1. The Most Strand And Broth, Or Noodle Broth, Dishes In The World
So far, Vietnam has about 164 dishes made from noodles and broth – yes, somebody actually counted. The most notable ones include phở, Cambodian noodle soup (hủ tiếu) and rice vermicelli soup (bún).
Rice vermicelli and roasted pork (Bún Chả)
Despite being commonly made of noodles and broth, the broth flavors, strand textures, toppings, as well as recipes in these 164 dishes vary significantly across different parts of Vietnam.
Crab meat noodle soup (Bún riêu)
The diversity of these Vietnamese noodle and broth dishes makes it difficult for diners to get bored, as there’s always something new to try.
2. The Most Kinds Of Mắm (Fish Sauce) And Mắm - Related Dishes
Fish sauce is a fermented sauce distilled from fish and salt. Deemed as Vietnam’s simplest yet most multi-purpose national cuisine, it’s an indispensable condiment in every Vietnamese household. It can be used directly as a dipping sauce, as well as for marinating or braising.
For simple eaters or inexperienced cooks, fried rice mixed with a few spoons of fish sauce is sufficient for a savory and tasty meal.
Depending on the dishes, fish sauce can also be mixed with a variety of condiments such as ginger, garlic, and vinegar for a more layered taste when used as a dressing.
When serving Saigonese broken rice, fish sauce is poured all over the rice, meat, and eggs
To discerning foodies, fish sauce mixing techniques also make or break dishes that rely heavily on it, such as Hanoian roasted pork noodles (bún chả), Saigonese broken rice meals (cơm tấm), rice noodles with fermented fish sauce (bún đậu mắm tôm), and spring rolls.
Fish sauce flavors vary among Vietnam’s different regions, depending on the types of fishes available, the sources of salt, fermentation quality, and protein level.
That is why there are many villages across Vietnam, such as in Phu Quoc, Tam Thanh, and Da Nang, where distinctive fish sauce flavors are produced according to traditional techniques.
So far, Vietnam has about 100 types of fish sauces and dishes made with them.
3. The Most Dishes Made From Flowers
Vietnam is reportedly also the cradle of 272 dishes made from 43 different flowers. Aside from food plating, Vietnamese cooks use flowers as cooking ingredients to produce nutritious dishes.
The use of flowers in cooking differ among different parts of Vietnam where climates and biodiversity vary.
Mountain ebony, which is common in Vietnam’s northwestern region, can be used to make sour and sweet salads, sticky rice, or stuffing in fishes or roasted chicken for extra aroma. The astringent and antibacterial properties found in this flower help to boost memory and beautify skin.
Mountain ebony salad
As winter nears, buckwheat flowers bloom in Ha Giang, a province in the north of Vietnam. After harvesting, the flower seeds will be dried and later used to ferment the fabled Hong Mi wine. The seeds can also be ground into flour, then mixed with water to make milky round buckwheat pies.
Buckwheat cakes
One of the most popular cooking ingredients in every Northern household during Autumn must be the tonkin creeper, a flowering plant which is usually stir-fried as a mildly sweet vegetable dish or cooked with crab soup.
4. The Most Kinds Odd Special Roll In The World
The English language obviously does not do Vietnamese cuisine enough justice, as there’s only one term in English to sum up Vietnam’s 103 different types of rolls – spring rolls.
Spring rolls (món cuốn) is one of the most ordered dishes among travellers on their first trips to Vietnam, aside from banh mi and pho. From fresh rolls to steamed pho rolls to deep-fried rolls, almost every region of Vietnam can offer you a different type of spring roll. Ingredients for these rolls normally include shrimps, crab meat, minced meat, and vegetables.
Fresh rolls
These rolls are always served with a bowl of dipping sauce, which is also a stand-alone work of art itself. Depending on the cook’s technique, dipping sauce for these rolls can be as simple as a combination of mayonnaise and chili sauce, peanut sauce, or fish sauce mixed with garlic and ginger.
If you are overwhelmed with spring roll choices, start by trying the fresh or steamed rolls in the summer for a low-calorie and juicy meal, and deep-fried rolls in winter for a crunchy and tasty bite.
5. The World's Most Dishes Made From Rice Flour
Inexpensive and versatile, rice flour can be used to produce a wide array of delicious dishes, from steamed pancakes (bánh bèo) to hollow donuts (bánh tiêu).
Across Vietnam and its diverse ethnic groups, there are over 143 dishes made from rice flour using various recipes.
For boiling dishes, glutinous rice cake (bánh chưng) and banana leaf-wrapped tubes of sticky rice cake and red beans (bánh tét) are national festive treats usually cooked during the Lunar New Year.
Pancake wrappers (bánh ướt) and steamed rice rolls (bánh cuốn) are some of the most popular choices of breakfast dishes in the South and the North, respectively.
For mid-day snacks, people love to munch on deep-fried and roasted options such as rice paper sheets (bánh tráng nướng), crisp dumplings (bánh quai vạc), and sliced rice flour cakes (bột chiên).
Besides bánh mì and phở, Vietnam is also home to a multitude of meticulously cooked, delicious, and healthy dishes made from simple yet nutritious ingredients.
Source: Internet
