Fried Vietnamese Food: A Delicious Dive into Vietnam’s Crispy Delights
Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its balance of flavors, fresh ingredients, and diverse cooking techniques. While many know Vietnam for its fresh spring rolls or pho, fried Vietnamese food offers a rich, crispy, and savory dimension that’s equally tantalizing. Fried dishes are an integral part of Vietnamese street food culture, providing a satisfying crunch and deep flavors that make every bite memorable.
Whether cooked in a melhor air fryer or an oil fryer, these dishes maintain their iconic crispiness, making them accessible for home cooks around the world who want to recreate Vietnamese fried delights. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular fried dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.
1. Bánh Xèo – Vietnamese Savory Pancake
Bánh Xèo is a crispy Vietnamese pancake made from rice flour, turmeric, and coconut milk, filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. It is pan-fried until golden and crispy, giving it a satisfying crunch. The pancake is often served with fresh herbs and lettuce, which are used to wrap pieces of the pancake before being dipped into a tangy fish sauce.
How It’s Made
To make Bánh Xèo, the batter is poured into a hot skillet, and the fillings are added before folding the pancake over. The key to achieving the perfect texture is frying the pancake until it’s crispy on the outside but still soft and flavorful on the inside. This dish can also be made healthier using an air fryer, though traditionally, it’s cooked in a hot pan with oil to achieve the signature crispiness.
Serving Suggestions
Bánh Xèo is typically enjoyed by wrapping a piece of the pancake in fresh lettuce leaves, adding herbs like mint or cilantro, and dipping it into nước chấm, a sweet and savory Vietnamese dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, sugar, and chili.
2. Chả Giò – Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls
Chả Giò, also known as Vietnamese fried spring rolls, are a popular appetizer or snack. These rolls are stuffed with a mixture of ground pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles, wrapped in rice paper, and then deep-fried to a golden brown. The result is a crispy, flavorful treat that pairs perfectly with fresh greens and dipping sauce.
How It’s Made
The fillings are mixed together and then tightly wrapped in rice paper before being fried in hot oil. The use of an oil fryer fritadeira eletrica com oleoensures that the rolls come out with a golden, crunchy exterior, though some people may opt for an air fryer for a healthier alternative that still delivers great texture.
Serving Suggestions
Chả Giò is often served alongside a plate of lettuce, herbs, and noodles. To eat, wrap the roll in a lettuce leaf with some herbs, then dip it in nước chấm for an explosion of flavors and textures.
3. Cá Chiên – Vietnamese Fried Fish
Fried fish, or Cá Chiên, is a simple yet incredibly flavorful dish in Vietnamese cuisine. Fish is typically marinated in a combination of garlic, fish sauce, and spices before being fried to crispy perfection. The crispy exterior contrasts beautifully with the tender, juicy fish inside, making it a favorite among seafood lovers.
How It’s Made
Whole fish or fillets are marinated and then fried in oil until the skin is crispy and golden. Using a deep oil fryer helps achieve an even fry, but smaller pieces of fish can also be cooked in an air fryer for a healthier twist. The fish is often served with a side of rice, herbs, and a dipping sauce to enhance the flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Cá Chiên is usually enjoyed with steamed rice and a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, garlic, and chili. Some variations of this dish are served with a tangy tamarind sauce, adding an extra layer of flavor.
4. Nem Chua Rán – Vietnamese Fried Fermented Pork
Nem Chua Rán is a beloved street food in Vietnam, especially popular among younger generations. This dish consists of fermented pork sausage that’s coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crispy on the outside while remaining tender and flavorful on the inside. The fermentation process gives the pork a slightly tangy taste that pairs well with the crunchy coating.
How It’s Made
The fermented pork sausage is cut into bite-sized pieces, coated in breadcrumbs, and then fried in hot oil until golden brown. Oil fryers are commonly used to achieve that crispy texture, though an air fryer can provide a lighter alternative for home cooks looking to reduce the oil content.
Serving Suggestions
Nem Chua Rán is often served with pickled vegetables and a dipping sauce made from chili and mayonnaise, offering a balance of spicy, tangy, and creamy flavors.
5. Bánh Gối – Vietnamese Fried Dumplings
Bánh Gối, or Vietnamese fried dumplings, are similar to empanadas and are filled with a mixture of ground pork, mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles. The dumplings are wrapped in a thin dough and then deep-fried to a crispy, golden brown. These dumplings are often enjoyed as a snack or light meal.
How It’s Made
The dough is rolled out into thin circles, filled with the pork and vegetable mixture, then sealed and fried until crispy. While the traditional method uses an oil fryer for the best crunch, some home cooks might use an air fryer to achieve a similar effect with less oil.
Serving Suggestions
Bánh Gối is often served with fresh herbs, lettuce, and nước chấm for dipping. The crispy exterior and flavorful filling make it a crowd favorite at family gatherings or street food stalls.
6. Tôm Chiên – Vietnamese Fried Shrimp
Fried shrimp, or Tôm Chiên, is another favorite among lovers of Vietnamese fried foods. Shrimp are marinated in spices and then coated in a light batter before being deep-fried. The result is crispy, flavorful shrimp that can be eaten on their own or served with a side of rice.
How It’s Made
Shrimp are cleaned, marinated, and then dipped in batter before being fried. The light batter ensures the shrimp stay crispy but not overly greasy. Air fryers can be used as a healthier alternative to achieve a similar crispy texture without the added oil.
Serving Suggestions
Tôm Chiên is often served with a side of rice and dipping sauce, making it a delicious and satisfying meal. Some variations of this dish include a coconut-based batter, adding an extra layer of sweetness and richness.
Conclusion
Fried Vietnamese food offers a crispy, flavorful experience that appeals to all kinds of food lovers. Whether you’re using an oil fryer for that deep, golden crunch or opting for a healthier air fryer, you can recreate these delicious Vietnamese dishes at home with ease. From crispy pancakes and spring rolls to fried fish and dumplings, there’s no shortage of flavorful fried delights in Vietnamese cuisine that will keep you coming back for more.