KOREA FOUNDATION

INTERVIEW

Chef Kim Ye-rin(Nguyễn Thùy Linh),
an Advocate for Vietnamese Food in Korea

Perhaps the best-known food from the ASEAN region in Korea is phở. Originating in Viet Nam, phở is popular for the rich and deep flavor of the broth and rice noodles that are easy on the stomach. In addition to phở, there are many rice-based foods and snacks in Viet Nam. We met and talked to Chef Kim Ye-rin, who came to Korea to introduce Vietnamese food.

Hello. Please introduce yourself to our Monthly ASEAN Culture readers!

Hello. I am Nguyễn Thùy Linh, and I run a small restaurant in Korea. My Korean name is Kim Ye-rin. I’ve been in Korea for about nine years. When I first came to Korea, I was surprised to find so many Vietnamese restaurants here. I didn’t expect that Korean people would like Vietnamese food this much.

September marks the beginning of the harvest season in Korea when many ingredients fully ripen. Which ingredients are harvested in Viet Nam in September?

Produce is in abundance throughout September, with many varieties of fruit being harvested at this time of the year. If you visit Viet Nam in September, I highly recommend tasting some of our tropical fruits, like mangosteen. It is also peak season for harvesting rice, just as it is in Korea. In Viet Nam, though, rice is harvested three times a year. It is difficult to harvest in winter, so it usually ends before November. Annam rice, which is non-sticky and said to be easily digestible, is one of the leading varieties produced there. Because it is a lightweight and aromatic medium-grain rice, it has a very different texture and taste from the short-grain stickyrice generally eaten in Korea. The reason why rice noodles are so light and easy to eat is because they are made of Annam rice.

What is your favorite Korean food? Please tell us the reason, too.

The first dish I had when I came to Korea was japchae, and I still can’t forget the taste. It was totally different from any of the noodles I had eaten in Viet Nam, and I was impressed by the way the flavor and texture of the vegetables and noodles all blended together perfectly. Another dish I started to enjoy after getting married is kimchi jjigae. At first, I couldn’t eat spicy kimchi, but after trying various dishes made of kimchi and serving them to guests, it wasn’t long before I started eating it with every meal.

Are there any Vietnamese foods or snacks made of rice that you would like to recommend to Koreans?

Cơm cháy is a Vietnamese snack similar to Korean rice snacks. It is made by frying rice and minced pork, similar to nurungji. Cơm cháy is popular among both children and adults in Viet Nam. Another dish I recommend is bánh cuốn, which is steamed rice crepes filled with vegetables and meat. It’s dipped in a sauce of your choice and usually eaten as a light breakfast. I hope you have a chance to try some of these healthy and delicious Vietnamese foods.