Answer these questions were you ever absent from school last semester?

Once being a basic food of farmers and poor families in Vietnam, com tam or broken rice is now a favourite dish of most Vietnamese. It is said that the best broken rice can be found in Saigon. When you come to Saigon, you should try this dish at least one time and you will not regret it.

Com tam literally means broken rice. Broken rice originally consisted of grains which were broken during the harvesting and cleaning of rice. In the past, as most people preferred to eat the long, whole grain rice, broken rice grains were difficult to sell and usually eaten by the Vietnamese working class because of the cheap price. Nowadays, often favored over long grain rice for its unique flavour and texture, broken rice is one of the best-loved fares in Vietnam.

Local broken rice eateries can practically be found on every street in Saigon. A broken rice dish is served with many beautiful colours from grilled pork chop with multi-flavour to steamed egg, shredded pork skin, pickles, vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers ... and especially sweet fish sauce that is the spirit of the dish.

1. Today, com tamis only eaten by poor Vietnamese.

2. Com tamis made from broken rice grains.

3. In the past, most people didn’t eat broken rice grains because they were cheap.

4. It is difficult to find a place to eat com tam in Saigon.

5. The most important part of com tamis sweet fish sauce.

6. Com tamis now a favourite dish of Vietnamese people, especially Saigonese.

Egg coffee, called Cà Phê Trứng in Vietnamese, was first invented by Nguyen Giang in 1946. There was a shortage of milk in Hanoi due to the French War. Mr. Nguyen reatively began adding whisked eggs to his coffee instead.

The original version was a bit, well, eggy. But over time the recipe was modified with the addition of sugar, condensed milk, and even Laughing Cow cheese. No one knows the recipe for sure since it’s a secret recipe. These days Egg Coffee is a staple of Hanoi coffee culture and a must-try while in Hanoi!

What does it taste like? Well it’s incredibly thick and rich and creamy. Closer to a dessert than a beverage. Liquid tiramisu is the most accurate description we’ve heard.

Nguyen Giang still has a café where you can try his famous recipe, or you can grab a cup of Egg Coffee at dozens of coffee shops all over Hanoi.

1. Who invented egg coffee?

2. Why did Nguyen Giang add whisked eggs to his coffee?

3. What is the recipe to make egg coffee nowadays?

4. What does egg coffee taste like?

5. Where can we buy this type of coffee?

Vietnamese food culture varies by regions from the north to the south. In Northern Vietnam, food is characterized by light and balanced. Northern Vietnam is seen to be the cradle of Vietnamese cuisine with many notable dishes like Pho, Bun Rieu, Bun Thang, Bun Cha, BanhCuon, etc. Then, food culture in Northern Vietnam became popular in Central and Southern Vietnam with suitable flavors in each regions.

The regional cuisine of Central Vietnam is famous for its spicy food. Hue cuisine is typical Central Vietnam’s food culture. Food in the region is often used with chili peppers and shrimp sauces, namely, Bun Bo Hue, BanhKhoai, BanhBeo, etc.

In Southern Vietnam, the warm weather and fertile soil create an ideal condition for planting a variety of fruit, vegetables and livestock. Thus, food in the region is often added with garlic, shallots and fresh herbs. Particularly, Southerners are favored of sugar; they add sugar in almost dishes. Some signature dishes from Southern Vietnam include BanhKhot and Bun Mam.

1. It is considered that Vietnamese cuisine __________.

A. originated from the North

B. became more and more popular

C. always combines taste and colour

D. can be found only in Northern Vietnam

2. What are the features of Northern Vietnamese food?

A. It’s delicious and healthy.

B. It’s sweet and sour.

C. It’s light and balanced.

D. It’s a bit fatty and salty.

3. Hue cuisine is notable for its __________.

A. colorful food

B. spicy taste

C. bitter taste

D. light flavor

4. In Southern Vietnam, __________.

A. the warm weather makes it hard to plant fruit and vegetables

B. fresh herbs are always used in cooking

C. people love sweet food

D. sugar is often added to dishes

5. Which of the followings is NOT true?

A. Food in Vietnam changes region to region.

B. Southerners do not like northern food due to its light flavor.

C. Chill peppers and shrimp sauces are among the frequently used ingredients.

D. Bun Bo Hue is a typical dish of the Central Vietnam cuisine.