Traditional Vietnamese cooking is well known for its use of fresh herbs and vegetables balanced with meat or seafood, and its use of very little oil.

It is considered to be one of the healthiest diets in the world.

A very long time ago, Vietnam was ruled by China, and some of that influence remains today, for example in the use of chopsticks and cooking in a wok.

The north of Vietnam is closest to China, and the influences there are stronger than in the south.  For example, soy sauce is rarely used in southern cooking and more likely to be used in the north.

 In the north, stir fried food is more common, and dishes contain fewer herbs and vegetables because the climate is less favourable than that of the south for growing them. Northern dishes use pepper for heat, while those of the south use chillies.

In the 1800s, Vietnam was a colony of France, and French food influences are still very evident today in Vietnamese cooking. Potatoes, asparagus, cauliflower, lettuce and carrots are just some of the ingredients that were introduced by the French and are now considered to be an essential part of Vietnamese cooking. Coffee was also introduced, and today Vietnam is one of the largest producers and exporters of coffee in the world. However, unlike the French, the Vietnamese drink their coffee sweetened with condensed milk, and is often enjoyed iced.

Banh mi

Vietnamese have also adapted a French style bread, the baguette, to their own, filling it with a variety of meats and adding pickled daikon radish and coriander. Also common in Vietnam are other baked delights of French origin such as croissants and pastries.

Rice and noodles

Although there are differences in style of cooking in different parts of north, central and south Vietnam, some things are the same. Rice is a staple food, just as it is all through southeast Asia. Noodles are also a basic food, used in both soups and other dishes.  They are made in different widths, of wheat, rice or mung beans.  An essential of all meals is fresh vegetables and herbs, and a common sight at every dining table is a platter of cucumber, bean shoots, hot peppers and sprigs of herbs such as coriander, basil and mint. 

Five tastes

For healthy balance, many Vietnamese dishes include five tastes: spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet. In traditional medicine, each of these elements is good for different organs of the body, such as liver, gall bladder, intestines and bladder.

Pleasing aromas

Dishes should appeal to the diner's senses, so Vietnamese cooks try to have pleasing aromas, to include some crisp food for texture and sound, to arrange food attractively, and to have five colours: white, green, yellow, red and black. The sense of touch is used in finger foods, for example, diners pick up a fried spring roll and wrap some raw lettuce or herbs around it to eat with the spring roll. 

Common ingredients throughout Vietnam include fish sauce, black pepper, chilli, coconut milk, limes, lemongrass, and tamarind. Cooking methods include simmering, grilling and stir frying .

Shared dishes

A Vietnamese meal includes many shared dishes. Plates of a variety of foods are put on the table all at once and people help themselves. A meal could include a soup (such as noodles with chicken or pork), rice, grilled or steamed meats or seafood, a vegetable dish, a salad, and fresh fruit. There will be at least one dipping sauce. Vietnamese spring rolls, either fried or fresh, are often a part of a meal. Famous Vietnamese dishes include spring rolls, either fried or fresh, bread rolls called banh mi, crispy seafood pancakes and delicious salads using green papaya or green mango as a base. 

Pho

Probably the most famous, and certainly the most popular dish in Vietnam is a noodle soup called pho (pronounced fer), eaten at any time of day. It consists of broth, wide flat noodles, pieces of either beef or chicken, and herbs. It was originally a northern dish, especially for breakfast on bitterly cold mornings. However, since the reunification of north and south Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam war, pho has become popular in the south as well. Pho is served in street stalls as well as in restaurants.

Essential herbs in Vietnamese cooking

There are many essential herbs used when eating Vietnamese food. These are often used raw to wrap other foods, or are added to the food while cooking. Each has not only a particular flavour element (such as bitter, sour, minty), but also has a medicinal effect such as helping digestion, or body temperature, or being good for the liver or heart. 

Some examples are:

It is always a good idea to use more than one source of information, so here are some others for you to investigate

Read about Vietnamese dipping sauces, which are an essential part of many dishes:

https://www.vickypham.com/blog/10-popular-vietnamese-dipping-sauces

Read how to make Vietnamese rice paper rolls:

http://notenoughcinnamon.com/2013/03/17/how-to-make-vietnamese-fresh-spring-rolls-step-by-step-recipe/

Read other kidcyber pages about Vietnam:

• Facts and a history timeline

• Daily life

• Clothing

• Festivals and Arts

• Two main cities

• Sightseeing and manners