Northern Cuisine: Discover the culinary quintessence of an ancient culture

Vietnamese cuisine has long been famous with many international friends with its delicate taste, diverse spices, and bold characteristics of an Eastern country. In particular, if you travel to the North, you must definitely enjoy the culinary quintessence here. So, what is it about Northern cuisine that attracts so many visitors? Let's find out the characteristics and famous dishes that make up the quintessence of Northern cuisine.

If Southern cuisine is famous for its characteristic sweetness with rich ingredients, Central cuisine is impressive with the spicy taste of the sunny and windy land, then Northern cuisine is simple, bearing its own unique marks, standing out for the land with the longest history in Vietnam.

1. Characteristics of Northern cuisine

Northern cuisine has a light taste (Photo source: Collected)

North   Not only impressed by the beautiful natural landscape, historical works, culture imbued with national identity but also by the unique and unmistakable cuisine that always leaves an impression in the hearts of many diners. Northern cuisine is a harmonious and delicate combination of senses, skillful combination of ingredients and spices of the dish.

The characteristic of Northern cuisine is that it must be light, often not as spicy, fatty, or sweet as other regions; the dishes have a moderate taste, not too strong but have bright colors; the main spices used are lemon, vinegar, star fruit, pepper, chili, ginger, onion, garlic, diluted fish sauce, shrimp paste, many vegetable dishes and easily found freshwater seafood such as shrimp, crab, fish, mussels, clams, etc. For that reason, from the food to the way Northern people dress, everything is filtered and becomes a standard that is not easy to change.

During each Tet holiday, Northern cuisine becomes more skillful and sophisticated and is more clearly expressed when the trays of food always emphasize "high trays, full dishes", eye-catching and delicious. In particular, the traditional culture of the Northern people is more clearly expressed in the way of eating and behaving of the Northern people during meals. Northern people's meals are clearly expressed through proverbs such as "Eating while watching the pot, sitting while watching the direction", "A greeting is higher than a tray of food", "A piece in the middle of the village is worth a basket in the kitchen corner". Therefore, when eating, the elderly and respected people are always invited to eat first or when eating, they should pick up the best pieces first for others. The skillfulness and sophistication in daily life and eating also partly influence the meticulousness and neatness in the culinary culture of the North.

Above all, in addition to the filling dishes, rustic cakes such as green rice cakes, orange cakes or jams, etc. also bring people a lot of excitement, and behind each dish are kept many beautiful memories of the Northern people, showing the ingenuity and meticulousness of the person who makes the dish.

2. Famous dishes that make up the quintessence of Northern cuisine

2.1. Hanoi Pho

Pho is a typical dish of Hanoi people (Photo source: Collected)

When talking about Northern cuisine, we must mention Hanoi Pho - the dish that made the name of Vietnamese cuisine. This dish has been included in the Oxford dictionary, recognized as a proper noun. And especially, Pho was once listed in the list of 50 delicious dishes in the world voted by CNN, proving that this dish has an irresistible appeal.

Pho Hanoi is a famous dish in Hanoi. Local people do not know when it first appeared. The delicious taste of the broth, the chewy noodles and the aroma of the accompanying vegetables have made Pho Hanoi special in the eyes of food lovers.

The essence of Pho lies in the broth. The broth is simmered carefully from beef bones and cinnamon, cardamom, etc., giving it a sweet flavor. It is poured over rice noodles, with moderate chewiness, along with beef brisket, rare beef, or fresh chicken, topped with chopped green onions, coriander, etc., all creating a perfect version of a dish imbued with traditional flavors. Surely, this will be a perfect start for your journey to discover the culinary culture of the North.

2.2. Hanoi Bun Cha

Bun cha - The pride of Hanoi cuisine (Photo source: Collected)

Along with pho, Hanoi bun cha is one of the must-try dishes when traveling to the North. Each portion of bun cha includes bun (dry pho noodles), cha (grilled pork), dipping sauce (fish sauce mixed with sugar, vinegar, garlic, chili), raw vegetables (lettuce, basil, basil...) and pickles.

A standard portion of Hanoi's old-fashioned bun cha is a portion with grilled pork pieces, minced pork with a charcoal-grilled aroma, soft and sweet without being dry, white noodles, harmonious sweet and sour dipping sauce, the spicy taste of chili, crushed garlic, and a few slices of eye-catching red chili... all mixed together like an unforgettable symphony.

Not just a dish, bun cha is also a symbol of Hanoi culinary culture, loved and sought after by many domestic and foreign tourists when traveling to the North.

2.3. La Vong fish cake

La Vong fish cake - The culinary quintessence of Hanoi people (Photo source: Collected)

When exploring Hanoi's culinary treasures, you must definitely try Cha Ca La Vong - a dish rich in Northern culinary culture. This famous Hanoi specialty originates from Cha Ca Street in Hanoi, where people often gather to eat Cha Ca on holidays or weekends.

The best La Vong fish cakes are made from catfish or snakehead fish, marinated with many spices such as onions, ginger, turmeric, shrimp paste, wine and oil. The fish is then grilled on a charcoal stove until golden brown. When eaten, people usually put the fish in a hot pan, sprinkle with green onions, herbs and peanuts. The dish is served with fresh noodles, shrimp paste or fish sauce mixed with lemon, garlic and chili.

La Vong fish cake not only makes tourists excited by its delicious flavor but is also a Northern family dish associated with many memories and meanings of the children of Hanoi.

2.4. Braised fish of Vu Dai village

Braised fish of Vu Dai village - Rich in Northern culture (Photo source: Collected)

When talking about Northern specialties, the quintessential dishes of Vietnamese cuisine, we cannot miss the famous Vu Dai Braised Fish (Ha Nam). This specialty also has many other names such as Dai Hoang Braised Fish, Nhan Hau Braised Fish or Ha Nam Braised Fish...

Vu Dai village braised fish uses the main ingredients of black carp and pork belly and is skillfully seasoned with rustic spices.
The process of processing and braising fish is very elaborate and meticulous, so the finished product will be a delicious pot of braised fish with firm fish meat, completely soft fish bones and an eye-catching cockroach brown color. The characteristic flavor of braised fish from Vu Dai village makes this dish strongly "hunted" by diners at home and abroad.

2.5. Ha Long squid rolls

The delicious, fatty, chewy, crispy and sweet taste of Ha Long squid cake has long captivated all tourists. As one of the famous Northern dishes, the dish is made from fresh squid, finely ground and mixed with spices such as onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, coriander... Then, the squid mixture is shaped into round or square balls, fried until golden brown in a pan. This dish can be eaten with rice paper, vermicelli, rice or bread.

2.6. Northwest buffalo jerky

To be able to taste all the quintessence of Northern culinary culture, visitors cannot miss the Northwest smoked buffalo meat. Smoked buffalo meat is part of the culinary culture of ethnic minorities in the northern highlands, especially Ha Giang. This is a typical dish, often appearing in festivals, when entertaining guests and is also a gift that tourists like to buy.

The dish impresses with its special preparation, the main ingredient is buffalo meat, carefully marinated with spices. (The main spice is mac khen - a typical spice of the northern mountainous region). After marinating, the buffalo meat will be hung on the charcoal stove to let the smoke cover it naturally, the smoke will make the meat dry quickly and have a more distinctive flavor. Therefore, the buffalo meat on the stove has a characteristic aroma, a rich sweetness, the buffalo meat is chewy but not tough.

For the people of the highlands, smoked buffalo meat is not just a dish. It is also a part of their culture, lifestyle and soul. During festivals, entertaining guests or on cold days, smoked buffalo meat is always the first choice to express hospitality and family warmth. Among the countless specialties of the North, smoked buffalo meat will surely leave many unforgettable impressions on visitors.

Through the 6 famous specialties above, visitors will have a clearer sense of the culinary culture of the North. It will be interesting if you have the opportunity to travel to the North to enjoy the typical dishes with bold cultural features combined with the famous landscapes here.
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Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/am-thuc-mien-bac-kham-pha-tinh-hoa-am-thuc-mang-dac-trung-cua-mot-nen-van-hoa-lau-doi-v15360.aspx