Vietnamese Noodles – An Overview

When most foreigners think of Vietnamese cuisine, and Vietnamese noodle in particular, “Phở” instantly comes into their minds. In fact, “phở” is not the only one, though without doubt the most renowned, among many kinds of Vietnamese noodles including “phở”, “bún”, “miến”, “hủ tiếu” and so on.

Paddy fields stretching over the country provide a huge quantity of rice, the principal ingredient used to produce most of the Vietnamese noodles. It can be said that noodles in Vietnam have the most diverse shapes and recipes. Noodles can be fresh or dried, white or brown, flat or round, served in a bowl of broth, mixed with herbs in a kind of salad, or stir-fried with some meat and vegetables.

“Vietnam is a noodle-crazy population” – many has to agree. While “cơm”- boiled rice is the irreplaceable main course for Vietnamese family dinner, noodles are preferred breakfast, lunch and late night snack of many locals. Some cook it themselves and enjoy at home, while others spend time at familiar roadside stalls or restaurants to enjoy favorite dish and chat with friends.

Today, many kinds of Vietnamese noodle are produced in the form of instant noodle which makes cooking process become much more convenient and time-saving. However, almost Vietnamese still love to enjoy noodles at roadside stalls for authentic flavor, lively atmosphere and to some extends, it is kind of habit.