We talk about what we eat in Vietnam (how much it costs and what it looks like). This is our big overview of Vietnamese food, names of dishes and prices.

We will be there for a month and a half, so the need arose to somehow understand the food - what is what in Vietnamese cuisine. Having purchased a special notebook, we began to write down the names of dishes and their translations, as well as everything that might be useful when communicating (more precisely, when trying to explain ourselves) with employees of local street eateries. The situation is complicated: the menu, if there is one at all, is only in Vietnamese, and among the catering workers, almost no one knows English, and if anyone knows even a little, they speak with such an accent that we can no longer understand anything. So you have to explain yourself mainly through sign language.

Advice: To correctly translate from Vietnamese, use the Tieng viet TCVN 6064 virtual keyboard in Google Translator - there you will find all the necessary characters.

Entering the names of dishes in Vietnamese into a notepad has become easier - you can simply show the cook the inscription and he will say whether such a dish is available, or twirl the “flashlights”, which means “no” in Vietnam.

We started our journey from Ho Chi Minh City, and as we move towards the north of Vietnam we will supplement the article with new names, descriptions and photos of food in Vietnam, prices for dishes, and also, if possible, note regional differences in dishes. UPD: we did just that, read our comparison in different cities of the country.

Let's make a reservation that we eat exclusively in small street eateries in order to imbue the spirit of the ordinary Vietnamese people and save money. It usually happens like this: the lower you sit, the tastier and cheaper you eat. Even white-collar workers - serious business men - do not hesitate to sit on a low plastic chair at a street eatery and have a snack.

Remark from Alyosha : During our stay in Vietnam, there has not yet been a single case where we ate in some eatery, sitting side by side with a “white man”; our desk neighbors are always local residents. Europeans very rarely sit on a plastic chair at street eateries, but in vain, because it is precisely this method of eating when traveling that guarantees that prices are minimal.

Exchange Rates at the time of writing: 1000 Vietnamese dong = 2.76 rubles, and $1 = 21,400 dong. Roughly speaking, to convert the price of a particular Vietnamese dish into rubles, cut off three zeros from the price in dong and multiply by 3 - you get the ruble equivalent.

Food prices in Vietnam are not too high, but given the fall of the ruble, they have become approximately the same as in Russia.

Food in Vietnam: what it costs, descriptions of dishes and their writing in Vietnamese

• Nem cuốn, bánh tráng cuốn or gỏi cuốn And chả giò(in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam, respectively) - nem pancakes, or rolls. They are filled rolls wrapped in thin rice paper. The filling consists of rice noodles, shrimp, bacon, herbs and other ingredients - at the discretion of the cook. Rolls are served chilled or at room temperature. Price - from 6 thousand dong per piece.

• Chả nem or nem ran(in the south and north, respectively) - also rolls with filling, but small and fried. The filling consists of minced meat, mushrooms, vegetables and herbs; it may vary. Price - from 3.5 thousand dong per piece.
• Phở soup (pho) is the national dish of Vietnam and is a must try. This is a very tasty rich beef broth with rice noodles, to which either thin slices of beef are added ( pho bo - phở bò), or chicken pieces ( fo ga - phở gà) or fish ( phởca). The soup is served with local herbs like mint and mung bean sprouts, dipping sauces and lime slices for squeezing. In general, there are a lot of varieties of soups in Vietnam - they can differ in types of noodles or meat and vegetables. Price: in Ho Chi Minh City we found pho bo for 20 thousand dong, but on average it costs 25 - 30 thousand dong. In Can Tho it costs 18 thousand dong.

Phở bò - beef soup

• Bún chả (Bún thịt nướng in the south)— fried pork with rice noodles. Served with fresh herbs and vegetables, as well as sauces. Price: from 25 thousand dong.
• Goi bo- salad of beef, vegetables and herbs. Price: from 17 thousand dong.
• Bún ca- fish noodle soup. Price: in Can Tho - from 15 thousand dong.
• (or Bún riêu) - soup with vermicelli, tomatoes, snails, beef, chicken, boiled pork blood and herbs. Price: from 28 thousand dong.

Bún ốc - soup with noodles, meat and snails

• Banh canh- noodles soup. There are many varieties: cua- with crab, tom- with shrimp and so on. Price: from 25 thousand dong.
• is a very common street food in Vietnam. A very tasty fresh baguette with a “combined” filling at the seller’s discretion: vegetables, pork/beef/sausage, herbs, pate, chili (usually sellers ask whether pepper should be added), sauce. All this is wrapped in paper and placed in a bag. Very convenient: a Vietnamese guy arrived on a bike, they prepared a sandwich for him in 2 minutes, and he rode off. You can find mobile baguette shops almost everywhere (with the exception of the center - there are practically none there). Cost: from 10 thousand dong per piece - red price. In more tourist areas we met for 15 and 20 thousand (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hue, Halong). A baguette option with fried pork costs from 15 thousand VND.

Banh mì. Photo © cherrylet / flickr.com

• Banh bao (ban bao, dumpling pies)- this is a pie from yeast dough, steamed. Filling (may vary): pork/chicken, quail egg, onion, mushrooms, vermicelli. There is a vegetarian version of bánh bao. Price: from 10 thousand dong. Sometimes the price depends on the weight (seen in Hanoi).
• - another street food. You could say this is bread pudding. Basically, it's a fried banana cake that's a bit like pudding in consistency. The ingredients can vary greatly, but it is usually made from bananas, bread, coconut milk, etc. Very tasty and filling. Bánh chuối carts are mobile and can be identified by the characteristic sweet smell of waffles. By the way, the waffles themselves are often sold too. Often just such a banana mass with mung bean can be found in the form of fried waffles. Cost: in Ho Chi Minh City they sold it to us for 12 thousand VND per piece, which, of course, is expensive. In Da Nang they sold us the same one for 5 thousand.

Bánh chuối. Photo © noodlepie / flickr.com

• Chè chuối- among ourselves we called it “banana pudding.” In my opinion, one of the most delicious dishes in Vietnam. These are fried (sometimes fresh) bananas, doused with hot coconut milk and pulp, and sprinkled with roasted peanuts. Very tasty and filling! Served in plastic cups with a spoon. It's best eaten hot, but it's also delicious cold. In Hoi An we bought for 10 thousand dong, although in fact they sell it cheaper to locals (about 7 thousand).
• - a rice dish with fresh vegetables and tender marinated grilled pork (you can also take grilled chicken instead). Added hot sauce and broth with herbs. This is one of the types of street food in Vietnam; you can ask for cơm tấm to take with you, and the dish will be placed in a special container. Price: from 25 thousand dong in Ho Chi Minh City, in Can Tho we ate cơm tấm for 15 thousand dong.

Cơm tấm - rice with pork

• Banh chưng- a traditional Vietnamese dessert - a mass of gluten rice, mung bean, pork and other ingredients, wrapped in banana leaves. Price in the supermarket: from 30 - 35 thousand dong.
• — Vietnamese street food. Nourishing and tasty dish, is very simple to prepare: pieces of rice dough are fried together with an egg and green onions. All this is topped with the famous nước mắm fish sauce. Price: from 22 thousand dong.

Bột chiên. Photo © phswien / flickr.com

• - also cheap street food in Vietnam. It is deep-fried pasta with scrambled eggs and herbs. Often served fresh vegetables. Price: from 22 thousand dong.

• Nước mắm- fish sauce. It is obtained through the fermentation process of anchovy. Used instead of salt, you can dip pieces of food in it, or you can pour it over a dish - depending on the variety, of which there are many. Also added during cooking. Served free of charge.

Our journey is just beginning, so the article will gradually be filled with new information: we will continue to tell you about all the types of food that we try in Vietnam, as well as the prices for these Vietnamese dishes. To be continued…

Introductory image source: Khánh Hmoong / flickr.com.

Vietnamese cuisine has mainly become popular in the world due to the recipes of dishes originating from the northern part. Traditional cooking in the south-eastern country requires extreme meticulousness in the selection of ingredients and suitable spices and seasonings.

"Classification" of culinary Vietnam

The southern region of the country, as noted by those who have visited Vietnam, often includes dishes in its cuisine that are influenced by French cuisine. Vietnamese cuisine southern region consists largely of sweet dishes, as well as dishes with all kinds of greens and herbs.

The country's culinary potential lies in the central region - you will find the hottest and most savory dishes in this part of Vietnam. Here the bulk of the dishes are various salads and snacks.

The northern region is responsible for preparing meat dishes. He had the honor of dictating the main menu of Vietnamese cuisine.

In general, the cuisine in this country is a mix of noodles, meat, rice dishes, and an abundance of vegetables and fruits. Soy or fish sauce is considered one of the most important components of many dishes in this area, thanks to which you can achieve the ideal taste of the dish.

Popular dishes

The most common types of meat in Vietnamese cuisine are chicken and pork (much less often - goat, duck, beef).

In addition to the above protein components, much attention is paid to seafood (especially shrimp). The Vietnamese will not be surprised that today, for example, an appetizer made from snake or turtle meat will be served.

Recipes for Vietnamese cuisine at home include a large number of different herbs and greens, and also amaze with the variety of fish components.

The most popular dish in Vietnam is rice noodle soup with meat Pho. They also have a fairly well-known analogue of Chinese and our dumplings. This dish is steamed and is filled with pig meat, mushrooms, shrimp or onions. The traditional dish Thich Kho, sweet due to the caramel sauce, has won the hearts of more than one foreigner with its unusual taste.

In this article you will learn how to prepare delicious Vietnamese recipes at home. Below are the most popular dishes among our compatriots.

Traditional Vietnamese recipe - "Beef and rice noodle soup"

This dish has already received numerous positive reviews from people living in the territory of the former USSR. Travelers admire its unusual taste and recommend trying it in popular Vietnamese restaurants in Russia.

To prepare a spicy first course you will need the following list of ingredients (for two servings):

• 4 cups beef broth;
• 70 g dry rice noodles;
• half a medium chopped onion;
• 1 tsp. grated ginger;
• 2 tbsp. l. hoisin sauce;
• 1 tbsp. l. fish sauce;
• half tsp ground black pepper;
• half tsp five spice mixtures;
• 1 feather thinly sliced ​​green onion;
• a handful of bean sprouts;
• 200 g finely chopped beef;
• 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• a bunch of fresh cilantro or red chili strips for garnish.

How to cook Vietnamese soup?

This soup is traditionally served for breakfast.

The Vietnamese believe that breakfast is the most important part of the day, and skipping it is almost considered a sin. Infused with spices and herbs, the boiling broth is used to baste noodles, bean sprouts, thin pieces of raw beef and onions.

Step-by-step preparation of Vietnamese cuisine recipe with photos

This dish can be repeated at home and is even necessary for those who want to experience the atmosphere of the South-Eastern culinary tradition.

First, soak the noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes. Pour beef broth into the pan, add onion, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, five spice powder, ground black pepper. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid, after which we continue cooking over medium heat for another 10 minutes. Drain the noodles when cooked and place in equal portions on two plates. Divide the sprouts, beef pieces and onions among plates. Pour in boiling broth and leave for one minute (the meat must be completely covered with hot liquid).

Serve the soup by sprinkling it with lemon juice and garnishing with strips of chili pepper and dill.

If meat isn't your thing, you can use smoked salmon or thinly sliced ​​tofu as a key ingredient.

Note to the culinary specialist

To achieve the thinnest slices of meat, you need to put it in the oven for 30 minutes. freezer. It should harden, after which you need to chop it with a very sharp knife.

Vietnamese dumplings

To surprise your guests, you can prepare an unusual dish whose taste will please absolutely everyone. These are Vietnamese dumplings. Not only are they a traditional dish of Vietnamese cuisine (photo in the article), but they are also loved in all other countries of the world.

Vietnamese dumplings are made from a special dough. Their taste is much more delicate than those dumplings that we have become accustomed to since childhood. Unlike the Russian recipe, the Vietnamese add pork fat to the dish, which has a similar taste to minced pork, which is seasoned with onions, mushrooms and garlic. This dish is served with traditional sweet and sour sauce.

To prepare this Vietnamese dish we will need:

• half a kilo of minced pork;
• 3-4 onions;
• 150 g mushrooms;
• 1.5 kg of sifted flour;
• 1.5 cubes of yeast;
• 70 g pork fat;
• 8 chicken eggs;
• cilantro, salt, soy sauce - optional.

Cooking Vietnamese dumplings

Finely chop the mushrooms, onions, garlic and cilantro. We fry it all in vegetable oil.

In a separate bowl, fry finely chopped or minced pork. Fry it until half cooked. Then add the onion-garlic-mushroom mixture.

Salt, pepper, add a little soy sauce to taste.

To prepare the dough, take the yeast and dilute it in a bowl with warm water. Mix lard and flour in a large bowl. Add yeast to them. Add eggs and mix. Gradually add water to obtain a homogeneous paste that is slightly sticky to the touch. Let the dough rise for about 1.5-2 hours.

Roll out the dough and divide it into flat cakes. Carefully spread the filling and shape it into a whisk shape. We place the products on small squares of aluminum foil.

Then cook in a double boiler. Serve with Asian sweet and sour sauce.

Pork ribs in Vietnamese caramel sauce

To prepare you will need a list of the following ingredients:

• 500-600 g pork ribs;
• half a glass of sugar (it is better to use granulated sugar);
• half a glass of boiled chilled water;
• 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• 1 onion head;
• half a glass of tkemali fruit sauce (can be replaced with any Chinese fish sauce);
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper;
• You can add ground white pepper to taste.
• season with herbs as desired: parsley, lettuce, green onions.

For the marinade you will need:

• 5 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
• 3 tbsp. l. classic tkemali sauce (replace with another if desired);
• 2 tbsp. l. wine vinegar.

Cooking sweet pork ribs in Vietnamese style

First, rinse well and cut the pork ribs into small pieces 3-4 cm wide. Then you need to put them in a pan for marinating. Next add fruit sauce, soy sauce and wine vinegar.

Leave the meat in the marinade for several hours. The ribs will need to be stirred from time to time. As soon as the meat is marinated, we begin preparing the dish.

Pour granulated sugar into a thick-walled pan. Usually the dish is prepared in a frying pan, but you can try it in a slow cooker. As housewives say, this option is even simpler. Half a glass of sugar should be poured with a quarter glass of water and add lemon juice. Leave the liquid to soak for a few minutes. Then put the pan on the stove, turn on medium heat (in the multicooker, set the power mode to 120 W). Cook until granulated sugar is completely dissolved.

When the liquid begins to boil, reduce the temperature to a minimum (in a food processor to 90-100°C) and wait until the liquid acquires a caramel color. At this time, cut the onions into thin half rings. Next, remove from the stove, add the remaining water, ground black and white pepper, and fruit sauce. To stir thoroughly.

Add the pork ribs to the sweet sauce, stir thoroughly until the meat is completely coated with the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours. You need to turn the ribs or stir them every 15-20 minutes. The sauce should not boil. In a multicooker, it is necessary to maintain the temperature at approximately 100°C. When the meat acquires a dark caramel color and easily comes away from the bone, this will mean that the pork ribs are ready. It is recommended to serve this dish with herbs and classic white rice.

Conclusion

So we looked at three recipes for classic main dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. However, the culinary diversity of this country does not end with these recipes, but only the beginning. All kinds of soups with noodles and various types of meat, hot meat dishes, dishes with unusual combinations and amazing sweets of Vietnam - this is all that an enthusiastic and inquisitive housewife can try to cook in her kitchen.

What food is common in Vietnam?

One of the most enjoyable things to do on vacation is getting to know the local cuisine. And Vietnamese food certainly deserves it. With a bright taste, an abundance of spices and herbs, sweet and sour notes, crispy, rich, completely unfamiliar to our stomach - Vietnamese food. For many years, Vietnamese cuisine has been ranked third in the world in terms of taste and first place as the healthiest food. Therefore, food in Vietnam will be the topic of today's review.

First of all, this is rice. In terms of its consumption, the Vietnamese have already surpassed China; they eat on average up to 200 kg of rice per year per capita. It is consumed in its pure form without salt and spices, like we eat bread. You will be served a heap of rice with any dish. In Vietnam, almost any food goes with rice.

Herbs and sauces

The second constant is herbs. It is impossible to list all the names. We are familiar with leaf lettuce, arugula, mint, parsley, dill, cilantro, basil, celery.

Sauces in Vietnam deserve a separate story. The most famous is fish (nyok mam). It smells disgusting and tastes divine when added to a dish. The Vietnamese always keep it on the table so that visitors can add it to their food according to their taste. Usually they put pieces of chili pepper in it. The most common sauce is soy sauce. Its taste has nothing in common with what is sold in our stores.

They eat any food with it. This includes rice, meat, poultry, fish and seafood. For the latter, the Vietnamese serve a dry mixture of black pepper and salt and a lime cut in half. Pour lime juice over the dry mixture and stir. This sauce is also good with frog meat. It must be said that not everyone loves frogs, and therefore reviews of food in Vietnam may sometimes not be the most flattering. However, this is not a reason to refuse other dishes.

Meat, eggs, milk

Vietnamese cuisine is unthinkable without meat. Many dishes can be found in three versions - with beef, pork and chicken. The taste of meat is different from what we are used to, especially if you buy it at the market. The pork here is lean because pigs in Vietnam are herbivores. You will never meet in national dishes thickly cut pieces. They cut meat and other meat foods into translucent slices that are instantly grilled. And in Pho soup they are placed raw in an almost boiling broth.

The Vietnamese never cook meat in a frying pan, only on the grill. In the mornings you can see the picture: coals are lit in special pots near the house, and after 20 minutes the meat is already fried on the grill. All restaurants in Vietnam must have a grill, and the chefs sometimes put on a whole show - frying a lobster, or even a whole crocodile, on a spit.

In general, the Vietnamese are omnivorous people. They say about themselves: “We don’t eat airplanes in the sky, ships in the sea, cars on land. Everything else is food." Everyone has heard about such exotic things as cat and dog meat. In villages, especially in the northern regions, this is indeed a frequently consumed food. Southerners eat dogs only in specialized restaurants and only on certain days of the lunar month. In any restaurant throughout Vietnam, you can safely order meat and not be afraid that they will serve you a dog or a cat.

Egg is another food that is much loved about Vietnam. Duck, chicken, quail and ostrich eggs are eaten.

Milk is not an Asian product. It is expensive and has a long shelf life, which indicates the presence of preservatives. Among dairy products, there is classic unsweetened yogurt, sweet yogurts, and real ones, with a short shelf life and incredibly tasty. Kefir is sold in the same packaging as yogurt. Butter and cheese not so good High Quality. Stores sell only imported ones, most often Australian ones. There is no sour cream or cottage cheese at all. This type of food is practically unheard of in Vietnam.

Vegetables

Vegetables are another product that no meal can do without. They are the same ones that we eat. Tomatoes and cucumbers will be served to you with any second course. Cabbage is the most different varieties must be prepared with noodles. Just like bell pepper, it is present in almost all vegetable mixtures. But they will never mix tomatoes and cucumbers in one bowl, and even with sour cream. For them, such food is terrible disgusting. They eat tomatoes with sugar, potatoes - in any form - fried, crushed or boiled. The Vietnamese prefer food such as sweet potato to regular potatoes. It is fried in large quantities oil or just boil.

Soy is another product dearly loved by the Vietnamese. They put sprouted soybeans in all dishes - soups, salads, main courses. Another product is tofu, soy cheese. It is sold in the market in large pieces. Fried tofu is an incredibly tasty dish. Thanks to him, you can often find positive reviews about food in Vietnam.

Seafood

For us they are a delicacy, but for the Vietnamese they are a constant food. It’s more likely not food, but “seeds”. Shells are sold in markets in a huge variety. Small, large, completely incomprehensible to us. They grill them on the same grill and eat them as a snack. Those who have been to Vietnam know well what kind of giant shrimps are served in cafes or restaurants.

In Vietnam, they are grown on rice paddies - special farms where they are fed with animal feed. The Vietnamese don't eat them. The largest natural shrimp is no larger than your little finger. They are fried until crispy and eaten whole, without peeling the shell.

Fruits

For us, such an abundance is a miracle, but for the Vietnamese it is an ordinary assortment. In general, fruits need to be written separately. The way this food is consumed in Vietnam is interesting. They dip watermelon, melon, rose apples (there is a fruit that has the shape of a pear and the taste of an apple), and pineapple in a mixture of salt and pepper. It turns out it's very tasty.

Why is Vietnamese cuisine called the healthiest? For the Vietnamese, there is no concept of “yesterday’s food”; they never cook for 2 times. The food that is prepared should be eaten immediately. They buy fresh meat slaughtered in the morning, vegetables and herbs just picked from the garden, fish that were caught at night. At home, Vietnamese eat only in the evening and not always. Small food stalls with plastic interiors—children’s high chairs and tables—are found at every turn in Vietnam. If you want to eat tasty, cheap and safe food, go there, you won’t regret it.

The most popular dishes of Vietnamese cuisine

There are dishes that you can’t help but try in Vietnam, otherwise your picture of the country will be incomplete. After tasting them, you can give your feedback about the food in Vietnam.

Everyone eats it here - it's a traditional breakfast food in Vietnam. They start cooking broth for him in the evening, so that they can feed all the working people from early morning. The base is beef broth. Filling: rice noodles, soy sprouts, meat. Pho ga is a soup with chicken, pho bo is with beef, pho kheo is with pork. The soup comes with a mountain of different herbs that need to be eaten as a bite.

Sauces for this food are served separately - soy or fish. They are added to taste. Real, fresh pho soup can only be eaten in the morning – before 9 o’clock. They eat soup with chopsticks and a spoon. The broth is scooped into a spoon, noodles are wrapped around chopsticks, carefully placed on the spoon and then the whole thing is put into the mouth. In northern Vietnam, you should definitely try pho ga with black chicken. This food has its own characteristics.

Misao

Fried noodles with meat and vegetables - this food is one of the most beloved by Europeans in Vietnam. The rice noodles included in this dish are called noodles. In appearance it resembles the one we are used to seeing in Doshirak packages, but the taste is completely different.

Fried with bell pepper, tomatoes, cabbage, thin pieces of meat, sprouted soybeans and topped with sauce to taste - fish or soy. And, of course, the food is heavily seasoned with herbs.

Rolls

Another indispensable food present on the Vietnamese table is rice paper. A variety of dishes are prepared from it, including rolls. Next to the stack of rice sheets is a bowl of water in which they are lightly moistened. And then everything depends on the imagination of the eater. They wrap everything that is on the table in paper - meat, fish, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, vegetables, seasoning it all generously with herbs. The rolled roll is dipped in the sauce. Very tasty food!

In Vietnam, they are on the menu of any cafe and restaurant or simply sold on the street. Pancakes are made from the same rice paper, only fried until crispy. The filling is very varied.

The classic version of this food is minced meat with carrots, constant soy sprouts, mushrooms and glass noodles. Varieties include pancakes with shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. They are listed on the menu as Spring Rolls.

Good day to all readers and subscribers

In every country I've been lucky enough to visit, I try to try as many local dishes as possible. To get to know the national food of the people better. There is even such a concept - gastronomic tourism. And Vietnam was no exception for me.

In one of my previous articles, I already wrote about. Today I present to you my rating the best dishes of Vietnamese cuisine.

Having visited the countries of Southeast Asia and Vietnam in particular, I realized that I really like Asian cuisine, in particular! Vietnamese cuisine are not yet as popular as Thai ones. But this situation will probably change soon, because more and more of our compatriots have recently chosen Vietnam as their holiday destination. And in Russia, more and more restaurants are opening where they serve best vietnamese dishes.

What is she like? Vietnamese cuisine? It is original, but much is borrowed from China, Thailand and France (Vietnam was once a colony of France). Not as spicy as in Thailand, but still has a lot of spices. As elsewhere in Asia, rice is one of the basis of many dishes. The Vietnamese also eat a lot of fresh herbs and noodles. Various soups are very popular (especially Pho soup), fried pork and some dishes exotic for Europeans, such as dogs, cats, rats, snakes, crocodiles (although this largely depends on the region, for example in southern Vietnam they do not eat cats and dogs, but in the north it is a delicacy). Lots of seafood dishes. And thanks to the French influence, Vietnamese cuisine is unthinkable without delicious fresh baguettes and pastries.

So, I present to your attention Top 10 Vietnamese dishes:

1. Pho soup.

The most popular dish in Vietnam. It's like in Thailand or borscht in Russia. Although no, in Russia they don’t eat that much borscht! Pho soup prepare in Vietnam just at every step. It can be tasted both in an expensive restaurant and in any cheap cafe with plastic chairs. It is especially popular among the Vietnamese for breakfast, but it is also good for lunch and dinner.

This is a fairly simple soup with the addition of noodles, soybean sprouts and pork (or chicken). It is served separately with chili pepper and a large plate of fresh herbs, which must be added to the soup. Sprouted soybeans are also sometimes served separately.

Honestly, although I liked this soup, it’s still not as much as Tom Yum in Thailand and some others Vietnamese dishes.

2. Vietnamese soup with beef, noodles and carrots.

It is a type of Pho soup, but personally I liked it even more! Especially thanks to the special, very tasty broth. I recommend you try it! Usually served in the same place as Pho soup. It's easy enough to spot in the picture on the menu.

3. Spring rolls.

Small rolls fried until crispy. The filling can be very varied, but most often it is vegetables with minced meat or shrimp, wrapped in thin rice paper. Served with greens. It will taste better if eaten with soy sauce. I really liked it! They are especially good as a snack with beer.

4. Pancakes Nem.

Somewhat reminiscent of spring rolls. Just bigger. They also use rice paper. Only the filling is more varied, often with the addition of mushrooms. There are options both fried and simply wrapped in a sheet of rice paper. I personally liked the fried ones better.

By the way, in one of my articles I talked in detail about the recipe for making Nem pancakes. Read it.

5. Lau.

Lau is a boiling pot of soup in which mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs and lemongrass are added to the rich broth. Lau comes with seafood, chicken or meat. Noodles and a large plate of greens are served separately. Lau is served like this: they put a small burner on the table and put a pot on it, so the lau is served very hot. From the pot, the lau is placed into cups and noodles and greens are added separately to each cup.

This dish serves at least two. Very tasty and filling.

6. Vietnamese seafood.

It is not surprising that Vietnamese cuisine contains a lot of seafood dishes. If you look at the map of Vietnam, you can see that this country is stretched along the sea coast and marine fishing is well developed here. Fish and seafood in Vietnam very popular. And in terms of price, seefood in Vietnam is more affordable than, for example, in Thailand (I’m generally silent about Russia). You can try the freshest seafood delicacies especially inexpensively right there.

I personally especially like crabs! Also popular are lobster, shrimp, oysters, mussels and scallops.

By the way, soon about Vietnamese seafood and about that, I will release a whole post. Necessarily subscribe to blog updates so as not to miss a publication!

7. Banh Cuon (Vietnamese pastries).

The filling for Banh Cuon is rice, mushrooms, coconut, and beans. They come in several types. They can be with the addition of minced meat or sweet for dessert. These pies have one thing in common - they are wrapped in banana leaf and fried.

They are sold like this, wrapped in a banana leaf:

Unwrap the sheet and eat - very tasty!

8. Vietnamese soup with dumplings.

We tried this delicious soup in Dalat. It is also a type of Pho soup. But despite some similar ingredients, the taste is very different. I liked it much better than Pho. I have never seen such a soup anywhere in Nha Trang, but in Dalat it is very popular. It’s true that in different places in Vietnam Pho soup is made completely differently.

We ate this soup in a modest place where mostly locals eat, with this sign:

If you're in Dalat, be sure to come here! This place is located on THANG PHAN street, not far from the large five-star Saigon Dalat hotel, on the opposite side of the street from the hotel. It is practically in the very center of Dalat.

9. Nem Nuong.

Nem Nuong are small pork sausages served with sauce, rice leaves, crispy rice dough paper and a lot of different greens:

This is all eaten as follows: put a lot of different greens on a rice leaf, then sausage and fried rice dough; The rice leaf is wrapped in a tight tube and dipped in the sauce. It turns out just amazing!

Eating this dish turns into a whole process. It’s good to order Nem Nuong for leisurely gatherings when a large company has gathered. Usually one serving of Nem Nuong is enough for two or even three people.

10. Pastries and cakes.

At first glance, it’s surprising for an Asian country, but in Vietnam they make very tasty baked goods, and the cakes and pastries here are simply to die for. All thanks to French traditions. I’m not a big fan of sweets, but I ate such delicious cakes in Vietnam with great pleasure! The price is also very attractive. So for those with a sweet tooth, Vietnam is simply paradise!

I would also like to say something about Vietnamese fast food. These are crispy French baguettes filled with various fillings. Usually it is minced meat or ham with the addition of vegetables, herbs and various sauces. Such baguettes are sold on every corner in Vietnam.

Many people really like them, but I did not include them in my rating because they seemed a little bland to me. But as they say, there is no arguing about tastes.

Of course, this is not the entire list of what you can pamper yourself with in Vietnam. Someone may disagree with my rating Top 10 Vietnamese dishes, include other delicacies in it. Then share your opinion in the comments.

Are you planning to visit Vietnam? Surely you are wondering what you will eat during your vacation, and general information will never be redundant.

This article will discuss the features of national Vietnamese cuisine, as well as the main dishes of Vietnam.

The total number of Vietnamese dishes reaches 500 items, and that’s not all. The variety of dishes will not disappoint anyone, even the most fastidious gourmet. Vietnam is deservedly considered the core of gastronomic tourism.

A special feature of Vietnamese cuisine is its extraordinary aroma, which is sometimes even repulsive. At the same time, the taste of any dish leaves a unique impression and aftertaste.

In one article it is impossible to talk about all the features of Vietnamese cuisine, as well as to compile the most complete culinary reference book for this country. Each part of Vietnam has different national preferences and dishes. Due to territorial and historical background, in Vietnamese cuisine you will find a combination of Thai, Chinese and even French cuisine.

Vietnamese cuisine is characterized by the use of Pho or Pha Bo soup ( Pho Bo ) (beef), crab noodles, sticky rice cake, and various types rice noodles. The most popular sauce in Vietnam is a fish sauce called Pios Cham.

Vietnamese cuisine will amaze you with its diversity, as well as the combination of a wide variety of products in one dish. For the Russian perception of taste, perhaps not all dishes will seem tasty, but they will definitely be remembered.

For the Vietnamese themselves, Russian cuisine is considered boring, without a wide variety of combinations of sour, sweet, spicy tastes, as well as spices and smells, which add from 4 to 15 seasonings to each dish. What you get is a unique taste of the pinnacle of culinary art, craftsmanship and secrets that are more than 2 thousand years old.

Rice (Vietnamese "C ơ m" " reads like "com"). On the streets you can often see such signs with the words: C ơ m G à (with chicken), C ơ m B ò (with beef), C ơ m Heo (with pork). - This is the basis of almost all dishes in Vietnam. It is used as a side dish and is also transformed into other products - rice paper, wine, noodles and more.

Conventionally, Vietnam should be divided into three parts based on food preferences - northern, central and southern Vietnam.

So, what dishes are popular in the northern part of the Asian country?

1. Pho soup “is perhaps the most popular dish in this part of the country, which can be tasted in almost any restaurant and cafe, as well as at any time of the day. It is famous for its aroma and aftertaste. The soup is prepared in broth, which is boiled for 3 to 6 hours; meat (usually beef), sprouted soybean sprouts or corn sprouts, and noodles are added to it. The soup is served separately with chili sauce and herbs. There are three variations, with fully cooked meat in this broth, with meat so thinly sliced ​​that when placed in the broth it is instantly cooked at the moment of serving, and with raw meat.

2. Các món ăn từ ốc (in Russian menus it is funny translated as “Monday ocean”) - a dish with a strange name containing snails. The dish is famous for its variety, because snails can be cooked with anything, including herbs, side dishes, and so on. Snails can be fried and boiled, and can be seasoned with various sauces. There are no limits to the imagination of chefs.

3. Spring roll (Vietnamese cuộn mùa xuân), made from rice paper and filled with minced fish, meat or sweets. The dish is popular throughout the country.

Due to the climate in the north of the country, the Vietnamese prefer to use the grill for cooking, and among main dishes they prefer soups and broths. In addition, the northern cuisine of Vietnam is considered traditional, but the southern one includes admixtures from Thailand, China, France and other countries.

In Vietnam's central provinces, mountainous areas and cities such as Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An and the mountain town of Da Lat in the south, popular dishes include:

1. Bo Kho (Bo Kho) is a fragrant broth with cinnamon and star anise, some tomatoes, coarsely chopped carrots and tender beef are added to it. Pho Bo is completely different from traditional Pho Bo and can rather be attributed to European cuisine. It is usually served with a Banh Mi baguette, which is optionally filled with additional meat and herbs.

2. Baguettes filled with Banh Mi (Vietnamese - Bánh mì), a direct legacy of the colonial period of France in Vietnam. One of the most common fast foods in all Vietnamese cities in this region.

The filling of such a baguette with a crispy crust is varied and depends only on the imagination of the cook, this includes fried meat and meatballs, seafood, various sauces, greens with sweet onions, and all this is heated in a toaster.

3. Bun Bo Hue soup (Vietnamese - Bún bò Huế)

In fact, this is the brother of Pho soup. However, what they have in common is only meat broth, which cooks for several hours. Instead of noodles, round rice vermicelli is used, the meat is placed in large pieces, as in the Uzbek “Laghman”. In addition, the broth itself is added lemon grass, beef blood and shrimp paste.

It must be accompanied by shavings of banana inflorescences and a lot of greens. This traditional soup imperial capital.

4. Ban Bao rice flour cakes (Viet. Bá nh bao ), are steamed and are somewhat similar to our manti.

Combine chopped meat with spices, vegetables and greens. Half a boiled egg is often added to the classic pie. A very tasty and filling dish.

Even the residents themselves do not know the number of variations of the filling. They often serve as both a snack food and a full-fledged dessert if the filling is sweet.

5. Vegetable stew Ka Tim (Viet. C à T í m Kho Tộ )

A very common street dish, it is served alongside Pho soup in many small Vietnamese cafes. Prepared in a clay pot with eggplants, tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, adding potato flour, rapeseed oil, coconut milk, which gives special tenderness, spices, sugar, soy and oyster sauce. Green onions, mint and herbs are served separately. The dish is very unusual. In itself it is very unusual, and is served with a small portion of rice.

Popular in the South are:

1. Pancakes, which are radically different from Russian pancakes. If you think that these are traditional Russian pancakes, then you are mistaken, because Vietnamese pancakes are a culinary masterpiece. Their filling consists of eggs, crab meat, pork, herbs, carrots, and cabbage. And the shell (the pancakes themselves) is made from rice flour. The dish is fried in sunflower oil.

2. Soup with dumplings (Viet. hu tieu mi hoanh thanh)

One of the heartiest dishes in central Vietnam, with rich broth and dumplings filled with seafood or meat, depending on the customer's wishes.

3. Original dish Laumam can only be found in Vietnam. In simple terms, this is meat with vegetables. You will not find such a quantity of mixed vegetables in any other dish (the maximum can reach 24 items). The dish is spiced up with special fish sauce.

Many tourists going to Vietnam have, of course, heard that the Vietnamese cannot do without strange delicacies - the meat of snakes, dogs, and various insects. This is more an exception to the rule than everyday food for this people. If you can see dogs being cooked somewhere, it is not because they really want to eat it, but because dog meat is cheaper than pork.

As for snake dishes, it is truly a tourist attraction, which is mainly popular among Chinese tourists.