Ingredient Guides
The building blocks ofVietnamese flavor.
Understanding ingredients is the first technique. Nga reads fish sauce the way a sommelier reads a wine — color, aroma, salinity — and teaches you to do the same.
Nước
Fish Sauce
Nước MắmSalty / umami
The seasoning backbone. Nga reads color, aroma and salinity the way a sommelier reads a wine — not all bottles are equal.
Sả
Lemongrass
SảAromatic
Bruised and minced at different moments — the lower stalk for oil, the tender core for the bowl.
Hồi
Star Anise
Hồi / Bát HươngSpice
A single pod can carry a broth. Two can dominate it. Measure by scent, not by weight.
Gạo
Rice
GạoFoundation
Jasmine for the table, broken grain for cháo — the variety decides the texture before you cook.
Ớt
Bird's-Eye Chili
ỚtHeat
Heat that is added late and read in small increments. You can always add; you cannot take away.
Rau
Thai Basil & Herbs
Rau ThơmFresh aroma
The finishing layer. Picked, not chopped, and never cooked to death.