Vietnam has so much influence from China because China had occupied Vietnam from 111 BC to the early 10th century,” Anh Nguy, product development research chef of David Michael & Company, told attendees of the NAFFS 88th Annual Convention. “This is evident in some of Vietnam’s cooking techniques, particularly in the northern regions where there are a large number of stir-fry dishes and the extensive use of exotic Chinese ingredients.”
To help the audience understand the influence of culture and taste perceptions of the Vietnamese, Nguy provided some history and demographics of the region. “The use of chopsticks was largely influenced by the Chinese,” said Nguy. “Vietnam is the only southeastern Asian country that uses chopsticks, whereas Thai and Laos eat with their fingers.” Another influence contributing to Vietnamese cuisine came from India during the Chinese occupation of Vietnam because of their trading relationship. Hence Indian flavors have a great impact on Vietnamese foods. As the first Europeans to arrive in Vietnam in 1516, the Portuguese introduced the chili pepper. “But the French had the strongest Western influence on the culture and cuisine,” said Nguy. “They brought new ingredients, new cooking methods and new ways of eating to Vietnam.”
The Vietnamese government recognizes 54 distinct ethnic groups in Vietnam. “Viet” or “Kinh” make up 86 percent of the 83.6 million people. The largest minority group is the Han Chinese with 2.3 million.
Rice is a staple food in Vietnam, Nguy said. It is the most important food and is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vietnam is now the second-largest rice exporter, with Thailand being the first. Rice is commonly eaten communally in Vietnam. Fruits and vegetables such as bananas are widely eaten and their leaves are indispensable for cooking. “Lychees, longans, mangoes, rambutans, durians and jackfruits are considered prize fruits,” said Nguy. Popular vegetables include lettuce leaves, bean sprouts, Asian basils, cilantro and culantro.
“Meat is still very scarce and expensive in Vietnam,” said Nguy. “However, pork, chicken and duck are very popular throughout Vietnam.” Prior to the French occupation, beef was hardly ever eaten because many believed cows and buffalo are sacred animals as well as beasts of burden – they work for you.
The Vietnamese eat a lot of citrus and tropical fruits. “They prefer their tropical fruits to be very intense with aromatic characteristics of sulfur notes which is a very ‘acquired’ taste,” Nguy said. Further demonstrating the intense flavors of the region, Nguy brought many product samples for the audience to experience firsthand. Among the product samples were roasted Jackfruit chips – a product from Thailand but very representative of tastes in Vietnam, steamed Durian paste-filled buns which Nguy described as an “acquired” taste, Vietnamese ham which is very traditional and indigenous to the region, two kinds of soy milk, bubble tea and fish sauce.
“In order to have an acquired taste for Vietnamese foods, you have to have an open mind about our culture and our traditions,” explained Nguy. These foods are introduced at a very young age and rice is one of the first foods introduced to infants. Vietnamese prefer the blandness and texture of tofu because they’re accustomed to eating it plain. “And the strong sulfur compounds of tropical fruits that most Americans find offensive, we like it,” exclaimed Nguy.
Tea is made every morning for consumption throughout the day in Vietnam. It is the most widely consumed beverage. Vietnamese do not use tea bags. Instead the dried leaves are steeped in tea pots. It is believed the longer these teas are steeped, the better they taste and the more seasoned they are. The two types of teas consumed most often are jasmine and chrysanthemum. Vietnamese believe in the Yin and Yang properties – the cooling sensation of Yin is what they believe when drinking the jasmine and chrysanthemum teas. “A hot trend today which was originated in Taiwan is the bubble or tapioca tea,” said Nguy. “Both kids and adults love this tea which is served with a straw to sip the tapioca through.”
Soy milk is consumed on a daily basis by most Vietnamese. The Vietnamese prefer the soy milk to have the soybean taste in it vs. the American version which masks the beany taste. To demonstrate the difference in flavors, Nguy distributed samples to the audience of both the authentic Vietnamese-style soy milk and the American-style. Nguy described how Americans mask the genuine soybean flavor to make it taste more like milk for the mainstream customer. However, the Vietnamese prefer their soy milk to be very highly sweetened because it enhances the beany notes for them. It is used as a dessert or as a beverage with a meal.
Another popular drink in Vietnam is called the grass jelly drink. Grass jelly is made by boiling grass jelly from the mint family with potassium carbonate added to cool it (Yin) to a jelly-like consistency. They are then cut into cubes or strands and added to a flavored syrup. It has a slight iodine flavor and a dark brown, almost translucent blackish color to it. “It doesn’t look very appetizing but it has a very cooling effect,” said Nguy.
“Because Vietnam is so hot, the drinks are made to cool one’s body down.”
PHO – rice noodle soup – is found everywhere in Vietnam. “It has an outrageously aromatic broth with spiced beef, basil, onions, bean sprouts, cilantro and culantro,” said Nguy. Chicken Pho is a favorite for those who don’t eat beef. Pho is cheap, nutritious and available everywhere so it’s convenient. It is second to rice when it comes to preference.
“One of the challenges in this market is the freezing capability,” said Nguy. Refrigeration is available but keeping products frozen is very difficult because of the lack of electricity, which is controlled by the government. They give you a certain number of hours to have electricity during the night but then they shut it off right before dawn. Another challenge is the distribution of food products throughout Vietnam because of unpaved roads – especially in rural areas. The slow emergence of supermarkets is yet another challenge. “They do have supermarkets in Vietnam but you have to be rich to go there because prices are much more expensive,” Nguy explained. “The majority of people can’t afford this type of luxury at all.” Price competition is another issue. You have to haggle; you need to know your product and negotiate.
