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Apart from rice, the soup is essentially a
basic item when it comes to the Vietnamese cuisine. Occassionally, the
meal can consists of only a soup - however, not any soup but one with
many substantial ingredients. Just like their Burmese counterpart which
has their national "moh hin gha", a soup dish, the Vietnamese will not
hesitate to stop any any time just to partake a bowl of pho, which is
pronounced 'far', a truly delicate soup made from beef that many
Westerners will truly enjoy eating. The lengthy simmering provides a
strong, nourishing stock and is served together with prepared noodles
and raw veggies, and your option of uncooked or slightly cooked pieces
of beef. Thousands of Vietnamese take pleasure in it daily. Certainly ,
there are vendors of pho on streets and in small food outlets, but
especially in the market area.
Rice is prepared by the absorption process, without having salt. It is
meant to be firm and separate, the grains getting just sufficient
stickiness so they may be picked up simply using chopsticks. Pot-roasted
rice, a basic version, has a flavor just about all its own and is
regarded as a delicacy. It is quick to prepare and this way of cooking
rice results in a drier and fluffier consistency. Rice of a fluffy
consistency is regarded as suitable in Vietnamese cooking.
Chicken, fish, poultry and beef are all cooked in Vietnam, but mutton is
never used. Beef too is something of a luxury, for livestock are usually
working animals. Pork is the most common meat. Chickens and ducks are
reared and deemed good investments simply because they produce eggs and
supply meat. Fish and shellfish are common and inexpensive, for they are
found in good abundance, and even in the flooded rice paddy fields. They
are cooked in many ways, but the most significant use for them is in the
making of nuoc mam or fish sauce, for which a small fish called 'rice
fish' is used. These fishes are so small until they are likened to
grains of rice.
Eating salads are usually common in Vietnam. Simple combinations such as
cooked chicken and shredded cabbage are given an exotic touch with the
inclusion of sliced mint and fresh cilantro leaves and the inescapable
nuoc mam sauce (nuoc cham), used as a salad dressing.
Vietnamese food consists of a lot of fresh, uncooked veggies and fruit,
and food is prepared in water rather than oil - 2 good reasons why a
Vietnamese meal does not bring on a sense of surfeit. Bowls and
chopsticks are used to set the table and all the food is offered at the
same time.
Desserts are not really served at the end of a Vietnamese meal, however
sweets and cakes are served as between meal snacks, and presented to
guests. Vietnamese people are good at preserving fruits and making
delightfully crisp preserve of winter melon, a recipe that requires 3
days to prepare.
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