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Vietnamese food may well be the most healthful
in Southeast Asia. Astonishing amounts of freshly picked leaves, herbs,
vegetables and roots are eaten at every meal, every day. Using only the leanest
of meat, the Vietnamese cook with a minimal amount of oil. Spicy Vietnamese
dishes are a little less fiery than the chili-laced dishes of Thailand, though
both countries favor fermented fish sauce, and identical varieties of chili
peppers. Vietnamese food has a skillful blending of unusual flavors which
creates a cuisine that is packed with flavor, yet with a delicacy of taste that
is unique. A different emphasis on the use of basic ingredients is apparent in
the Vietnamese scant use of cooking oil and thickeners, such as cornstarch.
Vietnamese prefer to eat vegetables raw; shallots, are relied on heavily in
Vietnamese cuisine as a base for cooked dishes as well as for garnishing; and
soy sauce, ubiquitous is scarcely to be found. The Vietnamese preference for
nuoc mam (fermented fish sauce) is well known, and once having tasted their
food, nobody could mistake it for Chinese. Favorite herbs in Vietnamese cooking
are cilantro, basil, dill, and many kinds of fresh mint. Seasonings in daily use
include chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, shrimp paste,
turmeric, tamarind and lime juice.
Mint - Varieties of mint feature in the
cooking of Vietnam. The fresh flavor combines particularly well with
coriander leaf, peanuts and the zest of mandarin orange. Mint is also
used in sweet and savory fruit salads.
How to Make and Prepare Tamarind Water (Juice)
Vietnamese Cooking Ingredients Lists
More Vietnamese Recipes |
