I love food for many reasons. Influences from my childhood range from my Dad's soupy-soup, my Mom's chicken and wine sauce, Nonny's cream puffs and Grandma's tamales.
Equally important were the culinary lessons I learned at my best friend (who I met in Kindergarten) PJ's house growing up together. We were the original frick-and-frack. Found one? The other wasn't far behind. This meant endless meals together, most cooked by her and her mom. These were lessons that inspired me to get to know Vietnamese cuisine a bit better and write about it.
Here is yet another lengthy C-School paper for your enjoyment.
Something for Everyone:
The Politics and Reality of Vietnamese Cuisine
Robin D. Aguilar
Food Writing
Instructor Marc Linquist
California School of Culinary Arts
September 25, 2004
PJ and I rushed with a sense of urgency across the literary halls of the San Francisco State University campus, on this otherwise non-descript overcast day. We were late in attending PJ (my childhood friend of 20 years)’s Mom’s graduation from the Psychology Masters Program. I had spent almost every day since kindergarten with PJ’s family, her Mom (Mai McGuire-Tran) in particular. Mai treated me just like her other kids; she disciplined me when I was bad, gave me shiny crimson and gold leaf envelopes full of $2 bills for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (“Tet”), and always made a spot for me at her table. Most importantly she taught me that taking time to prepare meals fosters togetherness, eating fresh vegetables and less preservatives cures whatever ails you, and sharing food with the ones you love keeps culture alive. But never did she confide her struggle for acceptance, at least not until her speech at this graduation ceremony. The wife of an American soldier, Mai immigrated to the US just before the end of the war. She was received by angry Americans who spit at her, called her “gook”, and told her to go home. The most heartbreaking was Mai being flipped “the bird”, and her waiving back thinking they were saying hello. She even told of professors in that very room who discouraged her from attending college at all. Mai’s experience was not unlike that of the 2 million refugees and immigrants from post-war Vietnam who escaped persecution only to settle amidst a public hostile towards all things Vietnamese (Tolerance.org). And although the reasons for participating in the Vietnam War are still contentious to this day, the Vietnamese have brought with them a cuisine that is exciting, healthy, flavorful, and sophisticated enough for a second look by those still mired in politics. From soul satisfying comfort foods, elegant French influences, to the vegetable as an art form, Vietnamese food has something for everyone, which makes it as American as apple pie.
Just like the United States, cuisine from this country of over 76 Million people (CityPopulation.de) is heavily influenced by geography. Vietnam is located at the easternmost edge of southern Asia, bordering the South China Sea. Along the eastern border of Vietnam lies Laos and Cambodia, and in the North is China. Two major river deltas, The Red River Delta in the north, and the Mekong Delta in the south, are separated by a mountain range in the middle. This makes for three distinct regional types of cuisine: the hearty soups of the North, the regal dishes of the center, and the spicy and exotic South.
Northern Vietnam is similar to the Northern part of the US in that the climate is cooler and much drier than the rest of the country. It is here that the Chinese influence, focusing mainly on stir-frying, the use of a wok and chop sticks, rice dishes and noodle based soups, are most evident. The cool climate does not lend itself to a variety of herbs and vegetables (Sallys-Place.com) and therefore the food tends to be milder yet hearty. Simple and satisfying dishes such as crab and asparagus soup (Mang Tay Nau Cua) hail from Northern Vietnam (Routhier, 11) but none as famous or as coveted as Hanoi Beef Soup or Pho (pronounced ‘Fuh’). Pho is a beef broth based soup poured over a healthy heaping of flat rice stick noodles (Banh Pho). Typically a restaurant food, Pho comes with a variety of meats, which is chosen by the customer, such as rare beef (Tai), meatballs (Bo Vien), or well done beef (Chin). When the soup arrives at your table, add the meat immediately so the broth can cook the meat to the perfect temperature. In addition, every bowl of Pho will be accompanied by a plate of garnishes including bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, Serrano chili slices, lime wedges, and basil. Pho has become popular throughout Vietnam and is sometimes referred to as the national soup. Although there is no official evidence of the origin of Pho, legend has it that Pho was invented when Vietnamese chefs recreated the famed French dish Pot au Feu for their then colonial rulers (Pham). Still others believe that the heavy Chinese influence in North Vietnam is what inspired this soul-satisfying pot of soup. Nevertheless, debate rages on over steaming bowls of Pho throughout Vietnam to this day.
Elegant dining, or “nouvelle cuisine” is highly prized in the United States, and Vietnam is no different. The central portion of Vietnam has a regal history dating back to the 2nd century AD (AsiaTour.com) where the Champa Kingdom was established and ruled for almost 1,600 years in the present day city of Hue. It was among the Vietnamese that these ancient people brought food to a refined, regal level known as “imperial cuisine” or “cuisine of the emperors” (Trang, 20). Presentation of petit portions artfully decorated was of utmost importance in order to pay respect to both fine dining, and the palate of high-society noble families of the Champa Kingdom. This became the roots of “family style” dining where many small dishes are served at one time, indicating the wealth of a household through the bountiful spread of food (Sallys-Place.com). This region is known for their pork sausages (Nems), sweet or salty rice cakes, and incorporates many familiar Western vegetables such as artichoke, asparagus, cauliflower, and potatoes which are locally grown (Routhier, 11).
Similar to the Southern portion of the US, South Vietnam is a busy seaport contributing to the piquant cuisine thanks to the availability of spices, chiles, and curries from nearby Thailand, Cambodia, and India (Trang, 20). Needless to say, portion sizes are much larger and fewer in amounts as compared to the central coast, and the fertile soil from the Mekong Delta yields a wealth of exotic fruits and vegetables which find their way in many dishes. A popular style of eating in the south includes wrapping grilled meats with fresh vegetables and herbs in a lettuce leaf, similar to a burrito, and dipping it into a savory sauce, such as a peanut saté (Routhier, 12). Barbecue dishes are also very popular in the south like barbecued shrimp paste on a stick of sugar cane (Chao Tom).
Americans have had a long-standing love affair with seafood. And thanks to the miles and miles of coastline, fresh fish is caught and enjoyed the same day in Vietnam, particularly in light seafood dishes like fried butterfish (Ca Chien), grilled prawns with lemongrass (Tom Nuong Xa), and freshwater fish braised in a caramel sauce (Ca Kho) (Trang, 139). According to Corinne Trang, author of Authentic Vietnamese Cooking, “whole fish is a sign of prosperity… and the head of the fish is a delicacy that is believed to bring good luck to the one who eats it.” (Trang, 140). Whole fish is simply prepared by steaming, sometimes in beer, and served with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Both America and Vietnam were once ruled over by European powers. Vietnamese food is highly influenced by its former colonial ruler of almost 100 years, France, so much so that Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) was once dubbed “the Paris of the Orient” (Routhier, 9). France imported a love of café au lait (ca phe) and the use of an individual French press coffee paired sweetened condensed milk. The French also brought to Vietnam a love of dairy items such as milk, butter, yogurt, ice creams, and custard tarts. Baguettes are enormously popular as well. It is not uncommon to see vendors selling fresh baguettes, made from rice and wheat as opposed to the French version of only wheat, smeared with pork pâté, or used to sop up spicy chicken curry (Cari Ga) (Trang, 17). Vietnamese food has relatively few preservatives, which is why grocery shopping is done daily in Vietnam. This is similar to France where fresh fare is purchased every day. Tea is an institution in Vietnam, and thanks to French influence, hip Vietnamese urbanites occasionally indulge in adding milk and sugar, much to the chagrin of tea purists. The French are also responsible for bringing cattle and a love of beef to Vietnam. This has evolved over the years into a popular restaurant experience known as “Beef Seven Ways” or “Seven Course Beef”. This indulgent meal can include versions of beef fondue, beef salad, beef pâté, beef soup, beef patties or sausages, and other beef delicacies.
Vegetarian cuisine has become a way of life for thousands of people in the US, and in Vietnam thanks to the influence of Buddhist monks; it has become an absolute art form. Buddhist monks are by nature strict vegetarians, holding the belief that all living beings have souls and eschew use of any meat based food products. Two basic techniques of vegetable preparation are utilized; stir-frying and braising (Trang, 22). Vegetable dishes are very simply prepared with fresh ingredients such as stir-fried bean curd with lemongrass on crisp cellophane noodles (Dau Ph Xao Xa Ot Chay), and desserts like iced jelly lotus seed and mung bean dessert (Che Hot Sen That Tranh). As mentioned earlier, the Vietnamese have adopted many Western vegetables in their diet as exemplified in the simple dish stir-fried asparagus (Mang Tay Xao). But if you’re looking for vegetables indigenous to Vietnam, water spinach (Rau Muong) is so prevalent throughout the country that it is consumed daily and often considered the national vegetable (Trang, 123).
From ketchup to salsa, Americans love their condiments. We tend to view the use of condiments in this country as a quick and easy enhancement to food, as evidenced by conveniently packaged condiments available everywhere. In Vietnam, condiments take on a much more essential role in dining, where a meal is not complete until they hit the table (Trang, 39). There are four main categories of condiments used in Vietnamese cuisine. To begin, pickles and preserved vegetables are used frequently and almost always home made using salt, sugar, and white rice vinegar for pickling, and salted water for preserving. Vegetables vary and can include carrots, cucumbers, daikon radish, and other types of radishes indigenous to Asia. A second category, primarily used in food preparation and not on the table, includes flavorings usually used in stir-frying. These flavorings, such as lemongrass, coriander, and sate, give Vietnamese food their unique character unlike any other. The third category includes fried garnishes like fried shallots, fried garlic oil, and scallion oil. These fried garnishes are used as a sauce for many meat and seafood dishes, soups, and pâtés. Loosely included in the “garnish” category is the traditional “table salad” or green garnish plate that consist of aromatic greens served fresh. This can include basil, cilantro, mint, bean sprouts, lettuce leaves, cucumber, chiles, lime wedges, and even exotic fruits. It is common to have these traditional herbs served with a steaming bowl of Pho, or as an accompaniment to Spring Rolls (Cha Gio). The last, and most important, of the groups of condiments are dipping sauce and seasonings. The Vietnamese use fish sauce (Nuoc Mam) like the Chinese use Soy Sauce, or Westerners use salt. Fish sauce is made by fermenting salted anchovies for six months and extracting the resulting juices. Fish sauce is the equivalent to French “mother sauces” and become the basis for many other dipping sauces like Nuoc Cham, which is fish sauce with lime juice, white rice vinegar, sugar, chiles, and garlic. Vietnamese food is just not eaten without this vital condiment.
Vietnamese food truly has an element of dining to please every American palate provided they keep in mind one simple fact: Vietnam is not the Vietnam War. The war is over. Vietnamese food is elegant, creative, wholesome, fresh, comforting, exciting, and will bring your family together at the dinner table, a rarity in our fast paced society. And it speaks volumes of Vietnamese culture for Mai, a Vietnamese immigrant, to take this American into her home, feed me like royalty, and treat me like family. Thank God she did, otherwise I would have missed out on an exciting cuisine, and not to mention lifelong friends. This one lesson we all can learn from.
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