tây (literally "western shallots"), asparagus asmăng tây (western bamboo shoots) and potatoes are calledkhoai tây (western yam) in Vietnamese, which reflects their origin before arriving in Vietnam. French-influenced dishes are numerous and not limited to:sa lát (salad),pâté,patê sô (a Brittany pasty called "pâté chaud"),bánh sừng trâu/bánh sừng bò (croissant),bánhflan, ya ua (yogurt),rôti (rotisserie),bơ (butter),vịt nấu cam (duck à l'orange),ốp lết (omelette),ốp la (œufs au plat),phá xí (farcies),bít tết (beefsteak),sốt vang (cooking with wine),dăm bông (jambon), andxúc xích (saucisse). Owing to influences from French colonial rule, the French Indochinese countries of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia have several shared dishes and beverages, including baguettes and coffee. The French also introduced the use of dairy products in Vietnamese-French fusion dishes.
Vietnamese cuisine also has influences from Champa, Malaysia and Cambodia. The use of coconut milk and various central dishes such asbánh khọt were influenced by Cham cuisine. Spices including curries were also introduced to Vietnam by Malay and Indian traders.[3] Though not common in the north,cà ri is a quite popular dish in central and southern Vietnam. The most common form is chicken curry, and to a lesser extent, goat curry. Chicken curry is an indispensable dish in many social gathering events, such as weddings, funerals, graduations, and the yearly death anniversary of a loved one. Similar to Cambodia, curry in Vietnam is eaten either with bread,steamed rice, or round rice noodles (rice vermicelli).Mắm bồ hóc orprahok, adopted from ethnic Khmer in Southern Vietnam, is used as a central ingredient of a Vietnamese rice noodle soup calledbún nước lèo which originated with ethnic Khmers in Vietnam and is not found in Cambodia.
Owing to contact with previous communist countries from Eastern Europe, the Vietnamese adopted dishes such as stuffed cabbage soup,sa lát Nga (Olivier salad) andbia Tiệp (Czech beer).
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The mainstream culinary traditions in all three regions ofVietnam share some fundamental features:
While sharing some key features, Vietnamese culinary tradition differs from region to region.[4]
Innorthern Vietnam, a colder climate limits the production and availability of spices. As a result, the foods there are often less spicy than those in other regions.[5]Black pepper is used in place ofchilies as the most popular ingredient to produce spicy flavors. In general, northern Vietnamese cuisine is not bold in any particular taste—sweet, salty, spicy, bitter, or sour. Most northern Vietnamese foods feature light and balanced flavors that result from subtle combinations of many different flavoring ingredients. The use of meats such as pork, beef, and chicken were relatively limited in the past. Freshwater fish,crustaceans, andmollusks, such asprawns and shrimp,squid,crabs,clams, andmussels, are widely used. Many notable dishes of northern Vietnam are crab-centered (e.g.,bún riêu). Being the cradle of Vietnamese civilization,[6] northern Vietnam produces many signature dishes of Vietnam, such asbún riêu andbánh cuốn, which were carried to central and southern Vietnam through Vietnamese migration.[7] Other famous Vietnamese dishes that originated from the north, particularly fromHanoi, include "bún chả" (rice noodles with grilled marinated pork),phở gà (chicken soup with rice noodles),chả cá Lã Vọng (rice noodles with grilled fish).
The abundance of spices produced byCentral Vietnam's mountainous terrain makes this region's cuisine notable for its spicy food, which sets it apart from the two other regions of Vietnam, where foods are mostly not spicy. Once the capital of the last dynasty of Vietnam,Huế's culinary tradition features highly decorative and colorful food, reflecting the influence of ancient Vietnamese royal cuisine. The region's cuisine is also notable for its sophisticated meals consisting of many complex dishes served in small portions. Chili peppers and shrimp sauces are among the frequently used ingredients. Some Vietnamese signature dishes produced in central Vietnam arebún bò Huế andbánh khoái.
The warm weather and fertile soil ofsouthern Vietnam create an ideal condition for growing a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and livestock. As a result, foods in southern Vietnam are often vibrant and flavorful, with liberal uses of garlic,shallots, and fresh herbs. Sugar is added to food more than in the other regions.[8] The preference for sweetness in southern Vietnam can also be seen through the widespread use of coconut milk in southern Vietnamese cuisine. Vast shorelines make seafood a natural staple for people in this region. Some signature seafood dishes from southern Vietnam includebánh khọt andbún mắm.[9][10]
Mekong Delta cuisine relies heavily on fresh products which are abundant in the new land with heavy use of palm sugar, fermented fish, seafood and wild herbs and flowers. The history of the region being a newly settled area reflects on its cuisine;ẩm thực khẩn hoang or "settlers' cuisine" means dishes are prepared fresh from wild and newly-caught ingredients. The cuisine is also influenced by Khmer, Cham and Chinese settlers.
The cuisine of the Northern and Central Highlands regions is influenced by tribal traditions, with items such asthắng cố (Hmong horse stew), dried meats,cơm lam andrượu cần.
Vietnamese cuisine always hasfive elements which are known for its balance in each of these features.
Vietnamese cuisine is influenced by the Asian principle offive elements andmahābhūta.
| Correspondence | Elements[12] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | Fire | Earth | Metal | Water | |
| Spices (ngũ vị) | Sour | Bitter | Sweet | Spicy | Salty |
| Organs (ngũ tạng) | Gall bladder | Small intestine | Stomach | Large intestine | Urinary bladder |
| Colors (ngũ sắc) | Green | Red | Yellow | White | Black |
| Senses (ngũ giác) | Visual | Taste | Touch | Smell | Sound |
| Nutrients (ngũ chất) | Carbohydrates | Fat | Protein | Minerals | Water |
The principle ofyin and yang (Vietnamese:Âm dương) is applied in composing a meal in a way that provides a balance that is beneficial for the body. While contrasting texture and flavors are important, the principle primarily concerns the "heating" and "cooling" properties of ingredients. Certain dishes are served in their respective seasons to provide contrasts in temperature and spiciness of the food and environment.[13] Some examples are:[14]
Vietnamese cuisine is reflective of the Vietnameselifestyle, from the preparation to how the food is served. Going through long phases of war and political conflict, as well as cultural shifts, many Vietnamese people have been living in poverty. Therefore, the ingredients for Vietnamese food are often very inexpensive. Nonetheless, the way they are cooked together to create ayin–yang balance makes the food simple in appearance but rich in flavor.
Because of economic conditions, maximizing the use of ingredients to save money has become a tradition in Vietnamese cooking. In earlier decades, and even nowadays in rural areas, every part of a cow is used, from the muscle meat to the intestines. The higher quality cuts from farmed animals (cows, pigs) would be cooked in stir-fry dishes and soups, while the secondary cuts would be used in blood sausages or for preparing broth. The same goes for vegetables likescallions: the leafy part is diced into small bits which are used to add flavor to the food while the crunchy stalk and roots are replanted.
Nước mắm (fish sauce) is the most commonly usedcondiment in Vietnamese cooking. It is made from fermented raw fish and is served with most of the Vietnamese dishes. A traditionalsouthern Vietnamese meal usually includescơm trắng (plain white rice),cá kho tộ (catfish in a clay pot),canh chua cá lóc (sour soup withsnakehead fish), and it would be incomplete without fish sauce served as a condiment. Cooking and then serving fish in the same clay pot has been proven to be an ancient tradition.[15]
The foods from each region in Vietnam carry their distinctive and unique characteristics that reflect the geographical and living conditions of the people there. The traditional southern Vietnamese meal is made up of fresh ingredients that the fertileMekong Delta could provide, such ascá lóc, and a wide range of tropical fruit likemangosteen,mango, anddragon fruit. The southern-style diet includes vegetables, fish and tropical fruits as the main ingredients.
Central Vietnam is the region in which food is prepared with the strongest, boldest flavors. The coastline around the central Vietnam area is known for its salt and fish sauce industries; these two condiments are central to their daily diets.
Northern Vietnamese cuisine has a strong Chinese influence, and its most famous dish isphở. While plain rice is a staple in the southern Vietnamese diet, the north has a preference for noodles. Owing to the notable differences in climate and lifestyles throughout the three main regions of Vietnam, the foods vary. Northern Vietnamese cooking is the least bold and spicy in flavor compared to the foods from central and southern Vietnam.
Daily meals of Vietnamese people are quite different from Vietnamese foods served in restaurants or stalls. A typical meal for the average Vietnamese family would include:[16]
Except individual bowls of rice, all dishes are communal and are to be shared in the middle of the table. It is also customary for younger people to ask/wait for the elders to eat first and for the woman who sits directly next to the rice pot to serve rice for other people. People should invite the others to enjoy the meal (somewhat similar to saying "Enjoy your meal"), in order from the elders to younger people. They also pick up food for each other as an action of care.
A feast (Vietnamese:cỗ,tiệc) is a significant event for families or villages, usually up to twelve people for each table. A feast is prepared for weddings, funerals, and festivals, including the longevity-wishing ceremony. In a feast, ordinary foods are not served, but boiled rice is still used.
A Vietnamese feast has two courses: the main course (món mặn, or salty dish) and dessert (món ngọt, or sweet dish). All dishes, except for individual bowls of rice, are enjoyed collectively. All main course dishes are served simultaneously rather than one after another. The major dish of the main course is placed in the center of the tables, usually big pots of soup or a hot pot.
A basic feast (cỗ một tầng) consists of ten dishes: five in bowls (năm bát):bóng (dried and fried pork skin),miến (cellophane noodles),măng (bamboo shoot),mọc (meatball),chim orgà tần (bird or chicken stew dishes) and five on plates (năm đĩa):giò (Vietnamese sausage),chả,gà orvịt luộc (boiled chicken or duck),nộm (Vietnamese salad) andxào (stir-fried dishes). This kind of feast is traditional and is organized only in northern Vietnam. Other variations are found in central and southern Vietnam.
Four dishes essential in the feast of Tết arechả giò (spring rolls),nem (in northern Vietnam,nem refers to a spring roll callednem cuon ornem ran; in southern Vietnam,nem mainly refer tonem chua, fermented pork rolls),ninh (stew dishes) andmọc (noodle soup). At this time, the feast for offering ancestors includes sticky rice, boiled chicken, Vietnamese rice wine, and other foods preferred by ancestors. Gifts are given before guests leave the feast.
In the Nguyễn dynasty, the 50 best chefs from all over the kingdom were selected for theThượng Thiện board to serve the king. There were three meals per day—12 dishes at breakfast and 66 dishes for lunch and dinner (including 50 main dishes and 16 sweets). An essential dish wasbird's nest soup (tổ yến). Other dishes included shark fin (vi cá),abalone (bào ngư), deer's tendon (gân nai), bears' hands (tay gấu), and rhinoceros' skin (da tê giác). Water had to come from theHàm Long well, theBáo Quốc pagoda, theCam Lồ well (near the base ofThúy Vân mountain), or from the source of theHương River. Rice was thede variety from theAn Cựu imperial rice field.Phước Tích clay pots for cooking rice were used only a single time before disposal. No one was allowed to have any contact with the cooked dishes except for the cooks andThượng Thiện board members. The dishes were first served to eunuchs, then the king's wives, after which they were offered to the king. The king enjoyed meals (ngự thiện) alone in a comfortable, music-filled space.[17]
Salt is used as the connection between the worlds of the living and the dead.Bánh phu thê is used to remind new couples of perfection and harmony at their weddings.[18] Food is often placed at the ancestral altar as an offering to the dead on special occasions (such asLunar New Year). Cooking and eating play an extremely important role in Vietnamese culture.
The wordăn (toeat) is included in a great number ofproverbs and has a large range of semantic extensions.
Many Vietnamese idioms reflect thesex-is-eating mapping:
Outside of Vietnam, Vietnamese cuisine is widely available in countries with strong Vietnamese immigrant communities, such as Australia, the United States, Canada, and France. Vietnamese cuisine is also popular in Japan,Korea, theCzech Republic,Slovakia, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Philippines and Russia, and in areas with dense Asian populations.
Television shows featuring Vietnamese food have increased in popularity.Luke Nguyen from Australia currently features a television show,Luke Nguyen's Vietnam, dedicated on showcasing and instructing how to cook Vietnamese dishes.
OnThe Great Food Truck Race, a Vietnamese sandwich truck called Nom Nom Truck received the most money in the first five episodes.
Anthony Bourdain wrote:[19]
You don't have to go looking for great food in Vietnam. Great food finds you. It's everywhere. In restaurants, cafes, little storefronts, in the streets; carried in makeshift portable kitchens on yokes borne by women vendors. Your cyclo-driver will invite you to his home; your guide will want to bring you to his favorite place. Strangers will rush up and offer you a taste of something they're proud of and think you should know about. It's a country filled with proud cooks—and passionate eaters.
Gordon Ramsay visited Vietnam in his reality showGordon's Great Escape – S02E02 (2011) and fell in love with the taste of the culinary here. Especially the dish calledHủ tiếu Mì by Mrs. Dì Hai, prepped and served on a small boat inCái Răng floating market, Cần Thơ. He even praised it as "The greatest dish I have ever eaten" when he brought it up as one of the dishes for the elimination challenge for the top 5 finalists ofAmerican MasterChef season 4 episode 21.
In 2024,CNN includedphở in its list of the "20 BestSoups in the World," highlighting its rich broth and aromatic spices.[20]
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Some common Vietnameseculinary terms include:
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Vietnamese usually use raw vegetables,rau sống, orrau ghém (sliced vegetable) as condiments for their dishes to combine properly with each main dish in flavour. Dishes in whichrau sống is indispensable arebánh xèo and hot pot. The vegetables principally are herbs and wild edible vegetables gathered from forests and family gardens. Leaves and buds are the most common parts of vegetables used. Most of the vegetables have medicinal value.[21]
Rau sống includes lettuce, raw bean sprout, herbs, shredded banana flower, green banana, water spinach, mango bud and guava leaves.
Traditionally, the colouring of Vietnamese food comes from natural ingredients; however, today there is an increase in the use of artificial food dye agents for food colouring, in Vietnam.
Colourings can be absorbed by mixing ground colourings or colouring liquid or wrapping before boiling to get the extracts. When colouring dishes, the tastes and smells of colourings must also be considered.
When Vietnamese dishes are referred to in English, it is generally by the Vietnamese name without thediacritics. Some dishes have gained descriptive English names, as well.
Popular Vietnamese dishes include:
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Vietnamese cuisine boasts a huge variety of noodle soups, each with distinct influences, origins and flavours. A common characteristic of many of these soups is a rich broth.[22]
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bún bò Huế | Spicy beefnoodle soup originated from the royal city ofHuế in Central Vietnam. Beef bones,fermented shrimp paste, lemongrass, and driedchilies give the broth its distinctive flavors. Often served withmint leaves,bean sprouts, andlime wedges. Pig's feet are also common ingredients at some restaurants.[clarification needed] |
| Bún măng vịt | Bamboo shoots and duck noodle soup.[23] |
| Bún ốc | Vermicelli withsnails (freshwater snails with noodles, tomato pork bone broth, tofu and herbs) |
| Bánh canh | A thick tapioca/ricenoodle soup with a simple broth, often includes pork, crab, chicken,shrimp,spring onions and fresh onions sprinkled on top |
| Bún riêu | Anoodle soup made of thin rice noodles, topped with crab and shrimp paste, served in a tomato-based broth and garnished with bean sprouts, prawn paste, herb leaves, tamarind/lime, tofu,water spinach, and chunks of tomato |
| Mì (súp mì) | A Chinese-influenced wheat (egg) noodle soup. |
| Phở | A noodle soup with a rich, clear broth made from a long boiling of meat and spices, its many varieties are made with different meats (most commonly beef or chicken) along with beef meatballs.Phở is typically served in bowls with spring onion, (inphở tái) slices of semi-cooked beef (to be cooked by the boiling hot broth), and broth. In the south, bean sprouts and various herbs are also added.[22] |
| Phở satế | Spicy noodle soup with thinly sliced rare beef steak, satế hot chili sauce, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, and peanut |
| Mì vịt tiềm | Yellow noodle soup with roasted duck and Chinese broccoli |
| Bún chả cá | Rice vermicelli soup with fried fishcake |
| Hủ tiếu | A noodle soup with many varied styles, including a 'dry' (not soup, but with sauce) version, which was brought to Vietnam by way of Chinese (Teochew) immigrants fromCambodia. The noodles are usuallyegg noodles orrice noodles, but many other types may be used. The soup base is made of pork bones. |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Súp măng cua | Asparagus and crab soup typically served as the first dish at banquets |
| Lẩu (Vietnamesehot pot) | A spicy variation of the Vietnamese sour soup with assorted vegetables, meats, seafood, and spicy herbs |
| Cháo | A variation ofcongee, it uses a variety of different broths and meats, including duck,offal, fish, etc. When chicken is used, it is calledcháo gà. |
| Cháo lòng | Rice porridge with pork intestine, liver, gizzard, heart, and kidney |
| Bò kho | Beef stew with carrots, usually served with toasted bread or rice noodles |
| Nhúng dấm | Fire pot with a combination of sliced rare beef and seafood cooked in sour broth, served with thin rice vermicelli noodles, fresh vegetables, rice spring roll wrapper, and dipping sauce |
| Canh chua | Vietnamese sour soup – typically includes fish,pineapples, tomatoes, herbs, beansprouts,tamarind, and various kinds of vegetables |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Cơm chiên Dương Châu | A Chinese fried rice dish, named after theYangzhou region in China, it is a well-known dish in Vietnam. |
| Cơm gà rau thơm (chicken and rice with mint) | This dish is rice cooked in chicken stock and topped with fried then shredded chicken, with mint and other herbs. The rice has a unique texture and taste that the fried mint garnish enhances. It is served with a special herb sauce on the side. |
| Cơm hến | Rice with clams – a popular, inexpensive dish in the city ofHuế and its vicinity |
| Cơm chiên cá mặn | Fried rice with salty fermented fish and chopped snow pea and chicken |
| Cá/thịt kho | A traditional family dish of fish or pork braised in a clay pot and served with sweet and sour soup (canh chua) |
| Gà xào gừng | Chicken sauteed with ginger and fish sauce |
| Bò lúc lắc | Cubed beef sauteed with cucumber, tomatoes, onion, pepper, and soy sauce |
| Cơm lam | Rice (often glutinous rice) cooked in a bamboo tube either boiled or steamed |
| Cơm tấm | In general, grilled pork (either ribs or shredded) is mixed withbì (thinly shredded pork mixed with cooked and thinly shredded pork skin and fried ground rice) overcom tam ("broken rice") and is served withsweet and sour fish sauce. Other types of meat, prepared in various ways, may be served with the broken rice.Barbecued beef, pork, or chicken are common choices and are served with the broken rice. The rice and meat are accompanied by various greens and pickled vegetables, along with a prawn paste cake (chả tôm), steamed egg (trứng hấp) and grilled prawns. |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bánh chưng | Sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed withmung bean paste, lean pork and black pepper, it is traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year(Tết).Bánh chưng is popular in the North, while the similarbánh tét is more popular in the South.Bánh tét has the same content, except it is cylindrical in shape, and lean pork is substituted with fatty pork. |
| Xôi | Sticky rice withcoconut milk, cooked the same way as one cooks rice, or steamed for a firmer texture and more flavorful taste, in a number of varieties |
| Xôi Mặn | A popular Vietnamese street food. Savory sticky rice accompanied with lots of mix-ins, typicallylạp xưởng, dried shrimp,chả lụa,pork floss,shittake mushrooms, and topped with soy sauce. |
The Vietnamese name for pastries isbánh. Many of the pastries are wrapped in various leaves (bamboo, banana,dong,gai) and boiled or steamed. One of the historic dishes, dating to the mythical founding of the Vietnamese state isbánh chưng. As it is a savory dish and thus not a true pastry,bánh chưng and the accompanyingbánh dày are laden with heaven and earth symbolism. These dishes are associated with offerings around the Vietnamese New Year (Tết). Additionally, as a legacy of French colonial rule and influence,bûche de Noël is a popular dessert served during the Christmas season.[24]
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Bánh bao | A steamed bundumpling that can be stuffed with onion,mushrooms, or vegetables,bánh bao is an adaptation from the Chinesebaozi to fit Vietnamese taste. Vegetarianbanh bao is popular in Buddhist temples. Typical stuffings include slices ofmarinated barbecued pork from Chinese cooking, tiny boiledquail eggs, and pork. |
| Bánh bèo | A central Vietnamese dish, it consists of tiny, round, rice flour pancakes, each served in a similarly shaped dish. They are topped withminced shrimp and other ingredients, such aschives, friedshallots, and pork rinds, eaten withnước chấm. |
| Bánh bột chiên (fried rice flour dish) | A Chinese-influenced pastry, it exists in many versions all over Asia; the Vietnamese version features a special tangy soy sauce on the side, rice flour cubes with fried eggs (either duck or chicken), and some vegetables. This is a popular after-school snack for young students in southern Vietnam. |
| Bánh bột lọc | AHuế food, it consists of tiny rice dumplings made in a clear rice-flourbatter, often in a small, flattish, tube shape, stuffed with shrimp and ground pork. It is wrapped and cooked inside a banana leaf, served often as Vietnamesehors d'œuvres at more casualbuffet-type parties. |
| Bánh xèo | A flat pan-fried dish made of rice flour withturmeric, shrimp with shells on, slivers of fatty pork, sliced onions, and sometimesbutton mushrooms, fried in oil, usuallycoconut oil, which is the most popular oil used in Vietnam. It is eaten with lettuce and various local herbs and dipped innước chấm or sweet fermentedpeanut butter sauce.Bánh tráng rice paper wrappers are sometimes used as wrappers to containbanh xeo and the accompanying vegetables. |
| Bánh nậm | AHuế food, it is a flat steamed rice dumpling made of rice flour, shallots, shrimp, and seasoned with pepper. It is wrapped and cooked in banana leaves and served with fish sauce.[25] |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bánh cuốn | Rice flour rolls stuffed with ground pork, prawns, andwood ear mushroom, they are eaten in a variety of ways with many side dishes, includingchả (sausage). |
| Bì cuốn | Rice paper rolls with thebì mixture of thinly shredded pork and thinly shredded pork skin tossed with powderedtoasted rice, among other ingredients, along withsalad; it is similar tosummer rolls. |
| Bò bía (Vietnamese-stylepopiah) | Stir-friedjicama and carrots are mixed with Chinesesausage and shredded scrambled eggs, all wrapped in a rice paper roll, dipped into a spicy peanut sauce (with freshly roasted and ground peanuts). It is of Chinese (Hokkien/Chaozhou) origin, having been brought over by the immigrants. In Saigon (particularly inChợ Lớn), it is common to see old Teochew men or women selling bò bía at their roadside stands. The namebò bía phonetically resembles its original namepopiah in theTeochew language. |
| Chả giò ornem rán (northern) | A kind ofspring roll (sometimes referred to asegg roll), it is deep-fried flour rolls filled with pork,yam, crab, shrimp, rice vermicelli, mushrooms ("wood ear") and other ingredients. The spring roll goes by many names – as many people actually use (falsely) the word "spring roll" while referring to the fresh transparent rice paper rolls (discussed below as "summer rolls"), where the rice paper is dipped into water to soften, and then rolled up with various ingredients. Traditionally, these rolls are made with a rice-paper wrapper, but in recent years, Vietnamese chefs outside of Vietnam have changed the recipe to use a wheat-flour wrapper. |
| Gỏi cuốn | Also known as Vietnamese fresh rolls,salad rolls, orsummer rolls, they are rice-paper rolls that often include shrimp, herbs, pork, rice vermicelli, and other ingredients wrapped up and dipped innước chấm or peanut sauce. Spring rolls almost constitute an entire category of Vietnamese foods, as the many different kinds of spring rolls have different ingredients in them. |
Bánh tráng can be understood as either of the following:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bánh mì kẹp thịt | Vietnamesebaguette or French bread is traditionally filled withpâté, Vietnamesemayonnaise, cold cuts, jalapeños, pickled whiteradish,pickled carrot, andcucumber slices. While traditional cold cuts includeham,head cheese, and Vietnamesebologna, varieties of stuffing such as eggs, canned sardines, shredded pork, fried tofu, and grilled meats are common. Sandwiches are oftengarnished with coriander leaves and black pepper. |
| BánhPâté chaud | A French-inspired meat-filled pastry, it is characterized by flaky crust and either pork or chicken as the filling. |
| Bánh mì ốp la[26] | Vietnamese-style fried egg sandwich."Ốp la" means "sunny-side up". |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bò kho (meat soup) | A beef and vegetable stew, it is often cooked with warm, spicy herbs and served very hot with French baguettes for dipping. In northern Vietnam, it is known asbò sốt vang. |
| Bò lá lốt | A dish of spiced beef rolled in a betel leaf (lá lốt) and grilled |
| Bò lúc lắc (shaking beef) | French-influenced dish of beef cut into cubes and marinated, served over greens (usuallywatercress), and sautéed onions and tomatoes, eaten with rice |
| Bò 7 món (seven courses of beef) | Multi-course meal consisting of seven beef dishes. Developed during the French colonial era when beef became more widely consumed. |
| Cá 7 món (seven courses of fish) | Similar course arrangement asBò 7 món substituting beef with fish. Less popular than the original variant. |
| Chả lụa or giò lụa | A sausage made with ground lean pork andpotato starch, it is also available fried; known aschả chiên. Various kinds ofchả (sausage) are made of ground chicken (chả gà), ground beef (chả bò), fish (chả cá), or tofu (chả chay, or vegetarian sausage). |
| Gà nướng sả | Grilled chicken withlemon grass (sả), lemongrass grilled beef and other meats are also popular variations. |
| Giò thủ | Giò thủ is abrawn made of fresh bacon, pig's ears, garlic, scallions, onions, black fungus, fish sauce and cracked black pepper. |
| Nem nướng | Grilled meatballs, usually made of seasoned pork, they are often colored reddish withfood coloring and with a distinct taste, grilled onskewers likeshish kebabs. Ingredients in the marinade include fish sauce. |
| Nem nguội | A Huế dish and a variation of theNem nướngmeatballs, these also come from central Vietnam. They are chilled, small and rectangular in shape, and stuffed with vermicelli. The reddish meat is covered with peppers and typically a chili pepper. Very spicy, they are eaten almost exclusively as a cocktail snack. |
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| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bánh Tôm | Prawn and sweet potato fritter[27] |
| Cá cuốn ho | A roll with fish and spring onions |
| Cá kho tộ | Caramelized fish in clay pot |
| Chạo tôm | Prawn paste/cake on sugarcane |
| Cua rang muối/me | Wok-tossed crab with salt and pepper/tamarind |
Nộm (Northern dialects) orGỏi (Southern dialects) is Vietnamese salad; of the many varieties, the most popular include:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Gỏi đu đủ | Vietnamesepapaya salad typically with shredded papaya, herbs, various meats such as shrimp, slices of pork,liver, orjerky, herbs, and with a morevinegar-based rendition ofnước chấm |
| Gỏi Huế rau muống | A salad dish originating from Huế (Central Vietnam), includingwater spinach (rau muống) |
| Nộm ngó sen | Lotus stem salad, with shrimp and pork or chicken |
| Gỏi đậu hủ | Tofu salad with shredded cabbage, mint, and soy dressing |
| Gỏi nhệch | Rice paddy eel salad with shredded vegetables |
| Nộm sứa | Jellyfish salad with carrot, cucumber, and sesame dressing |
| Gỏi chân vịt | Duck feet salad with shredded cabbage and sweet and sour fish sauce |
| Bò tái chanh | Shredded salad with thinly sliced rare beef, fresh lemon, onion, fried onions, and fish sauce |
| Gỏi gà bắp cải | Chicken and cabbage salad |
| Gỏi mít | Youngjackfruit salad with peanuts, mint, and fish sauce |
Muối (literally meanssalting) andchua (literally meanssour orfermenting) are Vietnamese term for preserved dishes. Monsoon tropical climate with abundant rainfall gives the Vietnamese a generous year-round supply of vegetables.Animal husbandry never occurred in large scale in Vietnamese history, therefore, preserved dishes are mainly plant-based pickled dishes. Seafood is often made into a fermented form calledmắm likefish sauce.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bắp cải muối xổi | Quick-pickled shredded cabbage |
| Dưa chua, Dưa cải muối chua | Made from a kind of mustard green |
| Cà pháo muối | Made fromVietnamese eggplant |
| Dấm tỏi | Pickled garlic cloves in vinegar |
| Dưa kiệu | Made fromAllium chinense, this is a dish of theTết holiday. |
| Dưa hành | Made from spring onion bulbs or shallot |
| Dưa món | Made from carrot, white radish, or green papaya |
| Măng muối | Made from sliced bamboo shoot with chilies |
| Ớt ngâm | Pickled chilies in rice vinegar |
| Rau cần muối xổi | Quick-pickledwater celery |
| Tôm chua | Sweet and spiced pickled shrimp |
Mắm is a Vietnamese term for fermented fish, shrimp or other aquatic ingredients. It is used as main course, as an ingredient or as condiment. The types of fish most commonly used to makemắm areanchovies,catfish,snakeheads, andmackerels. The fish flesh remains intact (this is how it is different fromnước mắm), and can be eaten cooked or uncooked, with or without vegetables and condiments.Fish sauce is literally called "mắm water" in Vietnamese and is the distilled liquid from the process of fermentation of mắm.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Mắm tôm | Fermented shrimp paste |
| Mắm cáy | Made fromSesarmidae (family of crabs), in north central coast of Vietnam |
| Mắm cá thu | Made from mackerel fish, usually inBình Định province |
| Mắm nêm | Usually made fromround scad fish, in central Vietnam |
| Mắm ruốc | Made from krill, from central Vietnam |
| Mắm cá linh | Made from a kind of fish that immigrates to the Mekong Delta every flood season fromTonlé Sap, Cambodia |
| Nước mắm ormắm mặn | General name for all fish sauces but usually refer to pure extracted anchovy fish sauce |
Nem chua, a Vietnamesefermented meat served as is or fried, is made from pork meat, coated by fried rice (thính gạo), mixed with pork skin and then wrapped incountry gooseberry leaves (lá chùm ruột) orErythrina orientalis leaves (lá vông nem).[28] The preservation process takes about three to five days.
Vietnamese sausage,giò, is usually made from fresh ground pork and beef. Sausage makers may use the meat, skin or ear. Fish sauce is added before banana leaves are used to wrap the mixture. The last step is boiling. For common sausage, 1 kg of meat is boiled for an hour. Forchả quế, the boiled meat mixture will then be roasted withcinnamon.
Vegetarian dishes in Vietnam often have the same names as their meat equivalents, e.g.phở bò, but withchay (vegetarian) sign in front, those dishes are served with tofu instead of meat. Nearly every soup, sandwich and street food has its vegetarian correspondent. Sometimes you can also see notations like"phở chay","bánh mì chay" (vegetarian sandwich) or"cơm chay" (vegetarian rice). Vegetarian food in comparison the normal dishes are almost always cheaper, often half of the normal price. Vegetarian restaurants are mostly frequented by religious Vietnamese people and are rarely found in touristic areas. Vegetarian food is also eaten to earn luck during special holiday and festival, especially during Lunar New Year where Vietnamese culture serve vegetarian food regardless of their religion.[29]
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Chè | A sweet dessert beverage or pudding, it is usually made from beans and sticky rice. Many varieties ofchè are available, each with different fruits,beans (for example,mung beans orkidney beans), and other ingredients.Chè can be served hot or cold and often with coconut milk. |
| Rau câu | This populardessert is made with a type of red algae calledGracilaria and is flavored with coconut milk,pandan or other flavors. It is eaten cold by itself or added to drinks andChè. |
| Chuối chiên | Banana deep-fried in a batter, often served hot with coldice cream, usuallyvanilla or coconut |
| Bánh flan | Influenced by French cuisine and served with caramel or coffee sauce |
| Sinh tố | Afruit smoothie made with just a few teaspoons ofsweetened condensed milk, crushed ice and fresh, local fruits. The smoothies' many varieties includecustard apple,sugar apple,avocado,jackfruit,soursop,durian,strawberry,passionfruit,dragonfruit,lychee,mango, and banana. |
| Sữa chua | Local variant of yogurt, which was brought to Vietnam by French colonists. Made withcondensed milk, it has a sweet, tart flavor. It can be eaten in its cool, soft form, or frozen, in which form it is often sold in small, clear bags. |
| Bánh bò | A sweet and airy sponge cake flavored with coconut milk, made from rice flour, water, sugar, and yeast. |
| Bánh da lợn | A sweet, soft, steamed layer cake made with rice flour, mung bean, coconut milk, water, and sugar with alternating layers of starch and flavored filling. Taro or durian are typically used for the layers of filling. |
| Bánh rán | A deep-fried glutinous rice ball dish. |
Vietnamese use fruits in season. When the season is passing, they make candied fruit, calledô mai, andfruit preserves, calledmứt. The original taste ofô mai is sour, sweet, salty, and spicy. The most famous kind ofô mai isô mai mơ, made fromapricots harvested from the forest aroundPerfume Pagoda (Chùa Hương),Hà Tây province. Thisô mai consists of apricot covered by ginger, sugar, andliquorice root slivers.
Tofu (đậu phụ) is widely used in Vietnamese cuisine. It is boiled, fried (sprinkled with ground shrimp or oil-dipped mincedspring onion) or used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes.
Othersoybean products range fromsoy sauce (nước tương; usually light soy sauce),fermented bean paste (tương), andfermented bean curd (đậu phụ nhự orchao) to douhua (soft tofu sweet soup;tàu hũ nước đường ortào phớ).
Bo kho is a dish made from beef with a stewing method, originating from theSouth of Vietnam.[30][31] Originally,Southern Vietnamese people served Bo kho with many kinds of herbs to enhance the flavor of the dish.[32][33] Although it is called "kho" (meaning "to stew"), the main cooking method of the dish is braising. The stewing method is used to marinate and tenderize the beef before braising.[34][35]
Phở is a traditional Vietnamese dish originating from Van Cu,Nam Định province.[36][37] It is traditionally served with a variety of herbs to enhance its flavor.[38][39] Nowadays, there are many different ways to prepare and flavor phở.[40][41] In Vietnam, there are different names to distinguish them: Northern phở (in the North), Huế phở (in the Central region), and Saigon phở (in the South).[42][43][44] In 2016, the Japanese chose April 4 of each year as Vietnam's Phở Day in Japan.[45][46][47] InVietnam, on December 12, 2017, Tuổi Trẻ newspaper cooperated with Acecook Vietnam Company to organize the first Phở Day. This will be an annual traditional activity.[48][49] Since 2018, "Phở Day" will be organized as a community cultural and tourism activity.[50][51]
The use of ingredients typically uncommon or taboo in most countries is one of the quintessential attributes that make Vietnamese cuisine unique. While unusual ingredients can only be found in exotic restaurants in many countries, Vietnamese cuisine is deemed atypical in that the usage of these ingredients can play a customary role in daily family dishes regardless of social class.[citation needed]
A common and inexpensive breakfast dish that can be found in any wet market,balut (hột vịt lộn) is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly developedembryo inside, which is boiled and eaten in the shell. It is typically served with fresh herbs:rau răm, salt, and black pepper;lime juice is another popular additive, when available. A more unusual version of balut dish—fetus quail (trứng cút lộn) is a snack favored by many Vietnamese students.Paddy crab and paddy snail are the main ingredients inbún riêu ốc—a popular noodle dish—and in some everyday soup dishes (canh) and braised food (món bung). Family meals withsilkworms (nhộng), banana flowers (hoa chuối), sparrows, doves, fermented fish and shrimp (mắm cá,mắm tôm,mắm tép) are not rare sights. Seasonal favorites includeragworms (rươi), which are made into many dishes such as friedrươi omelet (chả rươi), fermentedrươi sauce (mắm rươi), steamedrươi (rươi hấp), stir-friedrươi with radish or bamboo shoot(rươi xào củ niễngmăng tươi haycủ cải). Three-striped crab(ba khía) is popular in several southern provinces, includingCà Mau,Sóc Trăng andBạc Liêu; it is eaten fermented, stir-fried or steamed.[52]
Northern Vietnamese cuisine is also notable for its wide range of meat choices. Exotic meats such asdog meat,cat meat,[53]rat meat,[54][deprecated source]snake meat,[55]soft-shell turtle, deer, and domestic goat are sold in street-side restaurants and generally paired with alcoholic beverages. A taboo in many Western countries and in southern Vietnam, consumption of dog meat and cat meat is common throughout the northern part of the country and is believed to raise the libido in men. Television chefAndrew Zimmern visited northern Vietnam in the 12th episode of his popular showBizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.[56]Cobra beating heart and dried bones, silkworms, andbull penis are some of the dishes he sampled. He also triedporcupine.[57]
Paddymouse meat—barbecued, braised, stir- or deep-fried—is a delicacy dish that can be found in Southern Vietnamese rural areas or even high-end city restaurants.
Crocodiles were eaten by Vietnamese while they were taboo and off limits for Chinese.[58]
Shark fins are imported in massive amounts by Vietnam.[59]
Anthony Bourdain, the host chef ofTravel Channel'sAnthony Bourdain: No Reservations, wrote in April 2005: "...everything is used—and nothing wasted in Vietnam."[19] Animal parts that are often disposed of in many Western countries are used fully in Vietnamese cooking. Organs, including lungs, livers, hearts, intestines and bladders of pigs, cattle, and chickens are sold at even higher prices than their meat. Chickentesticles and undeveloped eggs are stir-fried with vegetables and served as an everyday dish.
Many of the traditional northern Lunar New Year dishes such asthịt đông [vi],giò thủ, andcanh măng móng giò involve the use of pig heads, tongues, throats and feet.[60] Pig and beef tails, as well as chicken heads, necks and feet, are Vietnamese favorite beer dishes.Bóng bì, used as an ingredient incanh bóng—a kind of soup, is pig skin baked until popped. Steamed pig brains can be found almost everywhere. Also in the northern part of Vietnam, different kinds of animal blood can be made into a dish calledtiết canh by whisking the blood with fish sauce and cold water in a shallow dish along with finely chopped, cooked duck innards (such as gizzards), sprinkled with crushed peanuts and chopped herbs such as Vietnamese coriander, mint, etc. It is then cooled until the blood coagulates into a soft, jelly-like mixture and served raw.
Coconut worms, orđuông dừa, is a delicacy found widely in theTrà Vinh province of Vietnam. They are the larvae form of thepalm weevil and are eaten live within a salty fish sauce with chili peppers.[61]
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| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Jasmine tea | A local tea beverage of Vietnam |
| Bia hơi | A Vietnamese specialty draft beer produced locally in small batches |
| Cà phê sữa đá | Strong dark roast iced coffee, served withsweetened condensed milk at the bottom of the cup to be stirred in, is very popular among the Vietnamese. |
| Cà phê trứng | This beverage translated as Vietnamese egg coffee. This coffee uses egg yolk, whipping cream, condensed milk, and, of course, espresso. Some may use vanilla extract or sugar as a sugar substitute. |
| Nước mía | Sugar cane juice extracted from squeezing sugar cane plant (sometimes with kumquats to add a hint of citrus flavour), served with ice. |
| Rau má | Pennywort juice made from blending fresh pennywort leaves with water and sugar until dissolved is a near-transparent green color and served over ice. |
| Sữa đậu nành | A soybean drink served either hot or cold, sweetened or unsweetened. This beverage is very popular in all Asian countries. In Vietnam, however, the difference between other Asian countries' soy milk and Vietnam's soy milk is the use of pandan leaves. While the use of pandan leaves is very popular with this drink, other countries use a different source of sweetness. |
| Rượu đế | A distilled liquor made of rice |
| Trà đá | A kind of iced tea popular for its cheap price, it has a faint lime-yellow color and usually does not have much taste. |
| Trà đá chanh | Lemon iced tea |
| Chanh muối | Sweet and sour salty lime drink |
| Soda xí muội | Sweet and salty plum soda |
| Sodahột gà | Egg soda |
| Sinh tố | Vietnamese fruit smoothie with green bean, red bean, avocado, pineapple, strawberry, jackfruit, apple custard, durian, sapota, or mango with sweet condensed milk and crushed ice |
| Nước sắn dây hoa bưởi | Made ofkudzu andpomelo flower extract |
