Chapter 9
SOUTHEAST ASIAN CUISINE
OBJECTIVES:
To classify distinctive flavor of every Southeast Asian cuisine and its influence
Analyze the historical attributes and influence of Southeast Asian countries that contributes an
impact to their cuisine
To compare other intemational culinary dishes, delicacies, and local favorites
INTRODUCTION
Southeast Asia, a region of Asia of over 1,740,000 square miles, bordered by the Indian
subcontinent on the west, China on the north, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. The name
"Southeast Asia came into popular use after World War II and has replaced such phrases as
Further India," "East Indies," "Indo-China," and "Malay Peninsula," which formerly designated
all or part of the region. Southeast Asia includes the Indochina Peninsula, which juts into the
South China Sea, the Malay Peninsula, and the Indonesian and Philippine archipelagos. The
region has ten independent countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Peninsular Southeast Asia is a rugged region traversed by many mountains and drained by great
nvers such as the Thanlwin, Ayeyarwady, Chao Phraya, and Mekong. Insular Southeast Asia is
made up of numerous volcanic and coral islands. Overall, the region has a generally tropical
rainy climate, except for the northwestern part, which has a humid sub-tropical climate. The wet
monsoon winds are vital for the economic well-being of the region. Tropical forests cover most
of the area. Rice is the chief crop of the region; rubber, tea, spices, and coconuts are also
important.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Early People and Traditions. Many ethnic groups are thought to have been the early inhabitants
of The Southeast Asian region, including Mon (in Myanmar). Thai (in Laos and Thailand),
Khmer (in Cambodia), Malay (in Malaysia), and Han (throughout China and Southeast Asia).
Because they lived in different areas, their dietsfeatured numerous differences although they
also had some similarities. One similarity was the reliance on rice as the main component of
their diet.
Many also made a sauce out of fermented fish-nam pla [nam-PLA] in Thai and nước mắm (noo-
OK mam in Vietnamese-or a paste from fermented shrimp. Both preparations still exist in
Southeast Aslan
cuisine today.
Chinese. Over the centuries, the Chinese have migrated into the countries of Southeast Asia and
have broughtwith them their customs and cooking habits. Many of the ethnic groups of
Southeast Asia can be traced backto parts of Southern China and numerous techniques and
common cooked his are in both cultures. Stir-frying frost likely were part of those who migrated
from China to this area. In addition, techniques of making pickled food products, rice noodles,
and wheat noodles are also believed to have been introduced to the Southeast Asian region by
the Chinese. Other important introductions from China include soy sauce, Mar anise, fermented
bean sauce, bean curd, wok, and chopsticks.
Indian. It is believed that are of Southeast Asia ware, at times, either part of the Indian Empire
of under techniques are found in Southeast Asian cuisine. Indian spices flowed into this region
and became a major part of the cuisine of this area because of the trade and interaction between
the people of india and Southeast Asia. Some the Indian spices and vegetables that are common
in Southeast Asian cuisine include tamarind, lumenc ginger, gourds, onions, and garlic
One of india's major contributions to the cuisine of Southeast Asia was the practice of making
spice blends-in particular, wet spice blends that are often referred to as curries by Westerners. In
many part of SoutheastAsia, the freshly made spice blends lend much of the aromatic flavor to
the dishes, making them so distinct. Although many of the ingredients for making these dishes
may not come from ind such as galangal and kaffir lime, the technique for making and using
them does Portuguese, The Portuguese traders of the 16th century set up posts in Malaysia and
Indonesia, and
the flowof ingredients from Europe and, eventually, the Americas thus increased. Ingredients
from the New World changed the cuisine in this region forever. Chilies were adopted and are
now one of the dominant seasonings throughout much of Southeast Asia. Other important crop
food products from the Americas that entered the Southeast Asian cuisines include com, beans,
peanuts, cashews, papaya, cassava, tomatoes, and potatoes. Like chilies, these crops were
adopted and became an integral part of the region's cuisine. Papayas are commonly used in
salads, peanuts are used for oil or making sauces, beans are a common vegetable, cassavais used
to make flour, and tomatoes are added to stews and salads
French Colonization. After repeated attempts to establish a colony in Southeast Asia, the French
were successful in the late 19th century and gained control of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Vietnam was the onlyone who was the most heavily influenced by the French out of all three
(3) countries. The Vietnamese sandwich, banh mi [BAN mee), are made with baguettes, and the
famous north Vietnamese soup called pho (fun) is believed to be strongly influenced by the
French penchant for making stocks. The French also introduced coffee and coffee culture in
Southeast Asia, which was adopted by the Vietnamese