Vietnamese

Vietnamese Spices & Ingredients

The tropical monsoon climate of Vietnam makes for a lush greenness of rampant vegetation.

In Vietnamese cooking, exotic spices such as galangal and green peppercorns are blended with handfuls of fresh coriander, basil and mint. Spicy chillies are mellowed by sweet coconut and peanuts, then Vietnamese spices such as bay, aniseed and lemongrass add their distinctive flavours.

The result is a fascinating cuisine to tempt the most adventurous spirit.

Vietnamese cuisine is based upon rice and the infamous and essential nuoc mam (fish sauce) which enhances other Vietnamese ingredients by lifting their flavours. However, Vietnamese spices and herbs shape the cuisine, which has been forged over the centuries by Chinese, French, Thai and Indian culinary influences.

Bustling streets are lined with vendors offering an incredible array of delectable snacks prepared with the freshest of Vietnamese ingredients. Sizzling pancakes, fresh spring rolls and rice cakes abound, against a backdrop of the spiced fragrant broth called pho which is poured over bowls of rice noodles piled with Vietnamese herbs, vegetables and meat.
The pounding of mortars in large stone pestles is a familiar sound as Vietnamese spices are ground with chillies and garlic, into aromatic pastes. Freshly purchased daily at market, other Vietnamese ingredients are then flavoured with the pastes.

Vietnamese cooking has recently gained huge popularity in the West and has become relatively easy to achieve now that Vietnamese ingredients are widely obtainable. A superb array of good Vietnamese cookery books are available and the internet offers infinite recipes, including those for the many Vietnamese dipping sauces and condiments.

Many other Asian ingredients (also available from Seasoned Pioneers), such as Birdseye chillies, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste and tamarind are married with Vietnamese spices to achieve the characteristic flavours found in Vietnamese cooking. Our selection of essential Vietnamese spices include Anise seeds, Vietnamese peppercorns, Cloves (whole or ground), Cinnamon bark, Star Anise (whole or ground), Ginger (whole or ground), Curry leaves and Green peppercorns.

Should you need any further information about Vietnamese cooking and Vietnamese spices and ingredients, do get in contact and we will do our best to help you!