Lemongrass is prized by Southeast Asian for its light and aromatic flavors. It is known to add refreshing herbal aroma to heavy meal dishes, oily dishes, and strong seafood dishes. This ingredient has been a part of traditional Vietnamese cuisine for hundred years, where it’s used along with Indian, Chinese and French influences.
Influenced by Chinese philosophy, Vietnamese cuisine is rooted in five core flavors, each ingredient is tied to one of the five natural elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. The perfect dish needs to incorporate these elements to achieve a balanced yin yang. Herbal chicken soup is one of the most balanced dishes and often the go-to medicine in Asian culture.
Water morning glory, which we call “rau muong” in Vietnamese, is a leafy river vegetable that grows in abundance in Vietnam. It’s even considered as the most seen vegetable in the country, especially in the rural areas. The prized part of the vegetable is the tender shoots whereas most of the leaves are discarded.
A kumquat tree full of fruits is one of the most iconic Vietnamese New Year home decorations. The fruits are bright and abundant, symbolizing the fertility and longevity that the family hopes for. The overall kumquat tree symbolized many generations: ripe fruits as grandparents, flowers as parents, buds as children, and light green leaves as grandchildren.
In the early 1500s, the Spaniard explorers brought pineapples to the Philippines and the Peninsular Malaysia. The fruit spread quickly to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia – where most international pineapple canning factories were. Pineapples used to be less prevalent in Vietnam compared to its bordering countries, but it’s not the case now.
Nearly every Vietnamese child has the memory of grandma whipping up a pot of congee. Because congee has basic properties and carb-heavy, it makes a great dish to eat when you’re sick. This is equivalent to the American Chicken Noodle Soup for Vietnamese people.
