title
Key Ingredients

Make sure your kitchen is stocked with these essential ingredients.


title Fish Sauce

Fish Sauce (Nuoc mam) is the essence of Vietnamese food. 'Nuoc mam nhi' is the first press, the equivalent of extra virgin olive oil. Use this clear clean sauce which costs more than the others on the shelves, for dipping sauces. The second pressing is less expensive and is used for cooking. The famous sauce made with nuoc mam is called nuoc cham - a mix of fish sauce, sugar,vinegar, water, garlic and chilli.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce or Chinese barbecue sauce is a sweet salty bean sauce, popular condiment for pho or can be used as a side dip for gio cuon.

Young coconut juice

Young coconut juice is the clear water from the coconut, not the richer white cream or milk.

Anchovy sauce

Anchovy sauce (mam nem) is widely used in Central and Southern Vietnames food. It's a mixture of fermented salted anchovies and sold in a bottle as a condiment. It is very strong in taste and smell and is normally diluted when used to make the sauce of of the same name.

Chilli sauce

Chilli sauce (Tuong ot) is made of fresh pimentos, ground garlic, salt, sugar and vinegar. It is used as a table condiment and for seasoning in soups, green papaya salad or anything else you may fancy.

Shrimp sauce

Shrimp sauce (mam ruoc) is widely used as a dipping sauce in Northern Cuisine. It is a mash of marinated shrimps. It can be conserved for a long time in bottles. The smell is very strong. This mash is an excellent marinade for fish and meat. Many people like to use it as a separate sauce.

Betel leaf

Betel leaf (La Lot) are glossy, dark green heart shaped leaves have a slightly bitter taste and are mostly used as a wrapper for a filling of cooked meats.

Jigsaw or Saw Leaf

Jigsaw or Saw Leaf (rau ngo gai) is a long dark green leaf with serrated edges with a fragrance similar to coriander, but stronger. Commonly used in soups and salads.

Mint

Mint (hung lui), commonly eaten fresh in salads, and in fresh rice paper rolls (gio cuon).

Perilla leaves

Perilla leaves (Rau Tia To) are large leaves, purple on one side and dark green on the other. The leaves are shredded and used in eggplant dishes and in rice paper rolls. Also called shiso leaf in Japanese cookery.

Cassia

Cassia (Que thanh) comes in a powdered form or as bark. It is used as an aromatic spice and can be used in some marinades for roasted chicken, roasted duck or beef braises.

Star Anise

Star Anise (hoi) is as beautiful as it is fragrant. This six to eight pointed star spice imparts a flavour resembling cinnamon and cloves. Used to flavour soups and stews, as well as marinades. One of the vital ingredients in the famous Vietnamese noodle soup, Pho.

Tropical fruits

Tropical fruits are widely available in Vietnam and highly popular both as desserts and in savoury dishes and salads. Among them are carambolas(or star fruits), dragon fruits, durians, jackfruits, longans, lychees, mangosteens, and rambutants.



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