Ethnic Groups’ Bamboo Tube Cooking Method in Vietnam and Southeast Asia

Abstract

Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries are considered the homeland of bamboo tube cooking - an ancient culinary method that emerged when humans first discovered fire, yet continues to thrive in contemporary life. Today, in Vietnam, dishes such as bamboo tube rice, soup cooked with various ingredients, and fish and meat grilled in bamboo tubes create unique flavours that appeal not only to the local ethnic groups but also attract tourists from around the world. Two of the 100 speciality dishes honoured in Vietnam in 2021 were prepared in bamboo tubes. In Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia, bamboo tube rice also contributes positively to tourism development, local incomes, and the preservation of traditional culture.