Vietnam
Author and Sacramento, California, restaurateur Mai Pham, who was born in Vietnam, points to three distinguishing characteristics of her native country's table: the lavish use of fresh herbs and aromatics such as lemongrass; the reliance on fish, both fresh and dried; and the common practice of wrapping hot foods, especially grilled foods, in lettuce and/or rice paper and enhancing the resulting package with a lime-laced dipping sauce. A "salad" of herbs, crisp bean sprouts, and leafy greens accompanies nearly every dish, making the nearly meatless Vietnamese table one of the most healthful in Asia.
Vietnamese diners add herbs such as mint and Asian basil by the handful to soups and noodle dishes. They typically use them whole, not chopped, to provide bursts of fresh flavor. Fish sauce (nuoc mam) is Vietnam's salt; a savory splash goes into every stir-fry and marinade and is the basis of nuoc cham, the tangy dipping sauce that is always on the table. Other common condiments include chopped roasted peanuts, scallion oil, fried shallots, sliced chiles, and chili sauce. "Much of the creation of flavor happens at the table," says Pham, as diners spoon these condiments into noodles or noodle soups, along with masses of fragrant herbs.
Signature ingredients
Rice, rice paper, rice noodles, herbs (Asian basil, rau ram, mint), bean sprouts, mushrooms, cucumber, eggplant, tomato, lemon grass, banana blossoms, green mango, pineapple, lotus root, peanuts, tamarind, shallots, lime, sugar and sugarcane, ginger, garlic, roasted shallots, star anise, fresh chiles, chili paste, fish sauce, Sriracha sauce, oyster sauce, coconut milk.