Culinary Vietnam (2 page)

Ingredients

Many cooks are daunted by the unfamiliar ingredients called for in foreign cuisine. Vietnamese cooking has a whole array of these, but the truth is, a good number of authentic dishes may be produced with only a few essentials. The following describes these basic ingredients along with many others that are occasionally called for. It is becoming increasingly easier to obtain many of these things through local markets and by mail order. You should not give up on a recipe when you cannot find a certain ingredient unless the recipe specifies that you absolutely cannot prepare the dish without it. Vietnamese cooking is flexible, and I have witnessed many Vietnamese cooks freely substituting when they cook. This type of cooking is about freshness, layers of complementary and contrasting flavors, and a pleasing outcome. Use your intuition when confronted with an ingredient dilemma, and you will be fine.

Sauces

Essential to Vietnamese cooking, prepared sauces are used in the cooking process and also as a table condiment.

Fish Sauce
(Nuoc Mam)

Fish sauce is absolutely essential to the Vietnamese kitchen and the table. While often strange and unfamiliar to the Western palate, an appreciation is usually gained after a bit of exposure. Nuoc Mam adds a salty fermented richness that not only seasons the food but also ties the flavors together in a way that gives the dish completeness. It is used in cooking and finishing dishes and as a table condiment, either straight or mixed with other ingredients, as in Nuoc Cham. Fish sauce falls into the category of flavors known in Japanese as umami, along with mushrooms, soy and Worcestershire sauce, miso, and other fermented items that add a subtle, esoteric, and satisfying component to food.

The brands produced in Vietnam, particularly from the island of Phu Quoc and from Phan Thiet and Nha Trang, are many. The quality of the domestic fish sauces is superior to most produced in other countries, although there are several from Thailand that are produced in the “Vietnamese style” and possess the lighter, more complex, and sophisticated flavors that are so prized.

Soy sauce may be substituted when a vegetarian dish is required or if Nuoc Mam is just too strong for your tastes, but I encourage you to try it. You may start with a mix of soy and Nuoc Mam to start you on the path of enjoying this incredible condiment.

Soy Sauce
(Nuoc Tuong)

Used for stir-fries, vegetarian dishes, marinades, and dipping, soy sauce is not as common as fish sauce, but is used fairly often. Try to use a Vietnamese or Chinese light soy sauce.

Bean Sauce
(Tuong Hot)

A sharp-edged sauce made from fermented soybeans is used for sauces and stir-fries and is often cooked for a dipping sauce.

Hoisin Sauce
(Sot Tuong)

Sweeter than bean sauce with aromatic spices, hoisin is Chinese in origin but is often used in Vietnamese cooking for dipping sauces, stir-fries, and marinades; in the southern part of the country, it is frequently added to Pho at the table.

Chile Paste
(Tuong Ot Toi)

Made from ground red chiles and sometimes with garlic added, this sauce is important for cooking and is also used as a table condiment.

Oyster Sauce
(Dau Hao)

Often used to flavor vegetable dishes and other Chinese-style preparations, oyster sauce adds a richness and saltiness to foods. It also clings well to the ingredients, giving them a nice shiny luster.

Shrimp Sauce
(Mam Ruoc or Mam Tom)

A pungent, purplish paste that is used to add richness and saltiness to sauces, stews, soups, and dipping sauces, shrimp sauce is very popular in the central region around Hue.

Anchovy Sauce
(Mam Nem)

An extremely aromatic and pungent condiment, anchovy sauce is used to add a powerful fermented fish flavor to some dishes, and it is diluted with water and/or vinegar for a dipping sauce.

Coconut Milk
(Nuoc Cot Dua)

Used in desserts, curries, vegetable dishes, and some dipping sauces, coconut milk can be made fresh, as it usually is in Vietnam, or you can buy it canned in most supermarkets. Make sure to buy the unsweetened variety.

Spices

These pantry staples will add color and flavor to many dishes; they keep well, so they are easy to have around.

Annatto Seeds
(Hat Dieu)

A New World ingredient, annatto seed is a natural reddish-orange food colorant with a subtle flavor that the Vietnamese have assimilated into several dishes, like Bo Kho. Either it is ground or the seeds are fried in oil to extract their color and flavor.

Turmeric
(Bot Nghe)

A rhizome root in the ginger family, turmeric is used both fresh and as a dry powder for curries and marinades, as in Cha Ca. It imparts an intense yellow color and a slightly astringent flavor to food.

Ginger
(Gung)

Often used with seafood and some meats and in Chinese-style dishes, ginger is also important for medicinal purposes.

Sugar
(Mia)

Used in all its forms, cane sugar is very important in cooking. It is often caramelized to add bittersweet richness to sauces and marinades. Yellow rock sugar, a combination of white and brown sugar with honey, can be found at many Asian and Chinese markets. Caramelized sugar is a suitable replacement.

Five-Spice Powder
(Bot Ngu Vi Huong or Huong Lieu)

Chinese in origin, it is popular for seasoning grilled meats and clay-pot stews. The five spices often vary but usually include star anise, cinnamon, cloves, some kind of pepper (often Sichuan), and anise or fennel seeds.

Galangal
(Gieng)

Another root in the ginger family, galangal has a floral character. When dried, it is used in soups, stews, and marinades; in the south, it is often used fresh in Thai-influenced curries.

Star Anise
(Boi Huong, Dai Hoi, or Tai Hoi)

Star anise, the dried pod of a tree grown mainly in northern Vietnam, originated in China. The aromatic flavor has a licorice taste similar to anise, only stronger, and is used in soups, especially Pho.

Cinnamon
(Bot Que or Que Chi)

Used sometimes to scent soups and stews and to flavor desserts, Vietnamese cinnamon has a strong distinctive flavor and is an essential ingredient in five-spice powder.

Whole Cloves
(Dinh Huong)

Used in soups and marinades, cloves are also one of the ingredients in five-spice powder.

Curry Powder
(Bot Ca-ri)

Vietnamese curry powder is a bright yellow from lots of turmeric and is fairly spicy. I use a Madras style if I cannot find the Vietnamese version.

Dried Red Chile Flakes
(Ot Kho)

Used in marinades and some stir-fries, these chiles are hot.

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs are a quintessential part of the Vietnamese diet. They are added to cooked dishes as well as salads and are usually offered at the table, allowing each diner to complete his or her plate as they like with additional layers of flavors.

Cilantro or Coriander
(Ngo)

Cilantro, or coriander, is the most widely used culinary herb in the world. It adds a bright flavor and green color to many Vietnamese dishes and is found on most tables in Vietnam.

Dill
(Rau Thi La)

Dill, unlike most herbs in Vietnamese cookery, is usually cooked. It appears in several pâté-like meat recipes and in Cha Ca Hanoi.

Mint
(Rau Hung Lui or Hung Kay)

Mint adds a sweet and aromatic component to many fresh rolls, soups, and grilled dishes. Hung Lui is similar to spearmint and Hung Kay is a spicier version that often has a reddish tinge to the stems.

Red Perilla
(Rau Tia To)

Related to the Japanese shiso, red perilla has a flavor that is reminiscent of mint, citrus, and a touch of cinnamon. The leaves are generally two-toned, green on one side and purple-red on the other. It is usually served along with strongly flavored foods and is almost a requisite for Banh Xeo (sizzling crêpes) and with Bun Cha.

Asian Basil or Thai Basil
(Hung Que or Rau Que)

This basil has a strong cinnamon, clove, and anise scent, and is served with Pho, other soups like Bun Bo Hue, noodle dishes, and many grilled items. It is also known as cinnamon basil or Mexican basil. You could substitute Mediterranean varieties, but they are much stronger and sweeter, so be careful.

Vietnamese Coriander
(Rau Ram)

Unique to Southeast Asia, Rau Rahm (also known as hot mint) is peppery and very herbal, and has notes of cilantro. It is used as a garnish or on the ubiquitous herb/ lettuce plate on the table.

Culantro
(Mui Tau)

A sawtooth-edged, spear-shaped leaf identifies this herb, which is native to Latin America and the Caribbean. It has an earthy cilantro-like flavor but is much stronger. Used in sour soups and some stews, it is a real treat to have as a garnish for Pho.

Chives
(Hoa Hue)

The chives most commonly used in Vietnamese cooking are Chinese chives, fairly thin with a flower bud at the end. They taste slightly of garlic. Substitute other chives or scallions.

Rice Paddy Herb
(Ngo Om or Rau Om)

Often hard to come by, this exotic herb can be grown in your garden. It has a perfumed cumin-like scent. Used in sour fish soup and sweet and sour dishes, it could be substituted with ground cumin seeds and fresh cilantro.

Lemongrass
(Xa)

Lemongrass is found in many Vietnamese dishes and is used in marinades, soups, stews, stir-fries, and curries. The wider bulbous end toward the root is used. An outer layer is peeled off, then it is crushed, finely chopped, or sectioned for longer-cooking dishes.

Vietnamese Balm or Green Perilla
(Rau Kinh Gioi)

Actually a relative of lemon balm rather than red perilla, Vietnamese balm has a pronounced lemongrass-like flavor and aroma with light green, oval-shaped, serrated-edged leaves. Shredded into noodle dishes, soups, and salads, it is usually served with Bun Cha.

Fish Mint
(Rau Diep Ca)

A most unusual culinary herb, fish mint has a strong acidic or sour flavor up front that quickly transforms into a fishy taste. Despite these strong flavors, it lacks much aroma. Even the Vietnamese are divided on their love or hate of this one. It is served with the table garnishes for grilled meats and fish dishes.

Betel or Pepper Leaf
(La Lot)

This heart-shaped leaf from a plant in the pepper family requires heat to release its peppery aromatic flavors. It is shredded into soups and stir-fries and is wrapped around meats for grilling.

Noodles

There is a wide assortment of noodles available in Vietnamese cookery. These are a few of the most common.

Rice Vermicelli
(Bun)

Thin dry noodles that only need a short cooking time, they are used in soups and salads, and are served with grilled meat dishes like Bun Cha.

Rice Sticks
(Ban Pho)

These noodles come in various widths ranging from narrow to wide. They are featured in soups and stir-fries, and are usually soaked before they are cooked.

Egg Noodles or Chinese Noodles
(Mi)

These are thin wheat-flour noodles that are used in Chinese-style stir-fries and some soups.

Bean Thread, Cellophane, or Glass Noodles
(Mien)

Used in soups, salads, and stir-fries, these are also used to fill several types of rolls.

Rice Paper
(Banh Trang)

Yes, rice paper is a noodle, as it is made in the same way and with the same ingredients as a rice noodle, just not cut so narrowly. After steaming on a silk cloth over a pot of boiling water, the noodles are carefully transferred to a bamboo mat to dry in the sun, which causes their characteristic cross-hatched pattern. Some brands add tapioca starch to achieve elasticity and to make them more transparent. Look for thin transparent ones, available in many shapes and sizes.