VIETNAM FOOD

DIVERSITY

CULTURE

IN

REGIONAL

Vietnam food culture in each part of the country has its own distinct
features.
Influenced by
-

Geography
Topography
Climate
Chinese domination and the French colonialism

Northern Vietnam: Hanoi cuisine (with the influence of Chinese)

Central Vietnam: Hue cuisine
Southern Vietnam: Mekong Delta cuisine (with the influence of
French and Cambodian)
Similarities:
1. All three regions appreciate the freshness of food, many kinds
of food are cooked briefly to keep their nutrition, especially
meats; vegetables are often boiled or stir-fried, even eaten
fresh, less fat.
2. In all Vietnamese dishes, the presence of herbs is very
important, which makes food more attractive and delicious.
3. Some kinds of broths and soups are widely used in all three
parts of the country.
Focus on
Ho Chi Minh (Southern Vietnam)
Southern Vietnam is favorable with ideal tropical climate which
provides a wide range of vegetables, fruits and other ingredients.
For heat, southerners use hot chilies to replace black pepper which
is used by northerners. Besides, the way of cooking in the south is
not as complex as that in Central Vietnam. It is quite influenced by
Cambodian cuisine. Such ingredients as sugar, sugarcane, and
coconut water are mostly used in Southern Vietnamese food than in
Northern and Central Vietnam. Thus, food in the region is sweeter
and spicier than that of other regions. One special feature of cuisine
in Southern Vietnam is short cooking time which aims to remain the
freshness of food. Food in the south is simple and rustic as
southerners. With a long coastline, the abundance of seafood is a

staple for people in this part of the country. Some of famous dishes
in the region are Hu Tieu Nam Vang, Bun Mam, fried rice flour cake,
and many kinds of puddings.

VIETNAM FOOD CUSTOMS

Food Choice
Vietnamese prefer fresh foods, and
will rarely choose ready-made or
frozen food. Since Vietnam is an
agricultural country, there are
many kinds of vegetables and
fruits available. Vietnam also has a
long coastal line, which means that
there are many kinds of sea food
available. Supermarkets or other
modern retail channels cannot
replace Vietnamese traditional markets because the latter feature of
fresh foods. Vietnamese people still go to the markets daily to buy
fresh food for their families. As a result, Vietnam has a large number
of markets in the country.
Eating Habits
Vietnamese households also prefer cooking and eating at home.
Meals at homes are very important to Vietnamese people, and play
an important role reinforcing relationships between parents and
children or husbands and wives. Although they may eat out with
their friends after work to maintain those relationships, they still join
their families meals later in the evening.
A Vietnamese meal is the combination of many dishes which are laid
on the tray at once. All family members will share daily meals
together. There is no course in typical Vietnamese meals. Each
member will have a bowl of rice, but eating other dishes, soup and
fish sauce together. While eating together, they can share their
opinions about some of dishes; even other daily topics are also
discussed in the eating time.
There are three main meals in a day of Vietnamese people:
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is thought to be an important
meal and rarely skipped by Vietnamese people, though it is a light
meal, and so is lunch. Dinner is seen as the most important meal in

a day. It is the time for all family member gather and share
everything together during eating time. After dinner, there is a small
dessert with seasonal fruit.

Food etiquette
Meals are taken communally, using bowls, chopsticks and ceramic
spoons, and are accompanied by an array of sauces, flavourings,
dips, salads and so on. Correct etiquette is to part-fill your bowl with
rice using a spoon, then use the chopsticks to transfer pieces of
meat, fish or whatever, first to the sauce or dip of your choice, then
to your bowl, and finally to your mouth.
Piling food on top of the rice, pouring sauces into your bowl or
transferring food direct from the communal bowl to your mouth are
all mildly frowned upon. Its perfectly acceptable to bring the bowl
almost to your lips and use the chopsticks to scoop it into your
mouth, it avoids food in your lap. However, using the spoon to eat
solid food will be looked upon with pity by Vietnamese people.
Cooking technique
Vietnamese people are in favor of cooking food by boiling, steaming,
barbecuing and briefly stir-frying, etc. over a fire. These ways of
cooking will make food healthier, less fat and high in carbohydrate.
Deep Fried: High temperature to give the meats a crispy outer
coating but remains its nutrition.
Stir-fry: Uses a little oil and processes briefly. This method is widely
used for cooking vegetables or mushroom.
Steaming: Steam food in steamer-woven bamboo or trays made of
metal with two part stacked one atop of the other. Sticky rice and
seafood are two mostly dishes cooked by this way, which remains
nutrition and no oil.

Boiling: The best ways to keep food nutritious and healthy.

Fresh wrap: A very simple method to create a fresh Vietnamese
food. This way will remain all the fresh of vegetables and herbs
without the intervention of fire. All ingredients will be broiled and
wrapped in the rice paper and serve with dipping sauces.
Stewing: A popular cooking methods used in Vietnamese food
culture. Cooks often mix meat with seasonal herbs and condiments,
and then cook this mixture by an earth-ware pot for a long time until
the meat become tender in texture.

KING AND QUEEN OF VIETNAMESE CUISINE

Rice as the center of dishes in Vietnamese cuisine
Vietnam is an agriculturebased country, thus, Vietnam
food culture is influenced by
the Wet Rice Civilization for
thousands of years. Rice plays
an important role in life of
Vietnamese people. Besides,
as being located in South East
Asia with favorable conditions
of
nature,
climate
and
geography,
Vietnamese
people has been produce an abundance of eatables, which provides
good conditions for the creativity of cuisine in Vietnam. Most tourists
coming to Vietnam are so surprised at the presence of rice and
many dishes related to rice, which makes the outstanding of
features in Vietnam food. Many pagodas and temples in Vietnam
use rice for worshipping, as it is believed that rice comes from the
Mother Goddess Worship. Many major Vietnamese dishes and
snacks are made from rice such as rice porridge, steamed rice,
glutinous rice cake, Banh Chung, especially plain rice which is the
main dish in Vietnamese daily meal. In addition, Pho is made from
rice. It means that rice is the center of dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

The origin of fish sauce in Vietnam dates back to ancient times as a
primary source of protein. Early fishing boats were unable to venture
into the deep ocean to catch larger fish for more fish meat. Instead,
they mostly stayed close to the shore and net small fish. Later on, it
was found that they could produce a richer protein sauce by
layering these small fish in barrels with salt. Only the fresh small fish
makes good-quality fish sauce, which is found in clear color and
good smell. Since then, there appeared such a delicious sauce. The
essential ingredient in every meal of Vietnamese people is fish
sauce. All family members using a bowl of fish sauce together,
which creates the unique characteristic of Vietnamese food culture.
Some people think that the bowl of fish sauce reflects the solidarity.
Some others believe that fish sauce makes great contribution in
forming the cultural feature of Vietnamese food.