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While the food of Vietnam has been influenced to a certain
extent by the cooking of the Chinese, it would not be mistaken for
Chinese food, for true Vietnamese food has a character and flavor all
its own. Instead of using soy sauce, there is the universal use of fish
sauce, nuoc mam or nuoc cham, which is added during cooking. Nuoc Man is
more pungent than other Southeast Asian fish sauces. If it is not
available, add a little dried shrimp paste to Chinese fish sauce for a
good substitute. But nuoc mam sauce which is served as an accompaniment
with practically everything, is based on nuoc mam with the addition of
fresh chilies, garlic, sugar, lime or lemon and vinegar. The flavor is
sharper and more pungent than anything the Chinese cuisine has to offer. |