Basil
Basil is known across the world for being the ‘herb of kings’ in ancient history. It’s believed basil’s name originates from the Greek word ‘basileus’ which means ‘king’. Used as a seasoning, basil remains one of the world’s most favourite kitchen herbs to help flavor meats, fish, salads, and sauces of all kinds. Basil is routinely mixed with other spices and flavorings – such as thyme, garlic, oregano, and lemon.
Coriander
Coriander seeds come with a warm and nutty taste which can be confusing to some. Think combination of lemon peel and sage. In the parsley family, coriander is sometimes mixed in to curry powder and other dishes in need of a strong aroma. In other parts of world cuisine, you’ll find coriander applied in Indian curies and different dishes in Arabic cooking.
Garlic
Garlic is well-known in Canadian cuisine and dishes from all over the world. It’ll make breath absolutely horrifying but on the right Vietnamese dishes, it flavors it just right to where you need it to be.
Ginger
Ginger is well known for its use in Chinese cuisine however it’s also a predominant ingredient in several Vietnamese dishes as well. Aromatic, pungent in smell, and with a slightly biting taste, remember that a little ginger goes a long way in nailing down the right flavor profile. Also a recommendation as an effective treatment for nausea, ginger in the Vietnamese culture has medical benefit as well.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is important and a pre-eminent flavoring ingredient in Thai cuisine and many dishes of Southeast Asian cooking. Used strategically in Vietnamese cooking, lemongrass is an acclaimed ingredient.
Mint
Mint always comes with a strong and sweet initial taste and smell, always with a cooling after-taste and sometimes with a tangy flavor. Of the mints out there, it’s peppermint which is most focused in Vietnamese cuisine.
Onion
Onions remain one of the world’s oldest cultivated plants. Before they were ever used in North American societies, they had been used for centuries in places like Vietnam, India, China, and the Middle East. Although onions are low in nutrients, as a flavor, they can work to help intensify the profile of several dishes. Onions are used to flavor everything from stews and pho to roasts and salads.
Vinegar
Vinegar is made from fermenting any of several diluted alcohol liquids mixed into acetic acid-based liquids. Used intelligently throughout Vietnamese dishes, vinegar’s a necessary ingredient to several.
Come down to Toronto Pho for traditional Vietnamese cuisine done right. In our pho, you’ll find several dishes prepared with these ingredients and others. Enjoy delicious menu items like Vietnamese spring rolls, wanton soup, shrimp fresh rolls, lobster with stir fried egg noodles, house fried rice, chicken padthai, butter chicken wings, crispy egg noddle, and mango salad.
