Hmong cuisine
Encyclopedia
Hmong cuisine is the cuisine of the Hmong people
, found mostly in Southeast Asia, China and the Hmong American
community in the United States. It is unique, but has Lao, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese
influences. Hmong cuisine varies somewhat by region.
, which is usually eaten with a variety of vegetables, hot pepper and boiled or fried meat if it is available. Hmong cuisine is characterized by the use of a wide variety of spices and herbs, including hot pepper (usually Thai
), lemongrass, cilantro, garlic
, green onions
, mint
and ginger
. Fish sauce
, oyster sauce
, soy sauce
, sriracha sauce and hoisin sauce
are also used prevalently.
typically eat three meals a day and do not usually snack in between meals. Each meal includes white rice and usually vegetables and a smaller portion of meat. The meat and vegetables are usually stir fried, steamed or boiled. Hot pepper (kua txob) is usually served as a side at most meals. The types of food prepared for different mealtimes do not vary widely, although more preparation is typically put into breakfast and dinner. Meals are eaten in a communal manner with food being placed in the center. For large cultural gatherings the men eat first, followed by the women and children.
was not written until the 1950s, Hmong cuisine has been until recently a purely oral tradition.
Cooking from the Heart: The Hmong Kitchen in America
http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/S/scripter_cooking.html
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
, found mostly in Southeast Asia, China and the Hmong American
Hmong American
A Hmong American is a resident of the United States who is of ethnic Hmong descent. Hmong Americans are one group of Asian Americans. Many Lao Hmong war refugees resettled in the U.S. following the communist takeover of Laos in 1975...
community in the United States. It is unique, but has Lao, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
influences. Hmong cuisine varies somewhat by region.
Ingredients
The Hmong staple food is white riceWhite rice
White rice is the name given to milled rice that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. This alters the flavour, texture and appearance of the rice and helps prevent spoilage and extend its storage life. After milling, the rice is polished, resulting in a seed with a bright, white, shiny...
, which is usually eaten with a variety of vegetables, hot pepper and boiled or fried meat if it is available. Hmong cuisine is characterized by the use of a wide variety of spices and herbs, including hot pepper (usually Thai
Thai pepper
Bird's eye chili or "Thai chili" is a chili pepper of the species Capsicum frutescens L. in the family Solanaceae, commonly found in South-east Asia. It can also be found in India, mainly Kerala, where it is used in traditional dishes of the Kerala cuisine...
), lemongrass, cilantro, garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, green onions
Scallion
Scallions , are the edible plants of various Allium species, all of which are "onion-like", having hollow green leaves and lacking a fully developed root bulb.-Etymology:The words...
, mint
Mentha
Mentha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae . The species are not clearly distinct and estimates of the number of species varies from 13 to 18. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally...
and ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
. Fish sauce
Fish sauce
Fish sauce is a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment. It is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in numerous cultures in Southeast Asia and the coastal regions of East Asia, and features heavily in Thai and Vietnamese...
, oyster sauce
Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from sugar, salt and water thickened with cornstarch, flavoured with a little oyster essence or extract and some versions may be darkened with caramel, though high...
, soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
, sriracha sauce and hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce, or haixian sauce, is a Chinese dipping sauce. The word hoisin is a romanization of the Chinese word for seafood "" as pronounced in Cantonese.-Ingredients:...
are also used prevalently.
Meals
Hmong peopleHmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
typically eat three meals a day and do not usually snack in between meals. Each meal includes white rice and usually vegetables and a smaller portion of meat. The meat and vegetables are usually stir fried, steamed or boiled. Hot pepper (kua txob) is usually served as a side at most meals. The types of food prepared for different mealtimes do not vary widely, although more preparation is typically put into breakfast and dinner. Meals are eaten in a communal manner with food being placed in the center. For large cultural gatherings the men eat first, followed by the women and children.
Cookbooks
As the Hmong languageHmong language
Hmong or Mong is the common name for a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmong–Mien/Miao–Yao language family spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, northern Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos...
was not written until the 1950s, Hmong cuisine has been until recently a purely oral tradition.
Cooking from the Heart: The Hmong Kitchen in America
http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/S/scripter_cooking.html