Greater Mekong: A Culinary Journey from China to Vietnam

352 Pages·2012·24.14 MB·English

by  Luke Nguyen

CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
INTRODUCTION
CHINA
KUNMING
DALI & SHAXI
LIJIANG
XISHUANGBANNA
MYANMAR
YANGON
INLE LAKE
KENGTUNG
THAILAND
CHIANG KHONG
MAE SALONG
CHIANG MAI
LAOS
VIENTIANE
LUANG PRABANG
4000 ISLANDS
CAMBODIA
SIEM REAP
PHNOM PENH
KEP & KAMPOT
VIETNAM
CHAU DOC
CAI BE
BEN TRE
GLOSSARY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
COPYRIGHT PAGE
Introduction
Vietnam is a country I have been returning to for the past ten years, to deepen
my understanding of its culture and its diverse regional cuisine. On each visit I
would spend my days visiting home cooks, street vendors and cottage industries,
from the northern mountains of Sapa through to the cosmopolitan city of Saigon,
then further south to the Mekong Delta, visiting my uncles, aunties and cousins
who live right on the banks of the Mekong River.
We would wake early in the mornings and jump straight into the river to freshen
up. The women would then spend most of the day harvesting rice from the green
paddies, while the men fished for mudfish, tilapia and snakehead fish, and
children picked plump succulent mangoes, jackfruit, lychees and durian from the
orchards. All the produce was then packed onto longboats to begin the eight-
hour journey up the Mekong to the wholesale markets in Saigon.
My family’s entire livelihood revolved around the Mekong. This abundant river
irrigated their rice crops and fruit orchards, supplied hundreds of kilos of fish
each day and was their main means of transport.
I began to appreciate how many Vietnamese families along the Mekong Delta
rely solely on the river to survive. It was then I realised that it isn’t simply the
people of Vietnam who depend on the mighty Mekong to sustain their lives.
The Mekong is the twelfth longest river in the world, and the heart and soul of
mainland South-East Asia. Over 60 million people depend on the river and its
tributaries for food, water, transport and many other aspects of their daily lives.
The river also supports one of the world’s most diverse fisheries, nurturing over
1500 different species of fish within its vast ecosystem.
I decided to embark on a journey to explore the many countries along the
Mekong that use the river every day for nourishment and life. I wanted to
immerse myself in the culture and lifestyles of the people in the Greater Mekong
region and learn of the incredibly diverse produce, ingredients and cuisines of
these areas.
My discovery of the Greater Mekong starts where the mighty river begins its
flow from the Tibetan Plateau, making its way down to China’s Yunnan Province
– the most ethnically diverse region in China. I explore the culinary cultures and
centuries-old traditions and stories of the Yunnan, from the Naxi people of
Lijiang to the Dai communities of Xishuangbanna.
Journeying south to Myanmar, I uncover the unique flavours of the former
capital, Yangon. I meet the friendliest and most hospitable people that I have
ever encountered, and learn the family recipes of Inle Lake communities and
cook with the hill tribes of the Shan State.
I then cross the border into northern Thailand. Beginning in Chiang Khong, and
then in Mae Salong and Chiang Mai, I learn from local fishermen, home cooks
and Akha grandmothers that the mighty Mekong River is more than just a source
of food – it is a way of life.
My journey continues down the lower Mekong to Laos, where I discover
unusual ingredients and unique dishes that surprise my senses. I start in the
country’s capital, Vientiane, where I glean a better understanding of the cuisine,
and the many influences that have shaped it to become the ‘next big flavour’ to
hit the Western world. I then visit the nation’s food capital, Luang Prabang,
where I experience the seven-day celebrations of the Lao New Year, and sample
the wonderful street food this charming colonial town has to offer.
I travel further south to 4000 Islands, where the Mekong River spills across and
around a giant expanse of rocks, rapids and islands on its way down to
Cambodia. This stunning area has some of the most unusual fish and insect
dishes in the country.
As I cross over to Cambodia, I am overwhelmed by the people’s stories,
resilience, and their passion for their cuisine and culture. Throughout the
country, beginning in Siem Reap, I meet inspiring cooks who are striving to
bring back ancient Khmer food and put their cuisine back on the world map.
Further south, I arrive in the capital, Phnom Penh, where in just a few moments
one can see and feel the true Cambodia: the contradictory contrast of the old and
new, poor and rich, harsh and kind, honest and corrupt. In Phnom Penh I sample
everything from rustic street food to high-end dining, but what stays true is the
authenticity of Khmer cuisine.
The Mekong River flows further south through Cambodia to Kep and Kampot,
known to have the best crab, squid and green peppercorns in all of South-East
Asia.
A simple short walk across some white lines and a boom gate, and I’m in my
mother country, Vietnam. Here I travel with my parents, digging deeper, wanting
to learn more about the lives of the Vietnamese people along the Mekong Delta.
We start in Chau Doc, where I sample the world-class fermented fish and the
country’s best roast suckling pig.
I continue by boat to Cai Be, where river meets land, to visit the colourful
vibrant floating markets, and spend time at local cottage industries learning age-
old cooking techniques.
My Greater Mekong adventure sadly ends in Ben Tre, where I am taught
everything there is to know about the coconut tree. And it is in Ben Tre that I am
initiated by the locals, coaxed into eating mice and live coconut worms, finally
becoming a true Vietnamese man.