World Grain - April 2022 - 24

FEATURE: VIETNAM'S DEMAND FOR BAKED FOODS GROWING
is concerned, all Vietnamese have the same preference
- they expect a very high volume, a delicately flaking,
translucent crust and a silky-soft crumb.
Freshness is another important quality criterion, so
the street stalls fetch their bakery products fresh from
an artisan bakery every day. Alongside small family
businesses, medium-sized bakeries also have established
themselves in Vietnam. But industrial bakeries
play only a minor role.
As a rule, all-purpose flour with a medium protein
content is used. The imported wheat comes mainly
from Australia and the United States.
Vitamin C tablets strengthen gluten
For many years, Vietnamese bakers have sworn by a
special procedure in the production of yeast-leavened
wheat doughs. A dissolved vitamin C tablet is added to
the water used in the process.
Most Vietnamese bakers adhere firmly to this tradition
even though the flour is usually fortified with
ascorbic acid and other highly functional flour improvers
at the mills.
The typical preparation method and recipe is shown
at the right.
To prepare, mix all ingredients at high speed to
form a soft, slightly tacky dough. Divide the dough
immediately and round it loosely. Leave to rest only
for a very short time before shaping. Shaping inThe
great reputation of bánh mì
Bánh mì is Vietnam's culinary
visiting card. Besides its enormous
popularity with the local
population, it enjoys cult
status among tourists. In the
search for the " best bánh mì
in town, " long queues of locals
and backpackers often
form beside even the most
unremarkable snack stalls, patiently
waiting to become the
owner of a filled roll with a paper
wrap.
But genuine bánh mìs are
not only to be found in the
side streets of Hanoi, Hồ Chí
Minh or Huế; they can be discovered
in Adelaide, Lyon or
Sheffield, too. This development
was triggered by the
Vietnam war, that obliged
24
over 1.6 million Vietnamese
to flee from their native land
in the 1970s and 1980s. The
refugees found a new home
in such countries as Australia,
the United States, France, the
United Kingdom and Germany.
Many of the refugee families
grasped the opportunity
to earn a living by setting up a
bánh mì shop of their own. It
is thanks to their initiative that
bánh mì became known and
loved around the world.
In internet forums, fans of
Vietnamese cuisine enthusiastically
recommend distant
corners of the earth where
the tastiest bánh mìs are to
be found. And real connoisseurs
know that it is not the
grilled meat or fried tofu that
play the leading role. The
real stars are the accompaniments.
It is the acidity of the
pickled carrots and radishes,
the freshness of the cucumber
and coriander and the
tang of the hot and sweet
sauces that ensure the perfect
taste experience.
But there is one address in
Hồ Chí Minh that is doubtless
no longer an insider tip in the
world of connoisseurs: according
to the famous travel
magazine " Condé Nast Traveler, "
the little mobile cookshop
" Bánh mì 37 " on Nguyen
Trai Street is one of the 12
best street food sources in
the world.
April 2022 / World Grain / World-Grain.com
volves elongating the dough by slapping it against
the table, folding it in half and finally rolling it
to form a tight log. Proof for about three hours in
wooden trays at the ambient temperature. When the
volume has increased significantly, make vertical
or diagonal incisions across the proofed dough.
Spray the loaves with water or diluted syrup before
baking.
In the past, wood-fired ovens were common, but
nowadays electric ovens are generally used. The
oven must be adjusted expertly to ensure even heating
and optimal browning and bloom of the bánh mì.
The process takes five hours and is finished properly
when the bánh mì makes a crackling sound on removal
from the oven, caused by the cool air meeting
the hot bread and making the crust crack.
Ingredients
Wheat Flour (10% to 11% protein)
Water
Fresh yeast
Salt
Improver
Vitamin C
Baker's %
100
65-70
2
1
0.5
0.01
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World Grain - April 2022

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