Through the writing by Helen Clark and Karryn Miller, many delicious Vietnamese dishes were opened up to millions of CNN’s readers. If you are a food lover, don’t miss the chance to try these dishes in Vietnam.
1. Pho (Noodle soup)
The list of delicious Vietnamese dishes can’t be complete without Pho. Just walking by the blocks in big cities, you will see a lot streetside pho stands with many petrons enjoying bowl of steamy hot pho. The ingredients for pho include sweet broth from bones and spices, fresh noodles, herbs and chicken or beef. This affordable tasty could be found any time, any where in Vietnam.
2. Xoi (Sticky rice)
This dish is very popular in Vietnamese diet. It is often served with chicken, pork or omelette, even pâté, hotdog, but the best of all is xoi xeo with soft sticky rice, sweet-smelling fried shallot and especially, thin green mung bean paste mixed with chicken fat.
3. Goi cuon (summer spring roll)
Goi cuon is a fresh dish for you after enjoying too much fried dishes in Vietnam. The banh trang (rice paper) is filled with seafood, vegestables, ground pork and then rolled up and ready to be eaten with special sauce.
4. Bun bo Hue (Hue style beef noodle soup)
The dish originated from the Central Vietnam. The broth is prepared by simmering beef bones and beef shank with lemongrass and then seasoned with fermented shrimp sauce and sugar for taste. Very spicy chili oil is added later during the cooking process. A bowl of bun bo Hue contains more beef and pork than Northern and Southern noodle soup. The rice vermicelli is also thicker and more smooth.
5. Banh khot (Mini savory pancake)
The crispy crust of banh khot is prepared from flour and coconut milk with the filling of shrimp, mung bean, onion, and dotted dried shrimp on the top.
6. Banh cuon (Steamed rice four crepe)
This “rice flour rolled cake” is very delicate and tasty, very soft when it is still hot. The filling is yummy with seasoned ground pork and minced wood ear.
7. Bun bo Nam Bo (beef noodle soup)
This dish does not have broth. It is noodlesalad with tender beef, crushed peanuts and bean sprouts and then added with dried shallot, herbs, fish sauce and chilly.
8. Banh xeo (xeo crepe)
A good xeo pancake must be crispy, thin with tasty filling of shrimp, pork, bean sprout and beautiful decoration by fresh vegetables. That is specific characteristic of almost true Vietnamese dishes. To eat like local people, cut the crepe into small pieces, roll it with herbs and dip in special sauce.
9. Bun dau mam tom (vermicelli and fried tofu with shrimp paste)
The crispy fried tofu is served with soft vermicelli and shrimp paste is very popular in Hanoi and neighboring provinces.
10. Che (Sweetened porridge)
Che is a Vietnamese traditional dessert soup contained in a ceramic bowl or glass. With abundant ingredients such as mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, tapioca, jelly, fruit, and coconut cream, people can make varieties of che. However, its basic taste is sweet and rich.
