Fish and soy sauce are used in most dishes while fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs and dipping sauce are served as a side dish. The most common meat used in their cuisine is pork, prawns, beef, various kinds of tropical fish and chicken. However, a typical Vietnamese meal relies mainly on rice and vegetables dishes rather than meat. Besides rice, Vietnamese is famous for delectable noodle dishes. The noodle dishes can be served with and without soup while noodles are made from different main ingredients such as wheat, rice and beans.
Generally, no meal is complete without fresh vegetables and herbs that come in a platter of cucumbers, bean sprouts, basil, coriander, mint and a number of herbs. Arguably, Vietnamese food is said to be one of the most nutritious and delicious foods in the world. If you like eating vegetable, you won’t be disappointed at Vietnamese food. Therefore, having an authentic Vietnamese food – we recommend you go to a proper restaurant – is one of activities that should not be missed when you travel to Vietnam.
Regional Cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine is divided by 3 regions; the north, the central and the south. Due to its proximity to China, Vietnamese’s northern dishes are influenced by Chinese cuisine. Soy sauce is commonly found in most northern dishes while people in the central and southern regions opt for fish sauce. Most northern foods are rather stir fried and simmered than deep fried. Beef is popular choice of meat in the north due to the Chinese influence. However, northern cuisine does not use as many herbs and vegetables as the central and the southern part. Unlike the central and the southern cooking, black pepper is used more often than chillies in many northern dishes.
Southern culinary features different kinds of vegetables, fish and seafood. Many of the dishes are adopted from the French. Several kinds of fruits make its way to the main dishes together with meat and vegetables. Preparations are simple and the style of cooking is similar to that of neighbouring Cambodia. Curries are more popular here than the other parts of the country.
The central culinary is the most colourful and spiciest in the country. The style of cooking dates back to the ancient kingdom of Champa, whose culture and spiritual belief is influenced by the Indians. Meals in the central region are more lavish than the south and the north. They usually include several small different dishes placed on the table at once. Moreover, its cooking style is perhaps the most complex with a lot of use of herbs and spice.
