Bread and wheat products occupy a unique place in the cuisine of every nation on Earth. From Europe to Asia, Africa to America, everyone loves to eat bread, and surely Vietnamese people are no exception. Although bread and rice flour are not traditional foods, they play an essential role in the daily life of Vietnamese people.
Vietnamese bread in the past
Vietnam has a long history as an agricultural country with rice as the main food crop. It was not until 1859, when the French colonists entered the South, that bread appeared widely throughout the country.
Photo: cafef.vn
As an imported food, banh mi quickly became popular and imported into Vietnam. The most obvious evidence is the shape of the bread, which is usually small and long. Vietnamese bread originated from bread made à-la-Françe!, the kingdom of bread, but Banh mi in Vietnam was first made for the working class such as drivers, porters, ancient workers. green. That’s why “Vietnamese banh mi” has the shape of a baguette instead of a dumpling or banh cuon. With the shape of a bread, people will easily hold it with one hand and eat while working. Over time, the simple French baguette has transformed in many different ways to become the “Vietnamese Bread” it is today.
Main dish in Vietnamese meals
The first thing that surprises foreign visitors about “Vietnamese banh mi” is that it is hard to find Vietnamese-style banh mi in a glossy shop, which sells fancy pastries and Western breads at reasonable prices. quite tall.
Vietnamese banh mi can be purchased at roadside stalls or from street vendors, in the city’s many alleys or even at bus stops and train stations. Hot little sandwiches kept warm in a red-hot brazier; or inside a bamboo basket covered with a wool blanket.
Photo: thethaovanhoa.vn
It is not only foreigners who feel nostalgic when hearing the street vendors’ voices echoing in every alley of Hanoi “Selling hot crispy bread! Crispy hot sandwiches for sale” (Crunchy hot sandwiches!) but the Vietnamese love that too.
Years ago, when Hanoi was quieter, the cries of street vendors were considered a symbol of peace. Until now, it still evokes special emotions in the hearts of Hanoians, especially those who return to visit Hanoi after a long time living away from the city. Those salesgirls have become typical images of the good old days, of a past full of unforgettable memories.
Photo: toplist.vn
“Vietnamese banh mi” is also special because of its diverse flavors. Anyone who has ever had a bite of Vietnamese bread will never forget the crispness of the crust because it is very light, spongy and crispy. Vietnamese-style banh mi makers don’t add butter, chicken fat, or chicken fat. The dough contains only wheat, rice flour and quick-rising yeast. Vietnamese bread has a fairly affordable price, only 2000-3000 VND per loaf, which answers the question of why Vietnamese people rarely bake bread at home.
Vietnamese banh mi is also very diverse, and it can be served at any time of the day. In addition, depending on the taste, each person can enjoy bread in their own way: with omelet, liver pate, mayonnaise or even condensed milk. Vietnamese bread has many “versions”, each region has its own famous type, which can captivate even Western visitors from the bread homeland.
Source: https://traveland.com.vn
