Vietnamese Spices And Herbs

Vietnamese spices are true olfactory and gustatory gems that enrich and intensify the flavor of foods, increasing and making them even more delicious. Vietnamese spices are unique due to the extensive use of these components. Let's learn about the fantastic Vietnamese spices that Vietnamese cuisine uses to present its richness to the world.

OVERVIEW OF VIETNAMESE SPICES

The role of Vietnamese spices in the country cuisine

In Vietnamese cooking, the use of spices is crucial since they determine how a dish will taste. Spices are used as sauces to enhance the flavor of food as well as for marinating.

Spices regions - Vietnamese spices map

- The North: intersected with cocoons, ginger, lemongrass, honey, guava seeds, turmeric,...

- Red River Delta: batch, shrimp paste, crocodile, lemon leaves, guise leaves, galangal, tea bar,...

- Central region: chili, fish sauce, shrimp paste, sauce, salt, fish sauce, pepper, soy sauce,...

- The Central Highlands: turmeric, local sauces & fish sauce, chili, pepper, green leaf, ginger,...

- The South: lemon, star fruit, sugar, fish sauce, salt, chili,...

Classification of spices used in Vietnamese cooking

By nature

Spices can be classed as salty, sweet, sour, spicy, or flavorful spices depending on how we taste or smell them. Vietnamese spices are primarily:

- Salty spices:  salt, fish sauce, soup powder, all kinds of fish sauce (fish sauce, shrimp paste...)

- Sweet spices: MSG, honey, sugar,...

- Spicy spices: pepper, curry powder, ginger, chili, mustard,...

- Sour spices: lemon, vinegar,...

- Spices to create color: beetroot, green tea, pineapple leaves, ginger, turmeric, mint leaves, ..

- Spices to create flavors: cinnamon, the five flavors, onion, lemongrass, garlic, cardamom, anise, herbs …

By structure

Additionally, spices can be separated based on their structural makeup.

- Spices in powder form: broth powder, sugar, salt, seasoning seeds, pepper, monosodium glutamate, powdered five flavors ....        

- Liquid spices: soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster oil, sesame oil, fish sauce, shrimp paste, ...        

- Natural spices: lemongrass, garlic, chili, basil, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, ...  

These are the most often used spices in Vietnam because they go well with the majority of meat, fish, seafood, vegetarian, and salty foods. The chef's skillful hands and proper seasoning in accordance with the special recipes can give grilled, stewed, steamed, and fried foods a wonderful, rich flavor. The process of marinating the food might seem simple, but the chef must have finesse and attention to detail. A minor change can radically alter how the dish tastes.

LIST OF VIETNAMESE HERBS AND SPICES USED IN VIETNAMESE COOKING 

Vietnamese fish sauce

Fish sauce is a vital and crucial component of Vietnamese cooking and is an essential spice sauce. Vietnamese fish sauce, the main flavor in most Vietnamese cuisine, is a staple of all family meals.

The records of fish sauce from 997 have been preserved in the book "Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu”. As can be seen, our people have been making and using fish sauce since at least the tenth century.

The pepper

Pepper, of which Vietnam is the world's biggest producer, is a necessary spice in Vietnamese cuisine, regardless of whether it is from Phu Quoc Island or the Central Highlands or whether it is black, red, or white. Vietnamese pepper is a distinctive pepper with a floral and spicy aroma and a pleasant strength in the back of the mouth. A lovely memento to bring back!

Cinnamon

Vietnamese cinnamon has a distinct and potent flavor that is a little sweet and has apple-like fruity undertones. The best chefs concur that it is superior to Ceylon and more refined than its cousin in Indonesia. Undoubtedly, Vietnam is among the top countries in the world. Particularly the type grown in Vietnam's Yen Bai area, which is home to the majestic Mu Cang Chai rice terraces and the Thac Ba lake.

Clove

This spice, which is primarily grown in the Central Highlands, can improve some meals with its peppery and red fruit overtones and treat some illnesses with its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. This spice is utilized both in traditional pharmacopeia and cookery in Vietnam.

Cardamom

Black cardamom, which is about the size of a nut and has smokey and camphoric scents, is crucial for making pho soup and banh chung, a sticky rice cake eaten around the Vietnam New Year. Additionally, it adds flavor to recipes that are simmered. One of the most well-known is that gathered by the Hmongon people on the Fansipan Mountain's slopes, which is the Indochina's "roof" and rises to a height of 3,124 meters.

Star anise

This is what gives Pho its distinctive anise flavor. The province of Lang Son in northeastern Vietnam is the main region where star anise is grown. The fruits are selected when they are still green, and after drying in the sun, they become a lovely reddish brown color. Bring some star anise back from your trip — star anise is not only one of the Vietnamese spices but also the most expensive and well-known variety in Asia.

Roucou seeds

It is a potent colorant as well as a fun spice with an unidentified flavor that is extremely "earthy” and has a mild nutmeg pepper flavor. It gives poultry, pasta, and grains their colors. It only takes a few seeds heated in a little oil to transform the dish into a stunning red centerpiece for your table.

Ginger

Although it is frequently used to season food, ginger is also prized for its therapeutic benefits. Ginger is a popular component in traditional Vietnamese medicine. Both stomach and antimicrobial, it. Gastralgia, nauseousness, diarrhea, dysentery, influenza, a weak pulse, laryngitis, and rheumatism can all be treated with it.

Turmeric

Vietnamese spices have been cultivating turmeric for millennia, primarily in the country's North. It is used as a spice when dried and powdered. It has a strong pepper flavor and scent. Its subtle flavor makes it a versatile and fashionable spice. It adds its lovely sunshine yellow hue and blends nicely with all sauces and sweets. Vietnamese cuisine makes extensive use of turmeric. Banh xeo, the mouthwatering, crispy Vietnamese pancakes, contain it.

Garlic

In Vietnam, garlic is frequently utilized, particularly in stir-fried foods like bindweed or meats like beef, pork, or chicken. Many rural people keep a bottle of vodka with soaked garlic in the house to treat many illnesses like the flu, back pain, high blood pressure, poor digestion, stomach pain, fever, and even sinusitis.

Forest pepper Mac Khen

Finish with this exotic spice from the Northern Vietnamese mountains. This berry resembles its relative Sechuan in appearance but is smaller, less spicy, and has lovely orange and tangerine aromas. Because it grows in a rainforest at a very high altitude, it is known as forest pepper. Avoid overcooking it as the flavors will all be lost.

USING VIETNAMESE SPICES AND CONDIMENTS IN REGIONS

North Region

Frugality and elegance are frequently more prevalent in northern cuisine. As a result, Northern meals are balanced and tastefully seasoned to achieve the harmony of each flavor when consumed. Additionally, the North makes frequent use of seasonal spices. The food must provide freshness and cooling during the summer months when the temperature is high and the weather is scorching. When it's freezing outside in the winter, people use more hot spices like ginger and cinnamon anise. Let's go on an informative Hanoi culinary tour to better understand the basic characteristics of employing spices in northern cuisine.

Central Region 

People in Central Vietnam enjoy salty flavors and strong chile flavors. Consequently, this region's delicacies have a robust flavor. The common spice sauce, fish sauce, frequently appears in the rice tray of the Central people. The heart of Central Vietnamese cuisine is in the cuisine of Hue, Hoi An, and Da Nang.

The South 

The natural sweetness and sourness that characterize Southern cuisine are influenced by Chinese and Thai cuisine. Spices like sugar or coconut milk are frequently required while preparing recipes in the South in order to provide sweetness and fatness. You can immerse yourself in an unending culinary adventure in Ho Chi Minh City, which is a center for various cuisines.

It may be argued that Vietnamese cuisine contains a lot of culinary essentials with a wide range of distinctive flavors because of the rich and plentiful "bank” of Vietnamese spices and seasoning. That has drawn a lot of clients from both domestic and foreign markets.