Objectives

In this lesson, the students should be able to explore a beautiful and interesting country
in Southeast Asia: Vietnam! Learn about the gastronomy and some of the most popular
Vietnamese dishes. Also, discover several relevant aspects of its culture.

Vietnam

Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, in a region known as Indochina. It spans along the
coastline of the South
China Sea and borders Laos and Cambodia to the west. It is a communist state that
became sadly known for the Vietnam War. However, many aspects of this culture,
including its diverse gastronomy, are often unknown to many Westerners.

For a long time, Vietnam was a dynasty, but in the mid-19th century, it became a French
colony. After World War II, a communist movement upraised fighting for independence.
The country was divided, and the Vietnam War started shortly after. When U.S. troops
retreated, the country was unified. In the 1980s, the government approved a shift toward a
more open economy, allowing substantial economic growth and reduced poverty.

Quick Facts About Vietnam:

• Population of more than 90 million people.

• Plenty of fertile land, and rice crops are abundant.
• One of the world's largest coffee producers.
• Culture is a combination of local traditions and Chinese, French, and American
influences.
• The official language is Vietnamese. It has different tones for each syllable but,
unlike most Asian languages, it uses the Roman alphabet.
• Buddhism is the main religion. It coexists with Confucianism and Taoism; a smaller
part of the population is Catholic.
• Family is very important. Extended family and several generations often live
together.
• Older family members are respected and admired.
• When invited, guests are expected to bring a gift, such as fruit, sweets, or flowers.
However, yellow flowers are considered bad omens, and black-colored item are
related to death and mystery, so those should be avoided.
 • Motorbikes are a popular form of transport, often ridden by more than two people.
• The most important holiday is Tet, which celebrates the Lunar New Year, usually in
January or February.
• Food is very important. Cooking and eating are important parts of daily life. Food is
related to religion, festivities, and the search for a balanced life. It is known for its
balanced textures, flavors, and appearance, and it is considered one of the
healthiest cuisines.

VIETNAMESE FOOD

Words are not enough for describing Vietnamese food. Eating it is a stimulating experience
for the senses. The eyes are amazed by the diverse colors, the nose by the delicious
smells, the ears by the crunchy ingredients, the hands by the delicate textures, and, of
course, the many flavors are exciting to the tongue.

The Vietnamese cuisine gives great importance to balance and the accurate combination
of different flavors and ingredients. The dishes feature simple elements that are colorful
and tasty, creating a contrast. They often include salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and bitter
flavors, all combined and equilibrated together.

These are some of the most popular dishes:

Chao

Chao is a porridge, a warm dish of rice, similar to the Chinese

congee. It is prepared by cooking the rice in a broth, together with a
meat like chicken or duck, and herbs. The meat is often served as a
side dish. Plain chao served with nothing but rice, is a popular
breakfast and also a humble meal of the Buddhist monks.

Banh Chung

Banh chung is a cake made of sticky rice combined with

spices, pork meat, and beans. The rice and beans are soaked
in water, and then all the ingredients are wrapped together,
commonly using a banana leaf. Then the cake is cooked in
water and stored if not eaten right away. It is commonly boiled again before eating.
The banh chung is especially popular during the New Year celebrations.

THE PHO

Pho is one of the best-known Vietnamese dishes. It is a

noodle soup and a very popular street food. Pho is made of
a combination of meat, green herbs, and rice noodles, all
served in a delicious broth. The chicken pho and the
meatball pho are among the most popular varieties. It is a
tasty, aromatic, and colorful dish, perfect for lunch or
dinner.

Vietnam. Soup is customarily served for breakfast in big bowls consisting of

steaming noodles in clear broth (pho), with meat and any number of ingredients added at
the last minute, like bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, chili peppers, lime slices, and green
onions. It is an unusual mélange of cooked rice noodles, raw vegetables and herbs, and
shaved raw meat or seafood that cooks in the broth just as it is brought to the table. Fish
sauce (nuoc mam), chili-garlic sauce, and/or hoisin sauce are placed in nearby dipping
dishes to spice food. For lunch and dinner rice is consumed with sautéed vegetables, tofu,
and a variety of pork, fish, or meat dishes with their dipping sauces.