Comparison Essay
Foreign Tables Nextdoor: Vietnamese and Thai Food Cultures
Speaking of Southeast Asian food culture, cuisines from Vietnam and Thailand must be on top of the list of every Taiwanese gourmet. Since numerous international workers and immigrants become a part that cannot be ignored in the Taiwanese population, the unique flavors they bring from their homes unfold new options and enrich the variety of food on the island. Among these foreign delicacies, Vietnamese and Thai ones hold a special place in the markets. Nowadays, from street vendors to luxury restaurants, food standing for these two nations appears to be common choices for people in Taiwan. While comforting international workers and immigrants’ homesickness, such authentic delicacies they make can really transport the customers to their very hometowns. Despite the fact that the two food cultures are neighbors only one country away, there are differences that make them distinguished in their respective ways.
First of all, the most apparent difference between the two food cultures is the strength of flavors. Thai food puts an emphasis on the diversity of tastes dinners can experience. According to the article of The Spruce Eats (2021), the standard to be a typical Thai meal is to include all five taste elements in it. By using strong spices in recipes, Thai food has powerful flavors just like fireworks set off on tongues. For instance, tom yum goong (Thai hot and sour soup) is based on lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lemon leaves, which create fragrance that can bring its flaming heat to the next level. On the other hand, Vietnamese food usually gives a relatively mild impression to consumers, and it is famous for bringing out the natural element of ingredients themselves. Taking pho (Vietnamese rice noodles soup) for example, the main part of the recipe is to stew vegetables like carrots and onions with beef or pork broth. You can really taste the sweetness of carrot released during the cooking process. Spring rolls are also an instance to prove how Vietnamese food focuses on presenting each material’s own flavor, by eating vegetables and herbs raw or with light amount of dipping sauce. To sum up, Thai food is a magician who is skillful at manipulating spices; Vietnamese food is a craftsman who is talented of making ingredients shining their own sparkles.
Another aspect setting both food cultures apart from each other is how waiters serve meals and how dinners have meals. Vietnamese dishes are usually served like a DIY set. The toppings, like lettuce, lemon, and chili sauce, are separated from the main dishes, which allows dinners to personalize their meals by adding certain kinds and amounts of toppings they want in their dishes. However, the same situation is rarely seen in Thai restaurants, which throws all the spices in while cooking and serves meals that have fixed proportions. Hence, travelers in Thailand need to have waiters be clear about how spicy they can accept, otherwise, the coming plates might set their tongues on fire. As for tableware, Vietnamese people dine with chopsticks, resembling how the Chinese do. On the contrary, Thai food culture is not influenced by the Chinese that much. Instead of chopsticks, they prefer to dig in holding forks and spoons in their hands. The combination can be traced back to the past when Thai people used bare hands to grab food for their mouth, and then it was introduced by western cultures as more civilized method to eat. With these basic images in mind, merely observing what is on the dining tables can help you recognize whether the scene happens in Thailand or Vietnam.
Variances can be found even if both food cultures have one dish in common, such as curry. Thai curry displays a great diversity in its colors. The three typical categories of Thai curry pastes are green, red, and yellow. Green curry is the exclusive one of Thai food, which consists of cilantro, makrut lime leaf and peel, and basil. Red curry derives its color mainly from chilies, but now many chefs cut down the amount of chili used and replace them with tomato sauce in order to gain alternative level of flavor. Yellow curry is made from turmeric. Rather than spicy like the former two types, yellow curry is known for its mild and even sweet taste. Besides these distinctive three, there are lots of other kinds of curry in Thai food culture. On the contrary, Vietnamese curry has a uniform way of composition. Vietnamese curry has thinner texture than Thai one, and it is often served with noodles or slices of banh mi bread, which is originated from French baguette. Thai curry is thicker, so it matches better with rice-based dishes. In spite of the same name, curry from both food cultures develop their signature styles.
Although Vietnamese and Thai food share the exotic Southeast Asian image, it will definitely not make you confuse one with the other to notice their preferences of strong or light flavors, the choices they make on dining tables, and their variety of curry. Moreover, even though both food cultures have their individual features, they cross and blend through the creative adaptation of Taiwanese people. As an illustration, green curry can be served with toasted bread as dipping sauce, and spring rolls can also wrap Thai green papaya salad as filling, and so on. More and more possibilities emerge and it can be expected to have more communication and attempt to find ways to embrace one another. Next time when you would like to explore what tickles your taste buds, remember to take these two food cultures into your consideration.
Sources
1. About Thai Food and Culture｜Jane Tira
http://www.jane-tira.co.uk/thai-food-culture/
2. What is the difference between Vietnamese food and Thai Food?｜Cooking with Lane
https://cookingwithlane.com/vietnamese-food-versus-thai-food/
3. Thai vs. Vietnamese Food: Things You Need To Know In 2023｜Hey! That Tastes Good!
https://www.heythattastesgood.com/thai-vs-vietnamese-food/
4. Do Thai People Use Chopsticks? (& Why Not More Often)｜ThaiGuider
https://thaiguider.com/do-thai-people-use-chopsticks/
5. Thai Curry Types: The Difference Between Red, Yellow, and Green Curries｜The Spruce Eats
https://www.thespruceeats.com/thai-curry-differences-red-yellow-green-3217020#toc-green-curry
References
The Spruce Eats. (2021). A Guide to Thai Food and Culture.
Retrieved from
https://www.thespruceeats.com/thai-food-and-culture-3217393
(All the images are from Wix Media.)