What do you need to get going? Very little as it turns out. Vietnamese
refugees to America started with little in their kitchens to recreate the flavors
of their homeland. You don't need to stretch too far either. To make delicious
Vietnamese food, you should first understand and acquire these fundamental components:
Fish Sauce (nuoc mam)
Rice (gao)
mortar and pestle, mandolin and rice cooker.
Below is practical information on finding and purchasing these
essentials.
Fish
Sauce: A cornerstone of Vietnamese cooking
To stock your kitchen with the bare minimum for preparing Vietnamese
food, start with good quality fish sauce (nuoc
mam). Though soy
sauce is used in the Vietnamese kitchen, fish sauce is king. Good fish sauce
is fragrant, not stinky. The name sounds horrid but the literal translation
is liquid from fermented sea products. Okay, not that great either.
Many people through the ages, including the Romans and Chinese, relied
upon fermented liquids similar to fish sauce to flavor their foods. Fish sauce
provides wonderful savory depth -- umami, in other words, to Vietnamese foods.
If the name and smell offends you in theory, sniff a container of dried porcini
mushrooms and then get a whiff of good fish sauce, say a bottle of Three Crabs
made by Viet Huong company. The two are remarkably similar! Still unconvinced?
Realize that Vietnamese people don't drink fish sauce from the bottle. We blend
it with other ingredients, such as lime, chiles, sugar, and water and cook with
it in a delicate fashion so as to not overwhelm foods.
It's hard to cook Vietnamese food without fish sauce so I encourage you
to purchase a bottle. Check the fish sauce buying guide for details.
chewy texture. Within my own family,
we argue about which brand is best. At
this writing, I like “Golden Phoenix” whereas my parents swear by “Flying Goose”
and “Happy
Most Chinese and Vietnamese markets carry several
brands at one time, reflecting their shoppers’ preferences—which is fickle and
finicky; this is because many producers of Asian food ingredients have yet to
get a handle on quality assurance, not to mention that environmental factors
may vary rice production from season to season. Years ago, everyone bought "Big
Buddha" but nowadays, we’re pledging our allegiances to other brands. If
you find yourself standing clueless in front of a wall of rice bags, ask another
shopper or someone who works at the market for their opinion.
market. Ten pounds of anything is a lot but you'll be surprised at how quickly
rice goes. If you’re lucky, an Asian market may be hip to your needs and will
have pre-packaged rice up in 5-pound plastic bags. Health food stores and mainstream
supermarkets sell jasmine rice in smaller quantities but at higher prices. They
cook up just fine. I've bought and eaten through several bags of Pacific International
rice, which comes from the Sacramento Valley in California.
good rice and high quality fish sauce, the combination may be addictive!
Equipment:
Chinese steamer and sharp knives
Vietnamese food. When we first got to America, a few nonstick 8- and 10-inch skillets and some
deep saucepans in various sizes were all we had and needed. However, my Mom bought an aluminum Chinese steamer
as soon as she could because a Vietnamese kitchen isn't well stocked without
one. When my sisters left home for college,
my parents sent them off with Chinese steamers. They're used to cook many dishes such as xoi (sticky rice) and to reheat food in a flash.
Steamers come with two compartments and are sold in Asian markets.
I prefer a steamer made from stainless steel, which lasts longer; some
come with a handy see-through glass lid for you to monitor the cooking process.
Whatever you settle on, please select a steamer with at least one compartment
that has holes about one centimeter in diameter. If the holes are bigger, your
food may fall through. If the holes are
smaller (about ½ centimeter wide, not enough steam will reach your food. The
middle width is the most practical to have. Often I’m lured by the beauty of
traditional bamboo steamer trays, but stop short of buying them as I remember
that they are not as easy to clean as aluminum or stainless steel.
and placing them inside a wok containing some water.
Food is placed on a dish and cooked on top of the well-balanced chopsticks
with a lid covering the wok. However,
I find this method cumbersome and think that $25 isn't too much to spend on
a piece of crucial kitchen equipment.
is important to have reliable knives. A
chef's knife, paring knife and cleaver are essential.
Keep them sharp with a steel or electric knife sharpener. Good knives make cooking easier and faster.
Besides, I've had too many accidents from using dull knives.
(Read about my favorite good and cheap knives and cleavers for guidance.) Other time savers to have are a food processor, mini-chopper and spice
grinder (or electric coffee grinder kept exclusively for cooking) used for blending
ingredients.
Going a Step Further: Mortar and pestle, mandolin, and
electric rice cooker
If you want to get more serious, invest in a mortar and pestle. They're great for breaking down fibers in food
or mixing ingredients without risking total pulverization. I've found that the best ones are made of cast
cement or stone.
You can buy large ones
inexpensively at Chinese, Vietnamese or Thai markets. However, I’ve found that most often, I reach
for my small marble mortar (4½ inches wide at the top) to take care of my needs;
these are widely available at cookware stores.
Mandolin
Another piece of equipment that you may consider purchasing is a mandolin,
which has razor sharp blades to beautifully shred and slice vegetables for Vietnamese
salads and pickles. You can purchase the true
French mandolin, an expensive but impressive hunk of metal (about $150). 
Or, do like I do, and go for the less expensive Japanese plastic version, the Benriner (about $30), at some cookware stores, Asian restaurant
supply stores, Japanese markets (e.g., Mitsuwa markets
If rice is a major part of your diet, an electric rice cooker is wonderful to
have. It cooks rice to perfection, occupies
little counter space, and frees up a burner on your stove.
Like other modern appliances, rice cookers are now available in different
colors to match you kitchen, and can perform miraculous tasks like keeping your
rice warm for hours. Their high prices reflect these improvements
too! Note that my mother used her basic
black and white National brand rice cooker daily for over 15 years before having
to replace it when it finally broke down. Rice cookers are sold at Asian supermarkets
and home/kitchen appliance stores. There
are online sources too.
On the other hand, a reliable heavy bottomed saucepan also makes cooking
rice a snap! For our family of two adults, I regularly use a trusty 1 ½-quart
saucepan. I know how to gauge the rice and water levels in that pot. For
more people, I select a bigger pan, avoiding ones that have low sides as steamed
rice just doesn't cook evenly in them. If you don't want to invest in an electric
rice cooker, select a saucepan (with lid) that can accommodate your regular rice
cooking needs. The amount of rice that your generally eat should fill about
⅓ of the saucepan. This ensures the right balance of space needed to cook
the rice to fluffy perfection. (If you cram too much rice into a pot, the grains
don't expand properly because there's not enough space!)
food. You'll find that these items can
be used to make foods of any country. (I
once made a chocolate cake using a bowl, a wooden rice paddle and a pair of
chopsticks!) This ability to easily cross
cultural borderlines is what I love most about food, cooking and eating.
Food brings people together and serves as a channel through which ideas
flow.
Chef Knives says
Great blog! I love the bit on fish sauce. I've always heard how delicious it is but I never knew what to look for when I was buying it. Thanks.
Lorette says
Haven't finished with your vietworldkitchen yet, Andrea. Forwarded the address to all my friends and family.
Like to quote a line by Varmit Pickeral on Richmond.com, dated Friday, Feb 27, 2009.
It reads as follows: "Eating Vietnamese food is like listening to strangers on a NY sidewalk - -------- - but here is the one Vietnamese word you must know: PHO.
Okay, I'm listening.
Andrea Nguyen says
Okay Lorette! You don't have to listen. Start cooking and eating.
stainless steel toaster ovens says
Interesting post. Im from the UK all we have in our kitchen is frozen food, ketchup and oil lol
Irina says
The Vietnamese diet is largely based on rice, fish and fresh vegetables. Little oil is used in the cooking; fish is gently cooked and lightly seasoned; vegetables are often served raw and salads are never over-dressed. Typical desserts involve fresh fruit and home-made yogurt.
Andrea Nguyen says
Irina -- thanks for the input. Don't forget that there's a decent amount of deep-frying, grilling, etc. Fermented shrimp and fish sauces add depth and funk.
For sweets, we eat lots of sweet soups, cakes and candies. Yogurt is plentiful but it's not the only game in town.
Coffee says
Do the Vietnamese use palm sugar - i love the stuff- as much as other asain countries, say, Thailand? I'm just starting a course on V. cooking...
Andrea Nguyen says
@Coffee -- Yes, palm sugar is used in Vietnam but not as extensively as in other Southeast Asian Countries. It's called duong thot not in Vietnamese.
zojirushi rice cooker says
I have vietnamese friends, I love the way they make their food, especially the spicy vietnamese noodles,I like the touches theu use for their rice from sauces to spices.very interesting cuisine
Elsie Demers says
Hi:
I thought you had blogged about tapioca but I've looked just about everywhere on your blog and can't find the reference to it. We eat at a restaurant owned by a Vietnamese couple at least once a week. She makes various tapioca puddings for dessert (some with sweet corn, maybe mango, etc.) and I would like to make this at home. However, all I can see in the grocery stores here is minute tapioca. So, I need to go to an Asian store (not a problem but the folks who run them don't speak a lot
fuzzy logic rice cooker says
thanks for the informative article. I'm actually going to go shopping for a mandoline now. My hands often get tired after a few minutes on the chopping board
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Pammy J says
I love Vietnamese food!!!!!!! It is always so fresh and tasty. Here are some Nutritional values and benefits of rice with some great reasons why you should eat more rice.
Rice is
• an excellent source of protein minerals such as thiamine, niacin, iron, riboflavin, Vitamin D, calcium and fiber.
• easily absorbed by the body so it is a good energy source.
• a great source of complex carbohydrates.
• low in fat, low salt and cholesterol free
• Rice has about 345 calories per 100g.
• n
Pammy J says
I had to reply to your rice cooker vs. pot article as I found it very interesting but I prefer to cook my rice in a rice cooker as:
• Burned chunks or gooey paste can be the disappoin¬ting result of rice gone wrong, but with the use of a rice cooker you will become your own rice Masterchef.
• Using a rice cooker is a simple and effective way to cook rice. Many rice cookers today keep the rice warm after its cooked. Rice cookers come with an automatic timer that clicks off when the rice is
kitchen equipment says
I completely agree! Fish sauce is critical and like you say it doesn't actually taste all that fishy. Nor does it smell bad. I used squid ink as opposed to fish sauce once to create a black risotto, it was a bit crazy but tasted amazing. I would like to get a steamer... I just haven't got around to it.
Thanks for sharing!
John.
Breville 800JEXL 1000 Watts Juicer says
Hi Andrea,
I am amazed by the fundamental components you have outlined for a basic Vietnamese kitchen. It really let me understand and appreciate other nationality aspects of cooking methods. Thanks for this very informative blog post.
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John Pallo says
Hello
Can you suggest a brand of Tuong sauce that I can use for making Nuoc Leo. I was told not to use tuong sauce labeled as Vietnamese Soy Sauce.
Much Thnx.
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plumbing says
Like most Asian cuisines, grain-foods feature prominently in Vietnamese cooking. Rice is the most popular grain, and is eaten as an accompaniment to food, or ground into rice flour to make noodles and rice paper. Rice noodles—as well as noodles made from wheat and bean starch—are highly popular throughout Vietnam, and it's not uncommon for people to have more than one noodle dish a day. Rice paper is used to make rice paper rolls, which are served with dipping sauce.
Omron Pedometer says
Tanbks for sharing all the info on teh site.
Vietnamise food is one of my all time favourites. Fantastic flavours health each to make and when in Vietnam so cheap to eat.
enjoy
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The ratio for cooking rice in a rice cooker is to measure the water, remembering that the ratios use rice to water is the same but with an additional ½ cup of water. For example, if you have 2 cups of rice allow 2 ½ cups of water.
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I observed that many people throughout the ages, including the Romans and the Chinese relied on as a liquid fermented fish sauce to spice up their food.
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Mike says
I think that eating Asian food is the most part healthy for you. The only thing that worry's me is the soy sauce.
Reputation Repair Orlando says
Often I’m lured by the beauty of traditional bamboo steamer trays, but stop short of buying them as I remember that they are not as easy to clean as aluminum or stainless steel.