Vietnam on a plate: a tour of Vietnam's best local meals

Vietnam on a plate: a trip of Vietnam's best local dishes

Travel for even a week in Vietnam and you'll soon realise how few of its gastronomic specialities are well known outside the country. Every region claims distinct edible thrills. Culinary classics such as northern pho, Tone imperial banquet fare, and southern sizzling pancakes are simply a delicious sample of what's on offer.
In the north of Vietnam, the cuisine is carefully aligned with China. Fewer spices are used than in central and southern Vietnam, but black pepper is essential. Here cooks use a superior grade of pepper that is extremely fragrant but mild, with a distinctively Vietnamese sweet taste. Similarly essential are pungent herbs consisting of basil, coriander, mint and spring onions.

In the temperate centre of the country and the tropical south, more vegetables and fruits are readily available, and many different spices are utilised in local kitchens. Southerners likewise use more sugar, even in savoury meals, and dining is very much a hands-on experience. Many meals incorporate a mountainous plate of fresh herbs, which are wrapped with prepared meat and seafood in a crisp lettuce leaf, and then dipped in flavour-packed sauces.

Dishes of northern Vietnam Pho

Pronounced like 'fur' (however drop the 'r'), pho is known just as beef noodle soup by the residents. However a great smelling serving of pho is truly Vietnam in a bowl. This world-renowned meal is readily available across the country, however it nearly has cult status in Hanoi. A variety of garnishes is always on hand to customise the meal to the diner's personal taste. Lime juice, bean sprouts, or a dash of chilli or fish sauce can all be added, and in the south of Vietnam a tangle of fresh herbs is readily available for extra flavour and structure. The conventional beef range is called pho bo, while chicken noodle soup is dubbed pho ga. In Hanoi, seek the smoky decades-old Pho Tin for a tasty bowlful.

Bánh cuon

Mon cuon (rice rolls) are eaten throughout Vietnam-- the most well-known are goi cuon (summer rolls)-- but the Hanoi variety of bánh cuon have their own unique characteristics. In Hanoi, bánh cuon packed with minced pork and earthy mushrooms are served at Banh Cuon Gia Truyen.

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Bun cha

Bun cha consists of grilled pork meatballs served on a bed of cold bun (rice vermicelli), dressed with aromatic herbs and a sweetly moderate dipping sauce. The meat is constantly cut from a piece of well-marbled pork, and marinaded in sweet, hot, sour and salted flavours. In the street-food stalls of Hanoi, robust nem cua be (deep-fried crab spring rolls) are served as a hearty side meal. Grab an upstairs table at Bun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim in Hanoi's Old Quarter to try it.

Bun rieu cua

Some cooks add bean curd and oc (large snails) in a dish called bun rieu cua oc. Green leaves, herbs and chopped banana-tree stem are all popular additions at the easy walkway stalls of Hanoi's Old Quarter.

 

Dishes of central Vietnam
Bánh

One of the tastiest heritages of Emperor Tu Duc's reign in the imperial city of Shade in main Vietnam is bánh, steamed rice cakes served with a drizzle of fish sauce. The heat-loving people of main Vietnam typically add a dollop of chilli sauce to additional perk up a shared plate of these delicate meals.

Mi quang

Thick and chewy turmeric-yellow noodles are topped with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, herbs and sliced peanuts, and moistened with simply a dash of rich broth making mi quang. Called for its native province of Quang Nam in central Vietnam, the meal comes with rice crackers for collapsing and is finished in typically central Vietnamese design: with a dab of sweet-hot chilli jam. Outstanding mi quang can be had

Com hen

For com hen, rice features a rich broth and small clams collected from Color's Perfume River. Garnishes consist of rice crackers, pork crackling, peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh herbs and veggies. Served riverside at the simple 17 Ð Han Mac Tu location in Color, a bowl of com hen attains the cooking accomplishment of being fragile and all at once hearty of flavour. Bun hen is a similarly tasty variation using rice noodles.

Cao lau

The heritage of centuries of worldwide trade is evident in cao lau, the signature noodle dish of the central Vietnamese town of Hoi An. Thick soba-like Japanese-style noodles are skilled with herbs, salad greens and bean sprouts, and served with slices of roast pork. Attempt this really local meal on a street-food walking tour with Eat Hoi An.

Lime juice, bean sprouts, or a dash of chilli or fish sauce can all be included, and in the south of Vietnam a tangle of fresh herbs is available for additional flavour and texture. Mon cuon (rice rolls) are consumed across Vietnam-- the most popular are goi cuon (summer rolls)-- however the Hanoi variety of bánh cuon have their own special attributes.

One of the tastiest legacies of Emperor Tu Duc's reign in the imperial city of Color in central Vietnam is bánh, steamed rice cakes served with a drizzle of fish sauce. The heat-loving individuals of main Vietnam frequently include a dollop of chilli sauce to further enliven a shared plate of these fragile meals. Called for its native province of Quang Nam in central Vietnam, the dish comes with rice crackers for crumbling and is finished in characteristically central Vietnamese design: with a dab of sweet-hot chilli jam.