Vegetarianism is not only a need of Buddhists anymore, but it has become an indispensable part of daily life in many countries. Vietnamese are also aware of the amazing benefits of vegetarianism or eating a variety of vegetables, beans, and fruits: it helps to protect health, purify body and mind, and to lose weight. In addition to the above reasons, people choose vegetarian food or reduce the amount of meat in each meal because they find it is delicious, a new eating style that is sustainable or they simply do not want to consume animals, and they want to protect the environment, etc. Some eat veggies when they want to pray or repent for something.
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Vietnamese people have had the opportunity to access “meat-free” diets for a long time, mainly under the influence of religion and diverse tropical agriculture. Many Buddhist followers have had vegetarian meals to pay respects. Not only is it a belief, but these fasting days will help people repent, reduce aggressive natures and live more virtuous lives, help people become healthy, organs in the body function smoothly, and reduce the recurrence of common diseases. The days people eat vegan in the month are normally the 1st, 15th (the full moon day) days according to the Lunar calendar and the month Vu Lan reported filial piety (the seventh lunar month).
The trend of vegetarianism on full moon days is becoming increasingly popular, which can be seen in the fact that restaurants serving vegetarian dishes / vegetarian buffets are usually crowded and busy on those days. Many foreigners who are vegetarian in Vietnam even joke that they should use the lunar calendar on their phones to know which days to eat at home because vegetarian restaurants are crowded that day (photo). In addition, the deliciously prepared vegetarian dishes with the eye-catching presentation, and reasonable prices (only half, or 1/3 of the price of a meal including meats) have also attracted many people to come and enjoy them on weekdays.
Vietnam is naturally endowed with a tropical climate, with monsoons, abundant sunshine, abundant rainfall, and high humidity. This has greatly contributed to the cultivation of rich and eye-catching vegetables, tubers and fruits, helping to create amazing meat-free dishes, but still full of nutrients…
Because the number of customers who love vegetarian food is increasing and the requirements to enjoy vegetarian dishes of other foods are also increasing and stricter, the vegetarian dishes are also richer and improved in quality, creating a unique and attractive culinary background that is not inferior to the meat dishes. In terms of quantity, the vegetarian menu at a restaurant can be up to 30-50 dishes, and buffets of nearly a hundred dishes are no longer a strange thing. In terms of food quality, vegan dishes are creatively and beautifully decorated to surprise the diners. The dish is also processed and decorated in many different culinary styles such as pure Vietnamese or Thai, Indian, and European vegetarian cuisine…
You can eat at roadside restaurants and choose to skip meat and dipping fish sauce. In addition, normal restaurants will also serve vegetarian dishes along with meat dishes. There will also be vegan shops in order to take home. Vegetarian snacks such as shredded dried mushrooms are also loved by many people. You can refer to some traditional Vietnamese dishes with vegetarian recipes here.
With the development of vegetarian cuisine, vegetarian restaurants and vegetarian buffets are blooming, especially in big cities such as Hanoi Capital, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang…
Commonly used ingredients in restaurants are seasonal tropical vegetables, tubers, fruits, mushrooms, tofu, and ingredients familiar to Vietnamese cuisine such as rice, rice paper, vermicelli, and pho. These ingredients are spiced and processed into dishes with bold Vietnamese flavor and style. Having vegetarian meals in Vietnam is also an experience worth trying when visiting the country.
