Vietnam cuisine rich and diverse.

Vietnam territory is divided into three regions is markedly North, Central and South. The characteristics of geography, culture, ethnicity, climate regulation make the specific characteristics of the cuisine of each region – domain. Each domain has a sharp taste characteristics. That contributed to Vietnam cuisine rich and diverse.

Coming to Ha Noi City in the North of Vietnam, one dish you should try is Pho – Vietnam’s unofficial national dish. The key ingredients are simple: flat rice noodles in a rich beef or chicken stock. But there is nothing simple about creating the complex flavors of the perfect broth. The broth must be clear for both pho bo (with beef) and pho ga (with chicken). For pho bo broth, cartilaginous, marrow-rich beef bones are left to simmer in a cloth bag for at least eight hours. The foam and grease are discarded. For pho ga, the chicken carcass is simmered for about three hours. Fresh ginger and onions are roasted over an open flame before they are added to flavor the broth. A variety of other spices may become part of the mix, including star anise, coriander, fennel, cardamom, and a dash of fish sauce. Pho is often accompanied by sliced lime, fresh red chilies, Thai basil, bean sprouts, and chili sauce. These condiments are served on the side so that seasoning is an individual choice. Pho noodles must be made of the highest quality fragrant rice: a little sticky and very white in color. Fresh noodles are painstakingly produced in home workshops and have a slightly sour taste. Pho is like the soul of our people. It is our heritage.

Going to Central Vietnam, you should try a special dish here called Com hen (clam rice). Com hen consists of rice topped with baby basket clams, crispy pork skins, roasted peanuts, shrimp paste, and fresh greens. Commonly eaten as a filing breakfast, the clams are stir-fried with chopped garlic, onion, fish sauce, pepper, and mint leaves before they’re poured over a plate of steamed jasmine rice. In some restaurants, com hen is often accompanied with a bowl of clam broth as well as a platter of coriander leaves, shredded banana blossoms and bean sprouts.

Finally, the dish you should try in Southern Vietnam is Mixed vegetable and meat hot pot (Lau mam) – a luxurious specialty in the South. Chau Doc fish sauce made from fresh-water fish, a kind of sweet- smelling and greasy fish, which must be required to have a delicious Lau mam dish. The materials to prepare for Lau mam, including fresh food-stuffs such as snake-head fish, “keo” fish, pork, peeled shrimps, eel, beef and at least 10 kinds of vegetable including water-lily, egg-plant, balsam-apple, straw mushroom, bean sprouts, chilly, etc. When boiling this dish, the flavors of the sauce which is mixed with citronella, chilly, vegetables, fish, shrimp and meat are very sweet-smelling.