Buzz
1. Banh Mi
Banh Mi is a Vietnamese street food consisting of a crispy outer shell, soft interior, and filling. Depending on regional flavors or personal preferences, it can be filled with various ingredients (often including Vietnamese sausage, meat, fish, vegetarian options, or fruit jam), accompanied by additional ingredients such as pate, butter, vegetables, chili, pickles, etc. This type of bread has roots similar to the baguette introduced by the French to Southern Vietnam centuries ago, with some believing it has been in Vietnam for 150 years. Over time, the influence of banh mi has spread throughout Central and Southern Vietnam, particularly thriving in Saigon. In the process of adaptation, Saigonese transformed the baguette into smaller and shorter banh mi, about 30 - 40 cm in length, with a hollower center to accommodate the filling. Depending on the filling, banh mi has different names.
To create different sizes (large, small, long, short) and structures (dense, hollow, soft, hard) of banh mi, bakers need to adjust the formula and method. In the past, when bread was naturally leavened, people adjusted the ratio of leavening agents and fermentation time. Nowadays, besides this step, various emulsifiers/additives are used to reduce fermentation time and create the desired bread structure. Due to different regional tastes, there are corresponding additives for each region in the market. For example, the Northern-style banh mi additive helps create a thicker and crispier crust. Banh mi is considered an affordable and quick food option for breakfast or any time of the day, popular among students, workers, and people of all walks of life due to its reasonable price.
2. Rice Rolls
Rice rolls, also known as wet cakes or wet rolls, are a type of food made from steamed rice flour, rolled thin, and filled with vegetable or meat stuffing. The rice used for making rice rolls is typically old rice (using new, good rice will make the rolls sticky and difficult to process), finely ground, and mixed with water. A steamer is prepared, and a thin cloth is stretched over the mouth of the steamer. A small ladle of batter is poured onto the cloth surface and spread evenly to make the rice rolls thin. A little oil may be applied to make it easier to remove. After the rolls are cooked, they are lifted out using large chopsticks or bamboo sticks onto a plate. At this point, additional filling such as a mixture of a little lean meat and fat, shrimp, minced wood ear mushrooms, fragrant wood ear mushrooms, and seasoning with fish sauce, pepper, etc., can be added. Fried dried shallots are sprinkled on top, and they are served with a dipping sauce that provides a balanced combination of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. Among the various types of rice rolls in Vietnam, the most famous is the Thanh Tri rice rolls from Hanoi.
Thanh Tri rice rolls are a famous dish of Hanoi, originating from Thanh Tri district, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi. The rolls are made from rolled, fragrant rice, thin like paper. Thanh Tri rice rolls do not have stuffing and are usually layered inside a basket, covered with lotus leaves or banana leaves, or dong leaves. Vendors wear the rice roll baskets on their heads and walk around selling them on the streets of Hanoi. When encountering customers, the vendors lower the basket, carefully peel off each thin layer of rice roll, making sure they do not tear. On the surface of the rice rolls, there are strands of golden brown fried shallots that have been sautéed in a pan. Each layer of rice roll is neatly arranged on a plate, one piece at a time, placed side by side. Then, with a single cut, all the rice roll layers are halved. The next step is to lift one half of the freshly cut rice roll and place it on the other half so that the diners can clearly see each thin layer of rice roll, as thin as paper. The rolls are eaten with a special dipping sauce unique to each rice roll vendor, and they can be accompanied by cinnamon pork paste, Vietnamese pork sausage, or fried tofu and cilantro.
3. Pho
Pho is a traditional dish of Vietnam, originating from Hanoi and Nam Dinh, and is considered one of the typical dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. The main ingredients of pho are pho noodles and broth (or clear broth in the Southern style) along with thinly sliced beef or chicken. Additionally, it is accompanied by condiments such as hoisin sauce, pepper, lime, fish sauce, chili, etc. These condiments are added according to the taste preferences of the diner. Pho is commonly consumed as a breakfast dish or as a late-night snack; however, in major cities, this dish can be enjoyed all day long. In Southern Vietnam and some other regions, pho is served with a plate of fresh herbs such as onions, bean sprouts, and various types of herbs, among which sawleaf herbs are the characteristic leaves of pho; however, in Hanoi, this plate of raw herbs is usually not served. Pho is typically either beef pho or chicken pho, but there are also other variations such as beef stew pho, mixed pho, and stir-fried pho.
The broth for pho is usually a slow-cooked broth made from beef bones (or pork bones), accompanied by various spices including cinnamon, star anise, grilled ginger, cardamom, coriander seeds, dried seaweed, cloves, nutmeg, and roasted shallots. The meat used for pho is beef (with various cuts such as brisket, flank, and fatty brisket cooked rare or well-done) or chicken (old native chicken boiled and shredded for a rich and flavorful taste). Traditional 'pho noodles' are made from rice flour, rolled thin, and cut into strands. Pho is always enjoyed while it is still hot. Thus, to have a delicious and flavorful bowl of pho, it greatly depends on the skills of the chef, with the most important being the broth. For many Vietnamese people, pho holds more significance than just a culinary delight as it represents a cultural, social, and economic aspect of modern urban life in Vietnam, particularly in densely populated and diverse areas like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Nowadays, pho has followed the footsteps of the Vietnamese diaspora to many countries around the world.
4. Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Ram)
Fried spring rolls, also known as nem, cha gio, or cha ram, are a famous dish in Vietnamese cuisine, commonly referred to as nem in the North. In the Central region, this dish is often called ram (in Thanh Hoa, it is called cha), while in the South, it is known as cha gio. The Southern-style spring rolls are referred to by Northerners as Saigon-style spring rolls, originating from China as part of dim sum and made from easily accessible ingredients with a simple preparation method. Traditional fried spring rolls typically consist of minced pork, shrimp or crab, squeezed taro, wood ear mushrooms, vermicelli, chicken eggs, and some common Vietnamese spices such as spring onions, pepper, fish sauce, rolled in rice paper and deep-fried. Spring rolls are usually served with diluted fish sauce, pickles, and lettuce, along with aromatic herbs such as basil, cilantro, and perilla leaves.
In addition to pork-filled spring rolls, Northern Vietnam also has snail-filled spring rolls. The ingredients include snails, lean pork, betel leaves, basil leaves, chopped chives, and chicken eggs. In the South, there are many other types of spring rolls such as: termite spring rolls, fruit spring rolls, vegetarian spring rolls, seafood spring rolls, wonton-wrapped spring rolls, grid spring rolls, and fried spring rolls. For seafood spring rolls, shrimp and fish with vegetables are diced, stir-fried, then mixed with mayonnaise sauce. After rolling the spring rolls, they are dipped in a mixture of flour and water, coated with breadcrumbs, then deep-fried until golden brown. To prevent the spring rolls from becoming greasy, they are often placed in an air fryer and brushed with a little cooking oil before being cooked. The spring rolls remain crispy and fragrant like deep-fried ones, which is very beneficial for health. For people in Hanoi, there is also fried shrimp rolled pho - a variation of traditional fried spring rolls using soft pho noodles rolled with vegetables, shrimp, and mushrooms dipped in crispy fried flour.
5. Vermicelli with Grilled Pork
Bun Cha is particularly rustic and simple from preparation to enjoyment. Sitting on plastic tables and chairs outside on the sidewalk, enjoying a plate of pristine white vermicelli noodles alongside a bowl of warm golden-red dipping sauce seems to have become quite ordinary for the Vietnamese people. Whether old or young, men or women, from a well-dressed gentleman to a sweating lady laborer, everyone treats themselves to a hearty and delicious serving of Bun Cha after hours of hard work and study. Bun Cha consists of 3 main parts: the dipping sauce, grilled pork patties, and of course, the noodles. The deliciousness of a Bun Cha meal is largely determined by the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce for Bun Cha is fully balanced in terms of sourness, spiciness, saltiness, and sweetness with fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chili, and often includes shredded green papaya, carrots, or sometimes bean sprouts.
The grilled pork patties come in two types: sliced and round, usually the sliced ones are made from pork belly to ensure a certain tenderness and sweetness, while the round ones are shaped into a round block about ¼ the size of the palm, marinated and grilled over a red-hot charcoal stove. The noodles in Bun Cha today are often vermicelli, however, traditionally, baby rice noodles were more commonly used. There aren't too many things to keep in mind when eating Bun Cha because Bun Cha values simplicity and convenience. However, there is a special point in enjoying Bun Cha, that is, the Vietnamese people, specifically the people of Hanoi, often eat this dish at lunchtime. The characteristic choice of time for enjoying this dish is considered one of the unique features in the 'culinary art' of the ancient capital. Of course, there are still many delicious eateries in Hanoi, Bun Cha restaurants open for business even in the evening, however, eating Bun Cha for dinner is perhaps still somewhat... strange to many people.
6. Hue Beef Noodle Soup
Bun bo is one of the specialties of Hue, although this noodle dish is popular across all three regions in Vietnam and among Vietnamese people abroad. In Hue, this dish is simply called bun bo or more specifically bun bo gio heo. Other regions refer to it as Hue beef noodle soup, bun bo goc Hue to denote the origin of this dish. The main ingredients include noodles, beef shank, pork knuckle, along with the characteristic red broth and the flavor of lemongrass and shrimp paste. Sometimes the bowl of noodles is also added with rare beef, crab sausage, and other ingredients depending on the cook's preference.
In the broth of bun bo, people from Hue often add a little shrimp paste, contributing to the unique flavor of Hue beef noodle soup. After the beef bones are thoroughly simmered, a little pork sausage or crab sausage is usually added. The beef can be thinly sliced, blanched in boiling broth before being added to the bowl of noodles (called rare beef). People also often add a little chili powder and spices to the bowl of noodles and eat with raw vegetables including bean sprouts, herbs, lettuce, baby mustard greens, and chopped banana flowers.
7. Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Vietnamese Spring Rolls, also known as fresh spring rolls or summer rolls, are a popular dish in Vietnam. Originating from southern Vietnam, they are made with ingredients such as lettuce, bean sprouts, herbs, mint, basil, dried shrimp, cooked meat, fresh shrimp,... all wrapped in rice paper. The accompanying sauce is usually a mixture of hoisin sauce with crushed peanuts fried in oil with dried shallots... all finely chopped and rolled in rice paper made from wheat flour. This dish is popular in Vietnam, mainly using rice paper rolled with various ingredients depending on each region, often used as an appetizer or accompanied with drinks as a snack, made from rice paper rolled with various herbs, vermicelli, and some types of meat such as: beef, pork, duck, shrimp, fish, crab,...
Dishes using rice paper to roll, in general, are a popular type of dish throughout North, Central, and South Vietnam. There is hardly a fixed recipe for dishes using rice paper rolls, as depending on the locality, region, and ingredients used for rolling, there are many differences. Ingredients for Vietnamese Spring Rolls include meat, seafood, which are the main ingredients that determine the form and quality of the spring rolls, meat can include beef, pork belly, pig's ear, duck meat, shrimp, various fish, crab, sausage, eggs. Rice paper often uses a separate type of rice paper for direct consumption, often thin and slightly soft without the need to soften before processing, distinguished from harder rice paper often used to roll fried spring rolls. The rice paper used for making Southern Vietnamese spring rolls is much thinner than the rice paper used for rolling Central Vietnamese dishes. Herbs, raw vegetables of various kinds. Vegetables such as cucumber, pineapple, jicama, mushrooms, green bananas, sour star fruit,...
8. Grilled Banana with Sticky Rice
Chuối nếp nướng là món ăn vặt được nhiều người yêu thích, chuối bọc nếp nướng với vị béo cốt dừa, quyện cùng vị ngọt thơm của chuối chín, vị bùi của đậu phộng. Ngon nhất là chuối nếp nướng Hội An. Ở Hội An, chuối nếp nướng là thức quà dường như để dành cho mùa đông vì chỉ xuất hiện khi gió bấc vừa tràn về. Chính tiết trời lành lạnh lại càng khiến người ta cảm nhận trọn vẹn hơn cái ngon trong từng chiếc bánh chuối. Nguyên liệu làm chuối nếp nướng vỏn vẹn chỉ ba thứ: nếp, chuối và nước cốt dừa. Theo các bậc cao niên, xung quanh phố Hội diện tích đất ruộng, đất vườn còn nhiều là điều kiện lý tưởng để người dân phát triển nghề phụ gắn với cây lúa và các loại cây nông sản như đậu, mè, khoai, chuối, sắn. Rất nhiều món ăn, quà vặt truyền thống nổi tiếng được chế biến từ nguyên liệu vườn nhà như xí mà, bánh đậu xanh, xôi bánh dày,…và đặc biệt không thể thiếu bánh chuối nếp nướng.
Có thể nói, ở “Hội An trăm vật trăm ngon” nhất thiết phải kể đến yếu tố con người. Đức tính chịu thương, chịu khó, tỉ mỉ cùng với đôi bàn tay khéo léo và trên cả là tấm chân tình của người dân với nghề đã tạo nên món quà tuyệt vời gửi đến du khách gần xa. Bánh chuối nếp nướng là điển hình cho sản phẩm tinh tế của các bà các chị phố Hội, từ khâu chọn chuối cho đến khi bánh chuối đượm nồng hương vị lửa than. Để bánh thật ngon, thật thơm, phải trải qua 3 công đoạn tỉ mỉ, nấu xôi, bó bánh và nướng. Gạo nếp để nấu xôi chọn loại thơm, ngon, dẻo mang đi vo thật sạch, ngâm với nước dừa qua đêm trước khi nấu. Xôi chín, mở nắp nồi còn nghi ngút khói thêm một ít nước dừa rồi nhanh tay dùng đũa đảo đều và đậy nắp thêm chừng năm phút thì có thể tắt bếp. Bánh chuối nếp nướng quả là sự kết hợp một cách hoàn hảo giữa vị ngọt của nếp, chuối, vị bùi béo, nồng ấm của dừa, sự tảo tần, tinh tế của người phố Hội.
9. Vietnamese Savory Pancake
Vietnamese Savory Pancake is a popular dish in Asia. The Vietnamese version of savory pancake found in Japan and Korea has an outer layer made of batter and is filled with shrimp, meat, bean sprouts, kimchi, potatoes, and chives (Korean pancake). It is fried to a golden color and shaped into a round or crescent shape. Depending on the region in Vietnam, the pancake is enjoyed with its own unique characteristics. There are typically two main methods: crispy and chewy pancakes. It can be eaten by tearing apart or using chopsticks. In Hue, this dish is often called 'banh khoai' and is usually served with grilled meat and a dipping sauce made of fermented bean curd, liver, and peanuts. In southern Vietnam, eggs are added to the pancake, and people enjoy it with a sweet and sour fish sauce dip. In northern Vietnam, in addition to the common ingredients, thinly sliced beans or shredded taro are added.
The variety of vegetables served with the savory pancake is extensive, including water spinach, mustard greens, fish mint, perilla leaves, coriander, cinnamon leaves, and young rice leaves... In Can Tho, there are also pennywort leaves, in Dong Thap, there are banyan leaves, in Vinh Long, there are mango leaves, and in Bac Lieu, there are cactus leaves. The most intricate preparations are found in the central regions of Vietnam, where, in addition to raw vegetables, sour fruits like star fruit and sour soup tree fruits are added. Thus, connoisseurs sometimes doubt whether this dish truly originated from Hue. The Banh Xeo in Phan Thiet differs from elsewhere in that the pancakes are small, only the size of a small bowl, and are not rolled with lettuce but dipped in mature fish sauce (fish sauce mixed with garlic and chili) served in a bowl. Tuyen Quang has many delicious pancake stalls, so it is also called the 'pancake street'. Lotus flowers, even in the simplicity of the countryside, still represent purity and nobility. From that meaning, 'lotus pancake' in Saigon is a new dish that artisan Muoi Xiem has carefully created. Combining traditional ingredients with lotus seeds, lotus sprouts, and lotus bulbs makes the pancake rich in rural flavors.
10. Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Riêu Cua)
Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Riêu Cua) is a traditional Vietnamese dish widely known domestically and internationally. This dish consists of noodles (either stirred noodles or leaf noodles) and 'riêu cua'. Riêu cua is a sour soup made from crab bricks, minced crab meat, along with filtered tomatoes, eggplants, pork fat, vinegar, tamarind, fish sauce, salt, and scallions. Bun rieu is usually accompanied by a bit of shrimp paste to enhance the rich flavor, often served with fresh vegetables. Bun rieu used to be very simple, with just a bowl of broth and a piece of crab brick, a few pieces of tomato. Nowadays, customers demand more crabmeat, beef, tofu, snails accompanying each bowl of crab noodles. For seasoning, each bowl is given a bit, those who prefer shrimp paste use shrimp paste, those who prefer spices use spices, so the ingredients are not evenly distributed.
While pouring the thick red riêu broth into the bowls of noodles, Mrs. Mam revealed that to make delicious bun rieu, the cook must be truly meticulous in each step. After cleaning the crabs, they are finely minced and filtered to make the riêu soup. The crab brick is kneaded separately and then fried with fat, dried onions, and a bit of seasoning. Especially, the broth for crab noodle soup must have tamarind to create the characteristic sour taste. The accompanying noodles are thin enough to remain chewy and not become mushy when soaked in the broth. It's unknown when bun rieu first appeared in the North, about 50 years ago. And to this day, crab noodle soup has become a traditional dish of Vietnam widely known domestically and even more so internationally. Over time, through the process of expansion to the South and the cultural exchange of cuisine in various regions, bun rieu has also changed in terms of cooking methods, flavors, and even the types of accompanying vegetables.
