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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Sep 22, 2023
By Ms. Anh Thu
Overview
What herbs do Vietnamese use? Vietnamese food is not only famous for its delicious taste but also gained a great reputation for being healthy. Vietnamese cuisine is a globally renowned cuisine that balances sweet, sour, salty, and hot elements, offering a variety of hot versus cold, soft versus crispy, and fresh versus fermented dishes, with its health benefits attributed to the use of herbs in its dishes. So what herbs do Vietnamese use in cooking? Let’s find out the answer with Vietnam Escape Tours!
When it comes to Vietnamese food, the prominent feature that pops up in my mind is the harmonious combination of yin and yang, hot and cold. This unique feature: the yin-yang balance of ingredients in the dish, the balance between food and body organs, and the balance with nature is applied often in Vietnamese cooking. Furthermore, while enjoying, eaters often feel the dish with five senses. After eyeing the beauty of the dish, our nose will enjoy the aroma, while our teeth will feel the texture if it is crunchy or tender, and our ears hear the sound while chewing. Finally, the tongue tastes the essence and the harmony of flavors. Vietnamese cuisine has gained a worldwide reputation for years because of its unique flavor, subtlety, and exquisite decoration. Being one of the most worthy cuisines in the world, Vietnamese cuisine is a balance of sweet, sour, salty, and hot elements. It features hot versus cold, soft versus crispy, and fresh versus fermented dishes, making it one of the world's healthiest cuisines. Herbs that are used in dishes by Vietnamese dishes are attributed to the healthy characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine. You can notice the presence of herbs in each dish that you enjoy in Vietnam such as Pho, Banh Mi, rice noodles soup, Spring Rolls,...
Herbs are fragrant leaves and tender stems of a plant such as Basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, which is an integral part of cooking. Vietnamese herbs are leafy plants like coriander, spring onions, mint,...which are used frequently in cooking.
Before knowing what herbs do Vietnamese use? Let’s learn about why Vietnamese food has so many herbs. Herbs are used ubiquitously in every single dish by Vietnamese people from the daily dish for family or street food to luxurious dishes served in 5-star restaurants. Herbs enhance food flavor and enhance sensory experience, while also serving medicinal purposes for Vietnamese people. Are herbs healthy? Herbs are healthy, fiber-rich, and nutritious, which is good for your health. Besides, as far as we know, Vietnamese cuisine is a delicate art that adheres to the principle of yin-yang, ensuring balance in three aspects: the yin-yang balance of ingredients in the dish, the balance between food and body organs, and the balance with nature. The use of green herbs helps to ensure the yin-yang and hot-cold balance in a dish. For example, fresh green herbs like Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) are considered to be yang, harmonize with the yin of balut, and maintain the yin-yang balance of ingredients within the dish.
Vietnamese cuisine is rich in herbs like cilantro, mint, basil, and lemongrass, which provide both flavor and digestive benefits. These herbs, like ginger, soothe the stomach, and lemongrass aid digestion. Vietnamese culinary practices acknowledge the therapeutic properties of herbs, making them a crucial part of the country's distinctive flavor profile. Therefore, appreciate the herbs that enhance the taste and support digestion in Vietnamese food. In terms of medical purposes, Spices and herbs like clove, rosemary, sage, oregano, and cinnamon are rich in antioxidants and phenolic compounds, which can reduce the risk of cancer and heart and respiratory diseases when consumed frequently. In fact, herbs and spices fight inflammation and reduce damage to your body's cells, hence reducing the risk of cancer.
Vietnamese cuisine heavily relies on herbs and vegetables, often found in street dishes like noodle soups, wraps, and rolls. These ingredients are prepared and washed, but it's recommended to boil them before serving for added flavor. For noodle soups like Pho, it is topped with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves, you just need to use your pair of chopsticks and mix all the ingredients well before enjoying. For dishes like wraps and rolls, the herbs are rolled along with other ingredients, what eaters need to do is to dip the wraps into the sauce and taste the bursting with flavor in your mouth. However, several individuals do not like some herbs such as spring onions or fish mint, which is understandable. They just ask the waiter not to sprinkle or add any herbs to your dish. For example, “không hành” means “no spring onion” can be said when you order a bowl of Pho in a restaurant in Vietnam.
What herbs do Vietnamese use the most? We have listed out the top 8 popular herbs in Vietnam below:
The aroma/taste is strongly fragrant and mildly citrusy.
Cilantro, also known as Ngò Gai, is a key ingredient in authentic Vietnamese cuisine, enhancing the flavor of dishes with its sweet, citrusy, and peppery aromas. Corriander, a fragrant herb with light green leaves, is widely used in Vietnamese dishes and can be eaten raw, chopped for stir-fries, or used to decorate cooked food. According to folklore, on the Lunar New Year, coriander is used in water to cleanse the body and receive good things for the new year. The plant is typically 20 cm long. It is often used as an accompaniment to traditional Vietnamese dishes like Pho or Banh Mi subs. Cilantro is also a nutritional powerhouse, high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which promote healthy digestion, boost energy, improve skin and hair health, and potentially reduce the risk of heart disease. Although not yet considered a "superfood," it is considered one of the most super herbs available.
Thai basil, also known as Húng Quế, is a popular herb in authentic Asian cuisine, originating from Southeast Asia. It has a unique taste of mint and zesty pepper and is commonly found in Vietnamese culture. Thai basil is known for its healing properties, including antioxidants, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer properties. These properties contribute to a healthier immune system. Additionally, Thai basil is an excellent source of vitamins and essential nutrients like vitamins A, K, C, calcium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. It is commonly found in Pho, alongside beansprouts, lime wedges, and Asian chilies. Sweet basil is used as a spice in vermicelli, Vietnamese pho, boiled chicken, and duck porridge, and is also popular in soft drinks. Hung Que, a spicy dish, is believed to treat colds, stuffy noses, fevers, and headaches in oriental medicine. Basil porridge can help the body recover quickly during changing weather conditions.
Vietnamese coriander, also known as Rau Răm, is a spicy and slightly lemony vegetable with a spicy and slightly lemony taste. Vietnamese coriander, known as "Vietnamese mint" or "hot mint," has long, thin, pointy leaves with smooth edges. Its taste is a mix of citrus and mint with a bit of spice. It is commonly served with sea snails and shellfish in Vietnam and is often the first thing on a table during lively nights in Ho Chi Minh City. It pairs well with salad rolls, fresh spring rolls, and soups. The spice promotes better digestion and can alleviate stomach pain, abdominal swelling, and flatulence. Vietnamese coriander is rich in flavonoids, and antioxidants, and is believed to reduce cancer cell growth and spread. It also aids in promoting better digestion and overall health. This Vietnamese herb is often eaten raw and served alongside other fresh greens in dishes like Chicken Cabbage Salad (Goi Ga Bap Cai), Cured/ Fermented Pork (Nem Chua), Vermicelli Chicken Soup, and Steamed Pork Roll.
Perilla, also known as shiso, is a popular herb in Vietnam with a subtle earthy taste. Perilla leaves, also known as the Beefsteak plant, have a distinctive aroma and are purple with serrated edges. Perilla is easy to identify due to its large, wide purple and green leaves with serrated edges. It can resemble Vietnamese balm but has larger leaves and a distinct purple color. They are used in oriental medicine to dissolve typhoid, fever, and sweating. Vietnamese people enjoy cooking perilla with fish soups to alleviate its fishy smell. It is also a favorite addition to various dishes such as grilled pork patties and skewers (Thit Nuong), grilled pork with rice vermicelli (Bun Cha), beef wrapped in betel leaves (Bo La Lot), sizzling savory crepes (Banh Xeo), and crab noodles soup (Bun Rieu). Usually, it is eaten raw with those dishes.
Peppermint or Mint, known for its cool scent and taste, is popularly used to decorate cakes, beverages, and mixed vegetables. It is also extracted as an oil and is beneficial for treating colds, flu, stomach bloating, hiccups, and digestive issues. The essential oil of Bac Ha is effective for insect bites and asthma attacks. Mint is a popular restorative herb in Vietnamese cuisine, often served in spring rolls or salads. It adds flavor and nutrition to every bite and is a great addition to the classic Bánh Mì submarine sandwich. Mint is a potent source of antioxidants, protecting the body from oxidative stress and minimizing cellular damage. It is also rich in vitamin A, improving eye health and night vision.
Pennywort Juice, a refreshing herbal beverage, is made from heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges, with a grassy and mildly sweet aroma. The plant has slender, creeping stolons with green to reddish green stems, long-stalked, green, reniform leaves, and pericardial petioles. Its rootstock consists of creamish, cream-colored rhizomes growing vertically, covered with root hairs. Pennywort, with its antibacterial properties, is commonly used to treat stomach and urinary tract infections by boiling, straining, adding honey, and drinking it daily. Pennywort Juice, a refreshing herbal beverage, is commonly juiced into dishes or cooked in soups. My favorite dish made from this herb is pennywort salad which is cool and good for our health, especially under the searing heat of summer. Vietnamese also eat it raw, just pick some pennywort and dip it into the sour and sweet sauce, and enjoy.
Fish lettuce, known for its fishy smell, is often served with pancakes, salads, or smoothies. Its leaves have therapeutic effects like rashes, digestive issues, antibacterial properties, and parasite killing, recognized by modern medicine. The dishes made of Fish lettuce or fish mint include Lemongrass Tofu and Rice Noodles (Bun Dau Hu Xao), Lemongrass Beef over Rice Noodles (Bun Bo Xao), and Sizzling Savory Crepes (Banh Xeo), commonly eaten raw with fresh greens.
Piper lolot is a long-lived herbaceous plant with longitudinal grooves and heart-shaped, dark green leaves. It is popular in Vietnam for its aroma in cooking soups, snails, and grilling beef. In traditional medicine, piper lolot can treat gynecological diseases like inflammation, spoilage, and osteoarthritis. It can also be used to treat heatstroke, headache, toothache, and cold stomach aches by cooking the leaves. The most popular dish from Piper Lolot is Betel leaf-wrapped pork balls, served with white-cooked rice, this is absolutely delicious.
What leaf is used in Vietnamese food?
Vietnamese use a lot of leaves in a dish such as spring onions, piper lolot, fish lettuce, Thai basil, coriander, and Vietnamese coriander,...
What is Vietnamese coriander called?
Vietnamese coriander is called rau răm in Vietnamese, It is commonly served with sea snails and shellfish in Vietnam
Is Vietnamese coriander the same as coriander?
No, it isn’t. Vietnamese coriander and coriander are two types of herbs in Vietnamese cuisine. Corriander (rau mùi) is a kind of fragrant herb with light green leaves while Vietnamese coriander, also known as Rau Răm, is a spicy and slightly lemony vegetable with a spicy and slightly lemony taste.
What are fresh herbs in Pho?
Garnishes include fresh herbs such as spring onions, cilantro, mint, and/or Thai basil bean sprouts. There are lime wedges, thinly sliced chiles, onions, and sauces like hoisin and sriracha as well.
Does Vietnamese coriander taste like cilantro?
Vietnamese coriander, also known as hot mint, has a peppery, spicy, and lemony flavor similar to cilantro. Young leaves are best for consumption, as older ones lose flavor.
