Buzz
Owning 30 varieties of fish sauce; the practice of consuming raw blood soup is considered 'unusual' and 'distinctive,' found exclusively in Vietnamese cuisine.
1. Vietnam isn't the only country making fish sauce, but nowhere else is there such diversity. In Vietnam, there are no less than 30 types of fish sauce, including fish sauce, shrimp sauce, crab sauce, and more.
2. One of the dishes that foreigners fear the most when visiting Vietnam is 'tiết canh' (raw blood soup). Common types include pork blood soup, duck blood soup, and even dog blood soup.
3. In Vietnamese cuisine, every part of the pig is used for cooking, from meat to heart, lungs, and stomach. The only part discarded is... the fur. It may sound strange, but all these parts, when prepared, have incredibly enticing flavors. The feet and hooves can even be used to make broth. In Vietnam, there are soups primarily made from organs such as 'thắng cố' and 'phá lấu.'
4. Vietnam ranks fourth globally in instant noodle consumption, surpassing even Japan – the homeland of instant noodles.
5. Vietnamese cuisine boasts an array of noodle-based dishes. Notable examples include pho, bun, mien, banh da (white or red), hu tieu (popular in the South), egg noodles (in wonton noodles), and instant noodles. Pho alone has over 20 different preparation styles.
6. Balut (fertilized duck egg) is a common dish in many Asian countries, but the Vietnamese prefer their eggs 'aged' the most (19-21 days old). Unique to Vietnam, balut is often enjoyed with cilantro.
7. Nem (spring rolls) is the most popular dish in Vietnam, although it doesn't appear frequently in daily meals.
8. Vietnam boasts up to 100 varieties of sweet desserts, ranging from the North to the South. The country's only 'rival' in this field is Thailand.
9. Vietnam has nearly 200 types of traditional cakes with various shapes, among which only a few are made from butter and flour. Vietnam also possesses many unique cakes in the world, such as square cakes and thorn leaf cakes.
10. Vietnamese people use almost 70 types of herbs in cooking. Some dishes cannot be considered perfect without herbs. Common herbs include basil, mint, coriander, and perilla leaves.
As per Vietnamnet
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourApril 29, 2014
