© Copyright 1995-2023, Clay Irving <clay@panix.com>, Manhattan Beach, CA USA
| Vietnamese Word | Meaning |
| bánh | Cake, bread, pie, pastry |
| bánh phở | Rice noodles, rice sticks |
| bánh tráng | Rice paper used as Chả Giò wrappers. Rice papers are thin wrappers made from rice flour (sometimes in combination with tapioca starch), salt and water and are sun-dried on bamboo trays, which give them their distinctive pattern. They're available in round, square and triangular shapes. Dried rice papers are reconstituted in warm water until pliable. |
| bò | Cow, beef |
| bọc | To wrap, cover, pack as in Cáng Cua Bọc Tôm, crab covered with shrimp |
| bún | Soft noodles made of rice flour, vermicelli. Sold as rice sticks, these dried small, wiry noodles are used extensively in Vietnamese cuisine to make noodle salads and soups. More fragile than pasta, they need less cooking time. |
| cá | Fish |
| cá mắm | Salted fish |
| cà | Eggplant |
| cà chua | Tomato |
| canh | Vietnamese soup or broth |
| cua | Crab |
| cua bể | Sea Crab |
| cháo | Rice gruel, congee |
| chanh | Lime or lemon |
| chiên | To fry |
| chua | To be sour, acidic |
| cơm | Cooked rice, food |
| dòn | To be crispy |
| dầu hào | Oyster Sauce. A thick brown sauce made from oyster extract, salt, sugar and spices, this seasoning ingredient is used to add savoriness to Chinese-style dishes. It is used to coat meats and seafood, giving them a shiny, succulent look. |
| đậu phóng | Peanut |
| đầu | Head |
| đầu cá | Fish head |
| gà | Chicken |
| gỏi | A Special Vietnamese dish made of raw fish and vegetables |
| gỏi xoài | Green mango salad |
| gừng | Ginger |
| hấp | To steam |
| heo | Pig |
| hành | Scallion, spring onion |
| hành hương | Shallot |
| kho | To boil with nước mắm or tương |
| khô | To be or become dry |
| khô mực | Dried squid |
| khoai tây | Potato |
| lá chanh | Lime leaves |
| khoai chiên | Potato chips or French fries |
| lá lốt | ชะพลู (cha plu) in Thai, is a wild pepper leaf, Piper sarmentosum. Sometimes wrongly identified as Piper betle, which doesn't have glossy and tender leaves. The leaves are heart-shaped, light green when young and shiny dark green when mature. The upper side of the leaf is smooth while the underside is somewhat rough. The leaf has a pleasant fragrance and a refreshing taste. I once had it served with laab muu as a wrapper for the minced pork. |
| mắm nêm | Anchovy sauce. Don't confuse it with fish sauce! |
| mắm tôm | Shrimp paste |
| măng tây | Asparagus |
| nấu | To cook, boil |
| nấm | Mushroom |
| nước | Water |
| nước mắm | Fish sauce |
| nước chấm | Sauce |
| nước dùng | Broth |
| nước màu | Caramel Sauce |
| nước tương | Yellow bean sauce |
| nướng | Roast, barbeque, broil, grill, toast |
| ngâm | To soak, marinade |
| ngò | Cilantro |
| ớt | Pepper, chile |
| ớt khô | Dried chiles |
| phi | To fry [onions], brown |
| phở | Noodles served with beef, chicken, etc. |
| rau | Leafy green vegetables |
| rau cải | Mustard green |
| rau cải-xoong | Watercress |
| rau cần | Celery |
| rau diếp | Lettuce |
| rau muống | Spinach |
| rau quế | Basil. The Vietnamese grow a sharp-tasting basil often called Thai basil. Its leaves are long and narrow and tinged with bronze and its flowers are purple. |
| rau răm | Vietnamese cilantro (Persicaria odorata, syn. Polygonum odoratum, Polygonaceae) — Also called Vietnamese coriander, Vietnamese mint, Cambodian mint and hot mint. In Malaysia and Singapore it is called daun kesom or daun laksa (laksa leaf). In Thailand, it is called pak pai (ผักไผ่). |
| rau thơm | Mint leaves, fragrant greens, herbs — The Vietnamese eat an enormous amount of fresh herbs. A family meal often consists of a table salad, which includes lettuce and different varieties of mint and basil. To eat, diners just snip off the sprigs and add to their bowls or plates, creating little salads as they go. Fresh herbs are also used as garnishes and accompaniments to soups, salads, and noodle dishes. Herbs common to the Vietnamese table include: Thai basil, lemongrass, mint, saw-leaf, and Vietnamese coriander. Garlic, hot peppers, shallots, and scallions also play a key role in the cuisine. |
| sốt tương | Hoisin sauce. |
| sườn | Rib |
| tai | Ear, as in Tai Heo Ngâm Chua (Pickled Pigs' Ears) |
| tái | Rare meat |
| thịt | Pork, meat |
| tộ | Big bowl |
| tôm | Shrimp or prawn |
| tương | Thick soy sauce, soybean jam |
| tương hot | Bean sauce made from whole or crushed fermented soybeans, this sharp-tasting sauce is used to season stir-fries and to make sauces. When used in a dipping sauce (such as one served with salad rolls), it's generally cooked with vinegar, puréed onions and sometimes sticky rice, then garnished with chilies and ground peanuts. |
| tương ớt tới | Ground Chili Paste. An important condiment, this fiery sauce is made with coarsely ground red chilies, garlic and vinegar. It's used to garnish sauces and noodle and rice dishes. |
| viên | To roll into balls, as in Thịt Bò Viên (Beef Balls) |
| với | With, together with |
| xả | Lemongrass |
| xả | To wash, rinse |
| xào | To stir-fry [sliced meats] with onions, vegetables and a small amount of sauce |
| xèo | Rice cake |