Lemongrass and coriander – the taste of Vietnam

Travel and cuisine are inextricably linked - especially in a country like Vietnam, where every meal offers insights into culture and history. Vietnamese cuisine differs from Western eating habits in many ways. While Western countries often focus on rich sauces and generous portions, the focus in Vietnam is on the freshness of the ingredients. With an impressive variety of spices, harmonious combinations are created that provide a veritable firework of flavors. Another feature that characterizes Vietnamese food culture is the way people eat together. Family meals are a central part of everyday life in Vietnam. Numerous dishes are placed in the middle of the table so that everyone can help themselves as they please (family style). This sharing of food not only creates a special atmosphere, but also strengthens the sense of community.

Bon appétit in Vietnamese: traditions and expressions

The Vietnamese way of wishing a good appetite is as varied as the cuisine itself. The most common and formal expression is “Chúc ngon miệng”, which means “I wish you a good appetite”. Among friends, you often hear “Ăn ngon nhé”, which can be translated as “Eat deliciously”. During a meal, “Xin mời” (literally “please”) is often said to invite others to eat. Children and younger people are expected to invite everyone at the table to eat before they start themselves - a fine example of the Vietnamese tradition of communal eating.

Tasteful encounters in Tra Que

To familiarize ourselves with Southeast Asian cuisine, we have been visiting cooking schools on the small Tra Que peninsula in the Hoi An river delta on our Vietnam bike and boat tour for several years now. This was once the largest port in Southeast Asia, which is why the food culture is still flourishing today. The soil, which used to be very dry and barren, was then covered with seaweed from the delta, which provides moisture and makes soil fertile. This special technique was born out of necessity, as the many ships arriving from China, Japan and other countries needed to be supplied with food, which had to be cultivated first. This technique is still used today and is taught in many traditional cooking schools in the region.

A garden full of flavours

Typical herbs such as coriander, lemongrass, mint and Thai basil are grown in Tra Que. Among the Vietnamese, the place is also known for its own 'Tra Que root'. Depending on the cooking school, you will be given an informative introduction, a spice lesson so to speak, and then everyone cooks their own authentic 3-course meal with fresh herbs from the garden. Vietnamese spring rolls, local pancakes, which can hardly be compared with the German version, or other interesting taste explosions can often be found in the individual menu.

Rolls at the table: a symbol of Vietnamese food culture

The world-famous spring rolls from Vietnam are prepared and enjoyed in different ways - raw, fried or deep-fried and often wrapped in fresh salad leaves. A special tradition is the communal assembly of the ingredients directly at the table. Rice noodles, fresh herbs, vegetables, salad leaves and even grilled fish, tofu or meat from a fire pot are rolled up in rice dough leaves. This convivial method of preparation underlines the importance of eating together in Vietnam.

Hungry? Then it's high time we shared our recipe for delicious Vietnamese spring rolls Sai Gon style with you:

Vietnamese spring rolls Sai Gon style

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 250 g minced pork (you can also use minced poultry or tofu)
• 50 g glass noodles
• 1 small carrot
• 2 small red onions
• 3 brown mushrooms
• 1 spring onion
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp + 4 tbsp fish sauce
• pepper
• 8 spring roll sheets can be bought frozen in the Asian market
• 150 ml hot water
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3 cloves of Garlic
• 1 red chili
• Coriander green
• Vegetable oil (not olive oil)

Preparation

1. Soak the glass noodles in lukewarm water. In the meantime, prepare the vegetables.

2. Cut the carrots and one red onion into fine julienne. Finely dice the second onion and set aside for the sauce. Also cut the mushrooms into fine strips and the spring onion into small rings.

3. Cut the soaked glass noodles into 1 cm long pieces. Mix the vegetables, minced meat and glass noodles together in a bowl. Add the egg to the mixture, along with 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar and a little pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly.

4. Cover the spring roll sheets with an eighth of the filling each. Place the filling in the middle, then fold the bottom part over the filling, fold the sides over and roll up into a tight roll from the bottom.

5. Mix the remaining sugar, warm water, fish sauce and lime juice to make a sauce.

6. Add the garlic to the sauce, finely chop the chili and some of the coriander. Deseed the chili and chop finely (if you want it spicier, leave the seeds in). Add the chili, garlic, coriander and the remaining onion to the sauce.

7. Add oil to a high pan or frying pan (approx. 2 cm high) and heat the oil. Then deep-fry the spring rolls in it. You can also deep-fry them in two stages, in which case the second helping will also be served hot.

Chúc ngon miệng and have fun cooking!