Traveling Taste Buds: Vietnam
If you’ve never experienced the funky umami bomb that is fish sauce, then it might be time to dip your toes into Vietnamese cooking. This quintessential Southeast Asian condiment has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity over the past few decades, and it’s a critical component in Vietnamese cuisine. Another key ingredient? Lots of raw veggies and fresh herbs, which makes this cuisine the perfect pairing for a warm summer evening when you’d prefer to keep your kitchen cool.
No doubt, the demand for Vietnamese food in the U.S. is at an all-time high. Phở—a noodle soup featuring a fragrant broth, rice noodles, and tons of fresh veggies and herbs—ranks up there with chicken noodle soup as ultimate comfort food, and is probably the best known Vietnamese dish in the country. Coming in close second is the bánh mì sandwich, a study in French-Vietnamese fusion featuring a short baguette with a crispy crust and airy interior stuffed with thinly sliced meat, lots of fresh herbs, and plenty of pickled veggies.
Of course, there are loads of other dishes to explore, like gỏi cuốn (salad rolls) and gỏi ga (chicken coleslaw), but what most of them have in common is that they’re either packed full of or served with loads of fresh herbs and veggies—and they offer a perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and umami flavors. If you’re ready to experiment with Vietnamese cuisine, get prepped by stocking up on the following:
Fish sauce
Made by fermenting small fish like anchovies, fish sauce is a key component for lending a hit of umami. Funky for sure, and a little goes a long way. You can also play with oyster sauce and shrimp paste.
Fresh herbs
Herbs like fresh mint, Thai basil, green onion, and cilantro will take any phở to the next level, and make an appearance in many appetizers. They’re also commonly served alongside main dishes, like bún (vermicelli noodle).
Lime
As with fresh herbs, Vietnamese dishes are often finished with a hearty squeeze of fresh lime juice. This ingredient, plus sometimes rice vinegar, lends the characteristic sour flavor to the cuisine.
Pickled veggies
Do chua (sour things) often make an appearance as a side dish to cut through savory and spicy dishes. A quick pickle of veggies like red onion, thinly sliced cucumber, or carrot sticks works well.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass acts as an aromatic that adds lemony, bright, and citrusy notes. If you can find it as a paste in a tube or jar, that’s more than acceptable and is a great time-saver.
Chili garlic sauce (AKA sambal oelek)
In addition to straight-up chili peppers, chili garlic sauce lends the signature heat in many dishes. If you can’t find sambal oelek, sriracha will totally fit the bill.
What’s your favorite Vietnamese dish? Tell us about it — and then try your hand at making it!