Vietnamese food uses a lot of fresh herbs and vegetables and is a healthy mix of light and refreshing flavors with very little added fats. Spring rolls wrapped in rice paper and lettuce leaves, and beef noodle soup or pho, are traditional Vietnamese favorites.
Vietnamese cuisine draws a lot from the Chinese, who ruled the country for 1,000 years and left behind their cooking methods of stir-frying, steaming, braising and stewing in clay pots.
In south Vietnam, the cooking is influenced by neighboring Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. The food here shows a bit more of an Indian influence and is generously spiced with chilies, coconut milk and a variety of herbs and spices.
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