FOOD TALK - Vietnamese Cuisine
Vietnamese food - The original fusion cuisine
In recent years, Vietnamese food is growing more and more popular in UK, being one of the original fusion cuisine, although the ingredients for Vietnamese dishes are very similar to those used in other oriental cuisines, the cooking method and the used of ingredients in combination are vastly different, Vietnamese food utilise a very diverse range of fresh herbs, seafood, vegetables and a well balance of meat and poultry. There are more than 15 different ethnic groups spread around the borders to China, Laos, Cambodia and central highland regions. With strong influences from the neighbouring countries of China, in the North, Laos and Cambodia in the West, the French colonisation and, with coast lines covering more than half of the country and fertile lands through the Mekong delta in the South, resulting a cuisine that is distinctive and fascinating.
Rice Paper, Rice Noodle and the all important Fish Sauce - Traditionally, Vietnamese foods are comparatively light with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables eaten raw or cooked. Seafood is abundant, hence their dishes are naturally rich in prawn, shrimp, crab and fishes. Three distinctive local produced ingredients used in Vietnamese food are Rice paper, rice noodle (vermicelli) and fish sauce. Unlike Thai fish sauce, the best Vietnamese fish sauce is made with anchovies from the coastal town called "Phan Thiet" in the South, which produced lighter colour sauce and less pungent than those sauces made with bigger fishes. As most Vietnamese dishes are accompanied by a bowl of fish sauce for dipping (mixed of fish sauce, water, lime juice, sugar, hint of garlic and red chillies), the more pungent fish sauces are only suitable for cooking. Rice papers are use for numerous dishes in Vietnam, from fresh summer rolls to deep fried spring rolls or, as a lighter substitute to rice and noodle to eat with grilled meats and fresh herbs. Rice noodle (vermicelli) has won a worldwide recognition as one of the most versatile ingredient uses in all oriental cooking.
Food by region - Vietnamese cuisine can be divided from 3 geographical regions, the Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam. The Northern foods are wholesome and substantial, famous dishes such as "Pho" (flat rice noodle laced with slices of tender raw beef that cook instantly with the boiling hot beef broth), "Bunh Cuon" (rice flour steamed rolls with minced pork filling).
Central Vietnam was the former imperial region where the emperor ruled from the capital of Hue. The dishes are more delicate, more varieties. Traditionally, food is directly related to worshipping and ceremonies feasts, depending on the importance of the ceremony, a minimum of 25 dishes usually prepared for worshipping at the Buddhist temple and more than 160 dishes for an imperial ceremony. All the dishes are being decorated to resembled an auspicious animal, birds or flowers.
Southern food has strong influences from Chinese and French, the tropical monsoon climate and land that full of freshwater for inshore fishing, contribute a cuisine with seafood, fresh herbs and vegetables, "Bun Thit Nuong" grilled meat dishes that accompanied rice or rice noodle with a lots of fresh leafy greens, "Summer Roll" cooked prawns or pork rolled in paper thin rice paper with fresh vegetable and rice noodle.
Asia's "Light Cuisine" - Most of the Vietnamese restaurants in UK have adapted a menu that combining all three regions' specialities, to give choices of light meals, wholesome noodle soups and seafood and meat dishes that fit for an emperor. A typical lunch can be a bowl of Pho - flat rice noodle with clear beef broth, Bun Thit Nuong - choices of grilled meat or prawns in a bowl of cold rice noodle or plain rice with pickles and fresh herbs salad, if you have a bigger appetite for a starter before your noodle, a plate of deep fried Vietnamese spring rolls or, deep fried minced prawn wrapped in sugarcane or, the delightful "Summer Rolls" are highly recommended.
For the main meal, there is an array of simple but deliciously light dishes you can choose, from starter, soup, rice and noodle, plentiful of seafood, the typical dishes are clay pot jumbo prawns, Braised fish, Chilli and lemon grass crab, salt and pepper squid. For meat and poultry dishes, try grilled chicken with lemon grass, charcoal grilled marinated quail. Stir-fried pork with lime and sweet basil, minced beef wrapped in Betel leave. Do try their curried dishes, they are amazingly light and appetising. Finish your meal with a typical coconut desserts that made with sweetened rice or tapioca, will satisfy any discerning customer.
