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Very Testi
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Marathon Man
Surfing N16
Man in North Bank
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Ruth Arendse lives in Stoke Newington and was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently head chef at the popular West End restaurant Shampers. In her first article on food, she explores with Bui Kim Dien, owner of the Le Mi Vietnamese food store, the delights of Vietnamese cuisine.

Búi Kim Dien, or Quyen to her friends, owns and runs the Le Mi Vietnamese food store in Mare Street. Born in Haiphong, Quyen moved to Hong Kong in 1993 and from there to Hackney in 1997. My conversation with Quyen was made possible by the help of her friends Bang and his sister Thui who translated on our behalf. Bang and Thui were born in Hanoi and their friendship with Quyen began when she and Bang met her at Hanoi airport where he was working for Aeroflot.

Vietnamese food has evolved through its history of foreign influences. The food is light and subtle with an amazing variety of regional ingredients. Vietnamese cuisine places an emphasis on the use of fresh herbs to be included in or to accompany most meals. Fish and meat dishes incorporating galangal, lemon grass, ginger, basil and star anise, traditionally have side plates comprised of lettuce, coriander and mint. A strong Buddhist influence has also created a vegetarian tradition.

Rice and noodles are the two staple foods. Sticky rice is eaten with meat, fresh or dried seafood and fish from rivers, canals and paddy fields. Pho, a popular dish of noodles combined with a meat broth, is eaten at any time of day. The stock is flavoured with ginger and star anise to which are added strips of chicken, pork or beef with spring onions, coriander and mint. The soup is further flavoured at the table with a squeeze of lime and chilli flakes or a chilli sauce.

Spring rolls, the most well known Vietnamese dish with its origins in China, can be eaten fresh or deep-fried. They consist of various combinations of ingredients such as minced pork, shrimp or crab with spring onion, bean sprout, rice, vermicelli and an edible fungus wrapped in rice paper.

Cha Ca is a famous fish dish from Hanoi. The fresh firm fish is marinated with turmeric and tamarind, grilled, and then pan-fried in dill-flavoured butter. Ca Kohl is a southern speciality fish stew in a clay pot. An oily fish is braised slowly in tea with soy sauce and ginger for one and a half hours uncovered. It is eaten with a salad or bread, often a baguette – a lasting French influence.

The use of fresh herbs and the salty, hot and sourfood vietnamese dipping sauces used in cooking distinguishes Vietnamese food from her neighbours. Nuic Mam is the seasoning agent used most frequently. It is made from the fermenting of huge quantities of fish in vats of salt for six months to a year, after which it is graded to age and flavour. It is rich in protein, calcium and phosphorous.

Temperate and tropical climates provide delicious fruits. Sweets include Banh Choi Khoa, a mixture of banana and sweet potato fritters. The French introduced crepe suzette, dairy products and pastries. Fruits include a dozen species of banana, pineapple, coconut, papaya and mangoes. The region of Nha Trang is known for its Dragon Fruit of pineapple size with mauvish pink skin, sweet watery flesh traditionally served with crushed ice to make a thirst quenching drink.

The Le Mi store has a wonderful display of Vietnamese produce, both fresh and frozen, and is worth a visit for education alone and an insight into the cuisine you will enjoy on your next visit to one of our local Vietnamese restaurants.

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