Vietnamese cooking is similar to Chinese in style but uses less oil, more herbs and vegetables, and is highly aromatic. Some consider Vietnamese cuisine one of the healthiest in the world.French Indochina
The French controlled a great swath of Southeast Asia for roughly a hundred years. French Indochina included all of present day Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos.
French Jesuit missionaries came in the 17th century, followed by traders and then armies to protect both. At different times, Saigon (present day Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi served as capitals for French Indochina. French culture, language, cuisine, and religion have left their mark on Vietnamese lifestyle.
Vietnamese Cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine reflects the influence of their sometime rulers - the Chinese as well as the French- and trading partners -the Portuguese and Indians. Religion influences the cuisine, too. The large Buddhist population prepares primarily vegetarian dishes.
Rice is the foundation of the Vietnamese diet that also makes extensive use of fresh herbs like lemon grass, basil, coriander, parsley, laksa leaf, lime, and chili.
