Vietnam is known for its beaches, rivers, and busy cities.
It is also known for its good social media appeal for tourists.
Places like Ha Long Bay and Da Nang are good places for tourists. Do you know what else makes Vietnam special, the country's food culture?
Vietnam has one of the most nutritious meals in the world.
The country is known to have some of the most diverse, delicious, and healthy gastronomy in the world. The major ingredients found in most of their meals are rice, fish sauce, and vegetables. It also has a wide range of rice-related dishes. Visit Vietnamese restaurants near you to have a taste for yourself.
The following are nine characteristics of Vietnamese food culture:
- Historical background
- Zero fat
- Lots of spice
- A tasty combination of ingredients and spices
- Delicious and nutritious
- Chopsticks
- Community
- Hospitality
- Vegetable
Historical Background:
To properly understand the Vietnamese food culture, we have to look back at their history. The history of the Vietnam people played a huge role in their diversity. Before we move further, it's worth nothing that Vietnam is an agricultural-producing state.
And rice is one of their biggest produces.
As such, rice is a major piece in most Vietnamese cuisines. It’s a very important part of the Vietnamese people's lives. Rice is used to eat any meal, from rice porridge to steamed rice bringing out the creativity in the people. Another important use case of rice in Vietnam is in the brewing industry, where many companies (e.g., Ba Muoi Ba" in Vietnamese, which means "thirty-three”) leverage the product in the making of beers and alcoholic drinks. You can have a taste of Vietnamese beer at any best beer bar near me in your country.
Also, Vietnam is blessed with a good climate, nature, and large mountains surrounding the country. It makes it easy to plant fruits and other vegetables. The people of Vietnam fought many wars with the Chinese and the French, which affected their food culture. Although the French played a huge role in their food culture, a bit was copied from the Chinese people.
Zero Fat
Fat is one thing you won't find in Vietnamese dishes - unlike other food cultures where meals are filled with lots of fats and calories. The Vietnamese dishes are made with a lot of vegetables and fruits, which are mixed with spices and herbs. Their food is highly nutritious as it helps to boost the immune system and reduces calories consumption in their meals.
Lots of spice
Another thing you will find in Vietnamese dishes is their use of spices and herbs. These spices are used to give the food a good taste. It’s no news that the dishes made in Vietnam are highly nutritious to eat. Their meals are made from fresh ingredients like fruits and vegetables. Yes, their sauces are so unique, and it is used to eating almost any meal. The sauces range from fish sauces to soy sauce and shrimp sauce.
A tasty combination of ingredients and spices
A lot of ingredients are combined in the Vietnamese dishes in order to give them a balanced taste. This ingredient ranges from meat, fruits, and spices. Two regions in Vietnam play a vital role in the food culture of the country. This region- , the North and South, have different ways of cooking their meals. The North makes use of a light and balanced ingredients combination. Notable meals from the North include the Pho, Bun Rieu, etc.
The south makes use of fruits and vegetables as its ingredients when making its dishes. The big advantage the south has is its warm weather which makes it easy to get the fresh ingredient. The ingredient you will find in this area includes garlic, fresh herbs, etc.
Chopsticks
Chopsticks are used as kitchen and eating utensils in most Asian countries. It is also a dominant feature in Vietnamese food culture. You need to be perfect in using the chopsticks to pick food like meat, fish, etc. the chopsticks are just like using a spoon or fork, just that it's a bit complex but easy to learn.
Nutritious
Vietnamese cuisine is a unique blend of dishes and flavors. Although many of the ingredients are cheap, the meticulous taste of these meals show how mich mastery Vietnamese have done over the years.
The people use a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits as they have them in abundance. It's how they make use of simple ingredients to make delicious meals that make them stand out. They believe in balance in their mixture and tend not to go overboard with it. These elements correspond to five flavors: sour, bitter, spicy, sweet, and salty. Each meal contains these different flavors, which balance each other out.
Nutritious
Vietnamese cuisine is a unique blend of dishes and flavors. Although many of the ingredients are cheap, the meticulous taste of these meals shows the many years of work that go into maing them.
The people use a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits as they have them in abundance and it's easy to access. It's why they use simple ingredients to make delicious meals. They believe in balance in their mixture and tend not to go overboard with it. These elements correspond to five flavors: sour, bitter, spicy, sweet, and salty. Each meal contains all of these different flavors, which balance each other out.
Community
The Vietnamese people have a form of belonging. They like to do things together, especially when it comes to food. The Vietnamese love to eat in groups.
If you have Vietnamese restaurants around you, you must have noticed this already. They tend to carry this culture with them everywhere they go. Even their restaurants encourage them to. In a way, that’s a form of cheap business advertising idea to let other Vietnamese know that they are there.
Furthermore, in most restaurants, foods are served in bowls, and everyone helps themselves to a meal.
It is also rude to reject food in Vietnam.
So when you are visit that Vietnamese colleague of yours at his place of residence and he offers you a meal, do ensure to accept it with a smiling face.
Hospitality
It is part of the Vietnamese food culture to serve foods in trays. On these trays, rice bowls and other dishes are placed on it. Chopsticks are also placed on the trays to pick food from bowls and other food items on the table. Meals are shared with family members and friends alike. They are also welcoming and treat strangers like family.
Vegetable
A constant thing you will always find in the Vietnamese dish is vegetables. Vietnam has been blessed with lots of vegetables and fruits. During the war, the Vietnamese had to look for other ways to survive. The ingredients were easy to find and cheap to find. They could use them to make decent meals and in the end turn out nice.
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