Are you craving something a little different tonight for dinner – maybe you want to try something from an ethnic cuisine you’re not so familiar with. In the last half-century, ethnic cuisines have gained popularity in North America. Throughout this process, a lot of cuisines like Chinese and Indian have been “Americanized”, mixing in new influences that at times may take away from the health benefits associated with some of these foods. If you’re looking for healthy, ethnic cuisine, here’s a quick countdown of the top 5 healthiest cuisines by ethnic background and in no particular order.
Vietnamese cuisine
Read more: See the Top 5 Healthiest Cuisines by Ethnic Background
Vietnamese cooking in Canada has been on the rise since the 1970s. For those who have tried pho and similar Vietnamese dishes, you know how delightfully tasty it can be. For those that are new to Vietnamese foods, ingredients, cooking methods, and nutritional benefits, allow us to provide an introduction. Here are 4 reasons why Vietnamese cooking is loved by Canadians far and wide.
Vietnamese food is unique.
Vietnamese cuisine is similar and yet, completely unique from similar southeast Asian culture cooking. Vietnamese foods generally utilize very clean flavours and similar ingredients but they’re worked a little differently. You’ll never find a Vietnamese dish that’s overly rich, spicy, or sweet. You won’t find Indian curry-inspired classics or coconut milk-based savoury Thai dishes here. Vietnamese cooking does not use very many dry spices. Instead, in this cuisine, it’s the natural flavours of the food are emphasized.
Read more: 4 Reasons why Vietnamese Cooking is Praised and Loved by Canadians
Across Canada, Vietnamese food has not been as well publicized as other Asian food types like Chinese. Although similar to Chinese food, Vietnamese dishes have subtle differences. Comparatively, Vietnamese food is spiced different with unique herbs that give it a Vietnam-specific flavor and the vegetables used are also prepared a little differently.
For many Canadians, they may know soy sauce as a common part of Chinese food and food from various Asian countries. In Vietnamese, soy sauce is not used so much. Instead, it’s a fish sauce referred to as ‘nuoc mam’ that’s equally common. Surrounding Vietnam, seafood is plentiful with lobster, crabs, shrimp, and fish readily available.
Vietnamese cooking utilizes a wide variety of different ingredients and herbs to create unique flavor profiles. These are some of the most common ingredients used in Vietnamese cuisine and many of the exquisite Vietnamese dishes popularized in Canada, such as pho.
Anise
Anise comes from a plant that produces its own unique aroma. Anise on its own produces a sweetish taste that has made it popular among certain Vietnamese dishes. Anise, or aniseed, is used in several pastries as well as meat and vegetable-based meals.
Read more: What are the Most Common Ingredients in Vietnamese Cuisine
Pho is a diverse Vietnamese dish that can be made in a number of different ways. If this is your first time preparing pho on your own at home, you’re not alone. Although it looks easy enough to make, people from all over the world are finding out there’s more than meets the eye. So home cooks prepare! We’re about to give you a crash course on how to make pho like a professional.
Pho, in its standard and traditional Vietnamese form, is made from broth, rice noodles, select herbs, and meat. Usually, the meat used is a beef or chicken however in today’s vegan- and vegetarian-friendly world, it’s easy to substitute veggie-based meat sources in their place. In Vietnam, pho is an extremely common form of street food – akin to how we perceive hot dogs here in North America. In the past few decades, as more Vietnamese have immigrated to Canada and the United States, several Vietnamese and pho-specific restaurants have opened.
Pho is what we specialize in, using homemade recipes and traditional Vietnamese cooking techniques to achieve the desired result. Little do most Torontonians know, pho can be made at home. Though it may turn out a little differently, making pho is all about how you use the herbs, spices, and how you prepare the broth. Here is how to approach it.
How Do You Make Pho Broth At Home?
Pho is defined by its broth. You always start with the broth. Any true homemade pho recipe involves homemade broth. Yes, there are broths you can buy at the store. These taste ok. However, commercially-available broth does not quite match the taste of true pho. A store-bought broth can also cut down on the sort of adjustments you can make.
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