In their new book, Antony Suvalko and Leanne Kitchen explain the delicacies of Ho Chi Minh City's cuisine and how to make the best of it
Incredibly varied, extremely fresh, ridiculously affordable, light, healthy and endlessly delicious, food in HCMC is one of the city's enduring highlights. As the country's largest city, the urban jungle that is HCMC is considered Vietnam's food capital. You can find dishes here from all over the country and, although there are similarities and even some culinary crossover among regions, Southern Vietnamese food has a style, flavour and sense of abundance of its own.
This is influenced by the climate; the tropical south is highly fertile, producing a veritable cornucopia of fruits, greens, vegetables and rice. An expansive coastline and large river delta, both nearby, yield excellent seafood and fish. This colourful bounty is reflected in the fare, which incorporates fresh herbs, raw, cooked and pickled vegetables and tangy fruits, both ripe and green, at seemingly every turn. Nearby Da Lat, elevated high in the mountains and with a cooler climate, produces carrots, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, tomatoes, cauliflower and potatoes, and these are a part of the varied HCMC diet, as well as more tropical items.
Then, there's history. Vietnam was long ago ruled by the Chinese, who introduced concepts such as eating with chopsticks, cooking in oil, consuming noodles, using soy sauce and making bean curd. HCMC was part of the Khmer Empire while all this was going on and wasn't fully integrated into Vietnam until the 18th century. From India via Cambodia and thanks to trade too, curry came here; HCMC curry is mild and aromatic rather than chilli-hot. Indian influence can also be seen in dishes such as banh xeo, a turmeric-stained, crisp rice flour pancake that's not unlike dosa. From the mid-19th century until the mid-20th century, the country was a French colony, not gaining complete independence until 1954. The French left an indelible legacy which can best be seen in the local predilection for baguette, pate, coffee, beer and icecream. Unlike in the north of Vietnam, rich coconut milk abounds and sugar is used widely; it even seasons savoury dishes.
