In Vietnam, we say "Chúc ngon miệng!" before eating and this means “Enjoy your meal!”.
Vietnamese cuisine is so much more than just phở and bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich). It is a beautiful explosion of flavors and textures.
Food is highly valued by Vietnamese community, as such the cook often uses many crops from each province to make their own recipes. The taste in Northern dishes is plain while Central Vietnam has a lot of richly flavored food and big portions whereas South Vietnamese appreciate sweetness. You can always find great food wherever you go in the country.
You should try these dishes at least once:
Signature Vietnamese Cuisine: Phở
A traditional Vietnamese dish called phở gets its name from the type of rice noodles used in it. In this dish these noodles are mixed with thin slices of raw beef or cooked chicken served in a rich beef broth. Among the two commonly recognized types; Hanoi-style phở remains the most popular, which originated from north characterized by a clear broth with lime juice and chopped chilies on top. Southern phở on the other hand has darker soup base with herbs like mint, carrots or basil leaves.
Star anise, pepper, cinnamon are typically used in making good broth for phở; this flavorful broth serves as breakfast option being available almost everywhere although some may be surprised by
Diverse selection Vietnamese cuisine : Bánh mì
Different from baguettes which are of French origins, bánh mì is exactly Vietnamese. The insides of the loaf will be soft and moist as it fills up fast with pâté and margarine and then comes a topping of pickled vegetables, cilantro, beef, roasted pork and tomato slices. As you bite its crispy crust, feel the bread warming up into an array of textures.
Recommened for lunch: Bún chả (rice noodles with roasted pork)
It was after President Obama had shared grilled bún chả dish with Anthony Bourdain that this dish became popular. But in Hanoi’s old quarter, this dish has been treasured for a long time. By midday, the fragrance of grilling pork permeates the air over burning charcoals awakening hunger in every Hanoian.
The traditional recipe from the North includes bún (vermicelli rice noodles) with marinated pork belly, fresh herbs and pickled vegetables served along side fish sauce-based broth containing pork patties. Place small heaps of bún in a soup bowl alternating between noodles, pork and vegetables as you go about eating it.
Refresh your flavor: Bún riêu (rice noodle with Crab paste)
Another traditional northern dish, bún riêu, is made up of finely chopped crab meat cooked in tomato stock, cold rice vermicelli noodles, minced lean pork, vegetables and fresh herbs. Put some little bún bits into the bowl to alternate with the noodles, crab and vegetables.
Easy Dinner: Bánh cuốn (roll rice cake)
Bánh cuốn is a delightful food consisting of large round sheets of steamed rice-flour filled with ground pork mixed with wood ear mushrooms which are then folded into round shapes and cut across. This savory treat is made fresh to order each time it’s ordered; it’s garnished with dry shallots; besides, you have a plate of fish sauce and sausages derived from pig. This can be eaten as a local breakfast and for more taste add some green leaves.
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