Vietnamese
Vietnamese
Vietnamese cuisine has been influenced by China in the North and Thailand in the South. The Vietnamese use little oil, and like clean flavours with simple grilled food along with clear soups. They always serve a plate of green leaves, herbs and sour fruit to complement the dishes and clear the palate. We show you how to identify unusual ingredients, such as green papaya and where to source them, how to make vegetarian alternatives to the ubiquitous fish sauce and how to adapt dishes, which are traditionally made with meat and fish.
Vietnam is a long thin country with three distinct areas all historically, culturally & climatically different, these differences are reflected in the cuisine. The north is cold in the winter, uses less spice, more noodles and fatty dishes. In the centre and the Imperial heart of Vietnam the old Imperial capital had a unique cuisine with a vegetarian tradition from the long line of Buddhist monks from the Mahayana tradition of strict vegetarians who produce fake meat made out of gluten and soya products.
In the hot tropical south they use more chillies and make spicy coconut curries.
We will start in the north with a traditional Pho noodle soup, travel down to the centre and make our own seitan (wheat gluten) for a Buddhist curry, we will wrap fresh herbs and tofu in Banh Trang wrappers, stir-fry tofu with lemon grass and braise vegetables with nuoc mam, then to the south to make Bahn Xeo which are lacy Southern Vietnamese pancakes and to finish with black rice pudding and fried sweet bananas.
