Vegan Vietnamese Recipes - Veggie Anh (2024)

FAQs

What is vegetarian called in Vietnamese? ›

Say, "Tôi ăn chay” to let someone know you're vegetarian, or “không thịt” to ask for no meat in your food. “ Không nước mắm” — no fish sauce — is also an important phrase to use when placing orders. You can add the word 'chay' to request meat-free versions of regular dishes. Like this: Phở chay = vegetarian pho.

Meat-free diets aren't a new concept in Vietnam. The local Buddhist population have been championing plant-based food for yonks! It is one of the many reasons that I spend so much time in Vietnam. Not only is Vietnamese food delicious, but the vegan versions found in local chay (vegetarian) eateries are exceptional.

Most simply, a pescatarian is someone who doesn't eat red meat or poultry, but does eat fish and other seafood. The term pescatarian was coined in the early 1990s and is a combination of the Italian word for fish, “pesce,” and the word “vegetarian.” Sometimes it's spelled “pescetarian,” but this means the same thing.

India. Three of India's major religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — teach the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence towards all beings. Because of this religious tradition, India has the highest percentage of vegetarians out of all the countries in the world.

Veganism in Vietnamese Buddhism

Many Vietnamese Buddhists follow a vegan diet either on a permanent basis, which is known as "trường chay" in Vietnamese, or on particular dates, which is known as "kỳ chay". Those who are kỳ chay eat vegan on specific days of the lunar calendar.

The Vietnamese don't see tofu as a meat replacement for vegetarians, and in fact, many dishes combine meat or seafood and tofu. A few fried tofu pillows tossed in a beef soup soak up flavors and add another texture, an important component of a Vietnamese meal.

Sauces come in many forms and are made in many ways – gravy, salsa, fruit coulis, pan sauces. All of these fall into the broad category of sauces. There are three sauces we make VERY frequently when catering and running events: Veloute, Bechamel, and Hollandaise.

In theory, soy sauce is vegan, as it is only made up of soybeans, wheat, water and wheat which are all, of course, vegan-friendly. However, some manufacturers add ingredients that compromise soy sauce being vegan, using flavour enhancers which are derived from fish or meat.

The benefits of being a pescatarian might get you hooked. Pescatarians have a lot in common with vegetarians. They eat fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, eggs, and dairy, and stay away from meat and poultry. But there's one way they part company from vegetarians: Pescatarians eat fish and other seafood.

What snack foods can vegans eat? ›

So, practice saying “Tôi ăn chay” (I am vegetarian) or “Không thịt” (No meat).

Again keep an eye out for “Phở Chay” – this means they have vegetarian phở. It's usually great to also say “không thịt “ to kindly reiterate that you would like your dish without meat.

If you're vegetarian or vegan, “chay” means that you eat vegetarian food in the same way that Vietnamese Buddhists do—so be sure to bust out that phrase often. While Vietnamese dishes do have a lot of meat, most of them can be made without meat.