Vietnamese Vegetables: TOP exotic vegetables you must try while in Vietnam

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Vietnamese vegetables are popular in meals (Source: Collected)

Vietnamese vegetables have pivotal roles to play in the culinary culture of Vietnam. They regularly appear in many meals with different cooking methods. On your Vietnam travel itinerary, you will surely try tasty dishes from Vietnamese vegetables at least once. For an incredible culinary experience, do not miss the valuable and detailed information below. 

1. Flower Vegetables – Best Vietnamese vegetables for salad and stir-fry recipes

1.1. Bap Chuoi (Banana Flower)

Among Vietnamese vegetables, Banana Flower (Bap chuoi in Vietnamese) is chosen by many people to prepare unique rustic dishes thanks to the nutrients contained in this flower.

Banana flower is rich in fiber and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this Vietnamese veggie is beneficial for supporting diabetes and anemia treatments, regulating menstruation, and reducing inflammation.

Among dishes related to Vietnamese vegetables, banana blossom salad (nom hoa chuoi) is considered one of the most popular Vietnamese vegetable salad recipes. Banana flower is combined with many other Vietnamese vegetables and herbs to make an extremely appealing dish. Its sour, sweet flavors are suitable to enjoy in summer. In addition, the banana flower is favored when cooked with eel.

Many recipes related to Vietnamese vegetables are made of banana flowers (Source: Collected)

1.2. Hoa Thien Ly (Telosma Cordata)

Telosma Cordata (Hoa thien ly) is one of the healthy Vietnamese vegetables. It is characterized by its sweetness and intense aroma, making family meals unforgettable. Telosma cordata is regarded as a sedative that helps treat insomnia, cool down, relieve pain, and prevent rashes.

To enjoy the most delicious Telosma cordata dish, you should stir-fry it with shrimp, beef, or chicken. In addition, its taste is wonderful when it is cooked with pork or crab to create an aromatic sweet soup. When preparing dishes with this flower vegetable, you should avoid overcooking so as not to reduce the nutrients of the flowers.

Telosma cordata enhances the flavor Vietnamese vegetable dishes (Source: Collected)

1.3. Hoa Bi Ngoi (Squash Blossoms)

Squash blooms (Hoa Bi Ngoi in Vietnamese) are male flowers on the pumpkin tree. They are rich in vitamin A, which is good for health.

Squash blossoms are an ingredient in simple dishes such as boiled or steamed squash blossoms, garlic stir-fried squash blossoms, and squash blossoms stir-fried with beef. Alternatively, stuffing raw squash blossoms with mushrooms or lobster is a typical Vietnamese vegetable recipe to enhance the flavors and boost the nutrition of the squash blossoms.

The fresh textures of squash blossoms (Source: Collected)

>>> Read more: Vietnamese food: List of 17 must-try specialties over 3 regions to complete your culinary experience in Vietnam! 

2. Leafy Vegetables – Best Vietnamese vegetables to make soup

2.1. Rau Muong (Morning Glory)

Of all leafy vegetables, Morning glory (Rau Muong in Vietnamese) is the most popular. It is common to see morning glory in markets or supermarkets. Moreover, morning glory is easy to plant and can grow well throughout the country, both on land and in water.

Morning glory is added to many dishes related to Vietnamese vegetables as a primary ingredient. The common vegetable can be prepared in various ways, such as by making salads and stir-frying it with garlic or meat. Many restaurants in Vietnam serve this dish as well. 

However, eating a lot of morning glory is not recommended for people with joint pain, gout, or high blood pressure. In particular, people with skin wounds should avoid it because the vegetable stimulates the growth of certain cells, leading to keloid scars. Notably, morning glory has a parasite called intestinal fluke that can easily enter the body when eaten raw or not thoroughly processed. 

Morning glory is one of the Vietnamese vegetables offered in markets or supermarkets (Source: Collected)

2.2. Rau Mong Toi (Malabar Spinach)

People can easily differentiate Malabar spinach (Rau mong toi) from other Vietnamese vegetables thanks to the green and purple color of the stem and heart-shaped leaves. Malabar spinach is inherently cool, so it is a popular vegetable in summer. 

Malabar spinach can be used to cook soups with shrimp or meat. Those Vietnamese veggie dishes are also good for your health because they reduce blood sugar and osteoarthritis symptoms. It is a particularly nutritious green for children. Its sweetness and delicate texture benefit their digestive systems.

However, people with gout, diarrhea, and kidney stones should avoid eating malabar spinach because the vegetable contains a lot of purine that will convert to uric acid when it enters the body. The high level of uric acid in the blood is the root cause of such diseases.  

Dishes from Vietnamese vegetables, such as Malabar spinach, are suitable for summer (Source: Collected)

2.3. Cai Cuc (Crown Daisy)

Crown daisy, called Cai cuc in Vietnamese, is a familiar Vietnamese veggie. Crown daisy is high in vitamins A, C, iron, and calcium and has a bittersweet flavor.

Crown daisy is an important ingredient of the classic dish, crown daisy soup. Besides, the vegetable is frequently prepared in stews and stir-fries. In particular, this vegetable is favored when being served in a hotpot or Vietnamese vegetable noodle soup. 

Vietnamese medicine recognizes the benefits of the crown daisy. Thanks to its cooling properties, it is frequently used to treat fever, sore throats, and respiratory infections.

Among the features of Vietnamese vegetables, a slightly bitter and sweet flavor of Crown daisy is typical (Source: Collected)

>>> Read more: Vietnamese street food: 15 good-tasting dishes that can be hardly ignored to discover the diverse cuisine in Vietnam!

2.4. Cai Xanh (Mustard Greens)

It would be a miss if Mustard greens (Cai xanh in Vietnamese) were absent from the list of Vietnamese vegetables. Its leaves are the same size as an adult’s hand. They have a slightly bitter taste and intense flavor. 

Mustard greens are partly associated with Vietnamese cuisine. They go well with a traditional ingredient – ginger to make distinctive mustard greens soup. More impressively, pairing mustard greens with anabas (ca ro dong in Vietnamese) helps to create an irresistible and perfect dish because the strong flavor of the mustard greens helps to remove the fishy smell of anabas.

Mustard greens paired with anabas make a perfect dish (Source: Collected)

2.5. Cai Thia (Bok Choy)

Bok choy, called Cai thia in Vietnamese, is shorter than other Vietnamese vegetables, with a fat stem and a white base to the sheath. Adding bok choy to meals can help prevent cancer, support digestion, be good for the eyes, reduce high blood pressure, and support weight loss. Therefore, it is a favorite choice for health-conscious consumers. 

In Vietnamese cuisine, bok choy is frequently stir-fried with garlic, beef, or shiitake mushrooms. Besides, stewed dishes are more delicious if bok choy is added to create a subtly sweet sauce. Because of its health benefits and appealing flavor, this kind of Vietnamese vegetable is frequently served in restaurants.

Bok choy can be used to make many dishes (Source: Collected)

2.6. Rau Ngot (Katuk)

Katuk, known as Rau ngot in Vietnamese, is one of the distinctive Vietnamese vegetables. It is easy to plant katuk, and the vegetable grows quickly. Pests or diseases are rare on katuk, so pesticides are unnecessary or even useless to the growth of this vegetable, making it safe and healthy to eat.

It is commonly used as a significant component of soup. Besides, you should try katuk soup with chopped shrimp or pork if you are seeking an excellent Vietnamese vegetable soup recipe.

However, glucocorticoids in the katuk interfere with the absorption of phosphorus and calcium in the body. Therefore, people with rickets, osteoporosis, or calcium deficiency should eat less katuk.

Katuk is easy to grow and rarely gets diseases, so it is good for health (Source: Collected)

>>> Read more: Vietnamese noodles: A symbol of the country’s rich and diverse cuisine to try the best noodle dishes!

3. Root Vegetables – Exotic Vietnamese vegetables you should try at least once

3.1. Cu Sen (Lotus Root)

Lotus root, or Cu Sen in Vietnamese—a nutritious part of lotus—is one of the indispensable Vietnamese vegetables. Lotus root is rich in fiber, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and iron and is especially low in fat and sugar. Besides, lotus root has a sweet taste and moderate crispness. 

Due to its nutritional value, lotus root is the main ingredient in many Vietnamese vegetable soup recipes, such as vegan lotus root mixed mushroom soup (canh cu sen nam) and lotus root soup with pork ribs and peanuts (canh cu sen suon non). Those dishes are usually served on Vietnam’s special occasions, such as Tet holidays, weddings, and celebrations. Another great and frugal dish made from lotus root is the Vietnamese lotus root salad, which features a refreshing taste. 

Lotus root is high in nutrients (Source: Collected)

3.2. Cu Au (Water Caltrop)

One of the next exotic Vietnamese root vegetables is Water caltrop (Cu Au in Vietnamese). One water caltrop contains approximately 49% starch and 10.3% protein. Besides, it is rich in fiber, which helps promote the growth of probiotic bacteria, which is beneficial for the digestive system. Eating a lot of water caltrop can also help improve cardiovascular health and blood pressure due to its magnesium, manganese, and potassium content. 

Water caltrop is versatile and easy to prepare. There are many simple recipes to make many delicious dishes from Walter caltrop, such as water caltrop juice, boiled water caltrop, and water caltrop porridge.

Making water caltrop dishes is simple (Source: Collected)

>>> Read more: Vietnamese spring rolls: Explore one of the world’s best foods to taste the most delicious Vietnamese vegetable rolls!

4. Fruit Vegetables – Perfect ingredients for Vietnamese vegetable soup recipes

4.1. Kho Qua – Muop dang (Bitter Melon)

On the list of Vietnamese fruit vegetables, Bitter melon (Muop dang in Vietnamese) is familiar. As its name suggests, this type of vegetable has a bitter taste. However, many nutrients in bitter melon are advantageous to our health. Bitter melon helps reduce blood sugar and supports the treatment of diabetes and weight loss.

Bitter melon can be used to prepare a variety of simple but delicious dishes. The most popular dishes are bitter melon stir-fried with eggs and stuffed bitter melon soup. 

Bitter melon, a Vietnamese vegetable, is characterized by a bitter taste (Source: Collected)

4.2. Su Su (Chayote)

Chayote, or Su su in Vietnamese, is a typical Vietnamese fruit vegetable. Like many other Vietnamese vegetables, chayote provides numerous essential fibers, minerals, and vitamins. Alongside its nutritional values, it is low in fat and calories, making it efficient in controlling blood sugar, promoting a healthy weight, and supporting the digestive system. 

Despite being classified as a fruit, chayote can be prepared as ordinary vegetables with simple cooking methods, such as boiling or roasting. Besides, stuffed chayote soup is also appealing thanks to the blend of various tastes from pork, chayote, and other herbs.

Chayote is considered a simple but nutritious Vietnamese fruit vegetable (Source: Collected)

>>> Read more: Vietnamese tea (Tra): Explore the cultural highlights of this popular drink for more beverage experience!

4.3. Qua Bi (Wax Gourd)

Wax gourd (Qua bi) is a popular fruit in most Vietnamese marketplaces but is prepared as green vegetables. With cooling properties like many other Vietnamese vegetables, wax gourd is a favorite choice for detoxifying and reducing weight. 

Wax gourd can be prepared separately, such as by making jam, juice, or tea to help detox and cool down on hot days, but it can also be combined with other ingredients to boost its nutritional value and create delicious and appealing dishes, such as wax gourd soup with meatballs and stir-fried wax gourd with shrimps.  

Wax gourd helps to cool down effectively on sunny days (Source: Collected)

4.4. Muop (Sponge Gourd)

Sponge gourd (Muop in Vietnamese) is the final name in the list of Vietnamese vegetables. It is easy to see this vegetable in many rustic meals in Vietnam. It is cheap, delectable, easy to eat, and simple to prepare. Also, sponge gourd has a sweet taste.

In Vietnamese meals, sponge gourd is usually used for cooking sponge gourd soup or stir-fried sponge gourd. To enhance its flavor, some people may pair it with peanuts to create a nutty flavor or mix it with shrimp, chicken gizzards, or meat for a sweeter taste.  

Sponge gourd can combine with many other ingredients to create delicious Vietnamese vegetable dishes (Source: Collected)

In addition to exploring Vietnamese cuisine, you would regret missing out on tourism in Vietnam. There are many famous breathtaking tourist attractions in this beautiful nation, such as Hoi An, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc. They are known as unmissable places due to their distinctive beauty and awaiting activities.  

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When you visit the places above, consider accommodation issues to have a flawless trip. Among many lodging brands, the Vinpearl system of hotels and resorts is recommended for its top-notch standards. While staying here, tourists are offered a wide selection of high-end lodging options, including hotels, resorts, spas, golf courses, conference centers, etc.

Besides accommodation amenities, tourists should be concerned about the recreational experience as well. It is recommended to experience the world-class entertainment system VinWonders. VinWonders owns a theme park and some amusement parks that promise to bring you an unforgettable vacation in Vietnam. Coming here, tourists can:

• Indulge in the endless system of daytime and nighttime entertainment activities, ranging from indoor or outdoor games to thrilling ones.
• Immerse yourselves in excellent art performances and countless cultural experiences.
• Check in at signature spots to capture special moments.
• Experience exceptional food and beverage, including buffets, set menus, fast food, etc., at top-rated restaurants or food kiosks.

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Vietnam is well known for its diverse cuisine. The information above only focuses on Vietnamese vegetables, which are popular in many Vietnamese meals. Each vegetable has a distinct flavor but high nutritional value, and trying Vietnamese veggie recipes is an unforgettable experience. So make sure to enjoy tasty dishes made from the above Vietnamese vegetables to explore the culinary culture of Vietnam when you plan to visit the lovely country. 

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