Some Main Features of Vietnamese Culinary Tradition

Although culinary art in Asian countries have long been globally admired for numerous delicious and elaborately-ornamented dishes, Vietnamese cuisine still win the heart of numerous food-aholics (food lovers) nationally and internationally due to its fresh ingredients, refreshing taste and exquisite decoration.
      


Vietnamese cuisine has distinguishing features with a harmonious combination of five basic condiments (known as Ngũ vị in Vietnamese) including spicy (embodying metal), sour (wood), salty (water), sweet (earth) and bitter (fire) to create distinctive flavor. With subtle blend of aromatic herbs, fresh vegetables, meats and a selective use of spices, Vietnamese food is not only quite unlike any other food in Southeast Asia but also regarded as one of the healthiest cuisines all over the world. Tasting vietnam travel delicious foods, tourists have chance to enjoy its uniqueness through five senses: food arrangement appealing to eyes, sounds coming from crisp ingredients, five spices lingering on the tongue, aromatic ingredients from herbs attracting the nose and some food merely being perceived by touching. Playing an important role in Vietnamese meal, rice has become a main ingredient for making numerous cakes: Chung cake, Xeo cake, Beo cake, etc. Besides, Vietnam has a tropical climate, so fresh vegetables are available all the year round, so dishes with fresh vegetables become familiar every family meal. In a nutshell, the mainstream culinary traditions share some fundamental features: the use of rice in nearly every meal, abundant dishes made of vegetables, broths or soup-based dishes, colorful presentation of food in eye-pleasing manners and dipping sauce. In terms of beverage, some preferred ones include hot tea made of medicinal herbs, bear and a variety of alcohol.