VIETNAMESE
VIETNAM F E AT U R E D
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C A P I T O L // H A N O I L A N G U A G E S // V I E T N A M E S E C U R R E N C Y // D O N G ( V N D ) P O P U L AT I O N // 9 2 , 7 0 0 , 0 0 0
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VIETNAM Welcome to Mix Vietnamese! For this program, each week you will receive an original recipe from Vietnam and a peek into Vietnamese culture. Vietnam is a country in the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With over 92.7 million citizens, it’s the 14th most populated country in the world. It’s capital city has been Hanoi since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976. Vietnam has experienced a tumultuous history, as it’s been plauged by many wars and invasions. In 1945, Japan took over the country and exhausted it’s resources, causing nearly two million deaths. Vietnam was divided into North and South providences; the North being ruled by the Communist group Viet Minh, and the South still under French control.
Some of the rarest species in the world reside in Vietnam.
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As the situation grew violent, the United States stepped in to assist South Vietnam in 1965, beginning the Vietnam War. It wasn’t until 1976 that North and South Vietnam reunified to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Nearly 3.8 million Vietnamese were killed from the war, and the country was left devastated. Today, Vietnam has stabilized and is one of four remaining one-party socialist states. As a country, it has unique geography. The Northern part of the country is formed by the Red River Delta and highlands, while the South is covered in dense forests and the Annamite mountain range. Vietnam experiences a variety of climates acrossit’s regions; ranging from chilly mountainous regions to tropical monsoons during the rainy seasons. This allows for Vietnam to have an incredible amount of biodiversity, ranking it at the 14th most biodiverse country in the world. Some of the rarest species in the world reside in Vietnam, as well as some of the newest discovered. Vietnamese culture today is largely based off of the ancient Đông Sơn culture, though has elements of
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Chinese, Taoist, and Buddhist cultures. The modern day culture of Vietnam has been deeply influenced by government-controlled media and programs. For many decades, influences from Western countries were shunned. It wasn’t until the 1990s that Vietnam began opening up to outside cultural exposure. Throughout all of the turmoil, Vietnam has been able to retain it’s cuisine as a keystone in it’s culture. Traditionally there are five fundamental taste elements to Vietnamese food: spicy, sour bitter, salty, and sweet. To achieve such flavors, unique ingredients such as fish sauce, shrimp paste, ginger, and lemon grass, are used. The cooking style embraces fresh ingredients, making it one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. Savory, complex flavors are what make signature Vietnamese dishes such as Bánh cuốn or Phở, so popular around the world.
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Phở Phở (pronounced ‘faa’ not ‘fo’!) is the national dish of Vietnam, and has gained popularity across the world due to it’s delicious, complex flavors. Traditionally, Phở was a street food that was enjoyed by all walks of life. What truly makes Phở special is it’s broth. An authentic broth will be made from simmering bones and seasoning for at least six hours. For this recipe, a condensed broth is used to replicate the classic Phở.
T H À N H P H Ầ N // I N G R E D I E N T S - 2 Củ hành - 1 tbsp of nước tương - 3 Scallions - 2 Chanh - 1/2 lb of Thịt bò thăn - 1 Broth Cube (nước dùng) - Bún - Bean Sprouts
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D I R E C T I O N S
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Prepare the ingredients by thinly slicing the củ hành, scallions, and cut the chanh into wedges. Freeze the thịt bò thăn for 15 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in a pan and áp chảo the củ hành for a few minutes.
After the nước dùng is done simmering, strain the solid ingredients from the nước dùngand discard. Place the nước dùng back on the stove to dun sôi, it must be hot to cook the raw thịt bò thăn.
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Add the broth cube (nước dùng) to the pan, and allow to melt and dun sôi. Add the nước dùng. Dun sôi for 30 minutes.
In large bát, layer in the bún and thịt bò thăn. Pour over the nước dùng. The thịt bò thăn should immediately become cooked. Serve the Phở and top with vôi, basil, and bean sprouts.
3. Bring another pan of water to boil and drop in the bún to cook one minute. Then strain the bún and run them under cool water to stop them from cooking further. Toss them in vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking and set aside.
Mix Š 2017 Photography by Haley Miller & Alison Galarza. Certain photos have been purchased from Adobe Stock. Art Direction, design, and copy by Alison Galarza
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