Culinary culture is a natural aspect of life, evolving organically over time. For many nations and ethnic groups, food is not just a material culture but also a spiritual one. Through cuisine, one can understand the cultural nuances that reflect the dignity, cultural level, morals, customs, and etiquette in eating habits of a people.
Whenever the beautiful country of Vietnam is mentioned, its cuisine becomes an intriguing topic. Vietnamese food is more than just dishes and recipes; it is a natural cultural expression formed through daily life. Known for its distinctive features, Vietnamese food is harmonious, diverse, and low in fat. The flavors are rich and vibrant, achieved by skillfully combining various ingredients and spices to enhance the taste and appeal of each dish.
In a country with a long history and unique geographical features, every region along the S-shaped land has its own special dishes and unique delicacies that stand out.
What is Vietnamese Food
Vietnamese food refers to the methods of preparing dishes, the principles of mixing spices, and the general eating habits of people across Vietnam. Despite some regional and ethnic differences, Vietnamese food broadly encompasses all the common dishes enjoyed by the Vietnamese community. It captures the essence of the nation's culinary practices, uniting a variety of flavors and traditions under one umbrella.
The Difference of Vietnamese Culinary in Each Regions
North Vietnam:
Northern Vietnamese food is characterized by its savory and rich flavors. It typically does not emphasize the spicy, fatty, or sweet tastes as much as other regions do, relying instead on light fish sauce and shrimp paste. The cuisine features a variety of vegetables and readily available freshwater seafood such as shrimp, crab, fish, clams, and mussels. Historically, due to a less prosperous agricultural background, Northern Vietnamese cuisine used to have fewer dishes centered around meat and fish.
Hanoi's cuisine is often regarded as the quintessential representation of Northern Vietnamese food, celebrated for its elegance and variety. Iconic dishes like pho, bun thang, and bun cha, as well as local specialties such as com Vong and Thanh Tri steamed rolls, showcase the region's culinary finesse. Distinctive seasonings like ca cuong essential oil and Lang basil further enhance the unique flavors of Northern Vietnamese cuisine.
Central Vietnam:
Central Vietnamese food is known for its bold spiciness, showcasing its distinctive flavors through unique and vibrant dishes. The cuisine tends to be spicier and saltier than Northern and Southern Vietnamese food, with a rich blend of colors, predominantly reds and dark browns. Provinces such as Hue, Da Nang, and Binh Dinh are famous for their fermented shrimp sauces, various kinds of fermented fish, and specialty sweets from Da Nang and Hue.
Hue's cuisine, influenced by royal culinary traditions, is particularly elaborate in both preparation and presentation. Due to the region's limited natural resources and the royal cuisine's demand for a large variety of dishes, each ingredient is used creatively in multiple ways. This results in a diverse and intricate culinary tradition that stands out within Vietnamese food culture.
South Vietnam:
Southern Vietnamese food leans towards sweet and sour flavors, reflecting the influence of Chinese, Cambodian, and Thai cuisines. Dishes often include added sugar and use coconut milk, both the creamy and watery varieties. This region's culinary tradition has produced a plethora of dried fish sauces, such as mam ca sac, mam bo hoc, and mam ba khia.
Southern Vietnamese food also features a greater variety of saltwater and brackish seafood compared to the North, including fish, shrimp, crabs, and sea snails. The cuisine is particularly known for its rustic dishes, which have roots in the region's history of land exploration and settlement. Many of these dishes, once everyday fare, are now considered delicacies: coconut-braised field rats, bat steamed with fermented tofu, snake porridge with green beans, coconut worms, palm weevil larvae, large clams, and grilled snakehead fish.
Ethnic Regions:
With 54 ethnic groups living across diverse geographical regions nationwide, the cuisine of each ethnic group in the Vietnamese community possesses its own distinct character. Many dishes are unique to certain groups and less known to others, such as the raw pork mixed with young intestines found in the Central Highlands. However, numerous dishes have become specialties across Vietnam and are widely recognized.
Some of these celebrated dishes include mam bo hoc from the South, egg rolls from Cao Bang and Lang Son, and coong phu cakes (glutinous rice cakes of the Tay people, derived from Chinese tangyuan). Other notable dishes are roasted suckling pig and mac mat roasted duck, khau nhuc from Lang Son (influenced by Guangdong, China), sour pho, bee larvae porridge, con sui pho, thang co, various sticky rice dishes of the Muong people, and sour pork from Thanh Son (Phu Tho). Each of these dishes contributes to the rich tapestry of Vietnamese food, showcasing the country's culinary diversity and cultural heritage.
Vietnamese Culinary and the Spirit of Vietnamese People
The spiritual culture of Vietnamese food reflects the beauty of social interactions and proper conduct during meals. It emphasizes respectful and educated behavior with specific etiquette for personal, familial, and social dining.
Individually, people are mindful of their manners, with sayings like "eat looking at the pot, sit looking in the direction." In families, meals are shared, offering the best food to elders and children, symbolizing respect and love. Daily meals are family reunions, bringing everyone together after a hard day's work.
Socially, inviting guests over showcases the cultural bond. Hosts prepare delicious meals, serving guests first and ensuring no one stops eating before the guests. Meals display Vietnamese hospitality.
Vietnamese food is a colorful tapestry, highlighting each ethnic group's and region's unique identity, yet unified by a common Vietnamese spirit. Its rich cultural flavor is enduring and unmistakable.
