''Tương'' (,

Chữ Hán Chữ Hán (𡨸漢, literally "Chinese characters", ), Chữ Nho (𡨸儒, literally "Confucian characters", ) or Hán tự (漢字, ), is the Vietnamese term for Chinese characters, used to write Văn ngôn (which is a form of Classical Chinese ...

: 醬) is the name applied to a variety of condiments, a kind of

fermented bean paste Fermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East, South and Southeast Asia. In some cases, such as the production of ''miso'', other varieties of beans, such a ...

made from

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu ...

and commonly used in

Vietnamese cuisine Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages of Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes ( vi, ngũ vị, links=no, label=none): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish refle ...

. Originally, the term ''tương'' refers to a

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

y paste made from fermented soybeans, which is popular in

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

meals, particularly those prepared and eaten by Vietnamese Buddhist monks. It is also the most typical dipping sauce for

summer roll Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, with ...

s (''gỏi cuốn''). The paste, which is generally dark brown in color, is produced by adding the fungus ''

Aspergillus oryzae ''Aspergillus oryzae'', also known as , is a filamentous fungus (a mold) used in East Asia to saccharify rice, sweet potato, and barley in the making of alcoholic beverages such as '' sake'' and ''shōchū'', and also to ferment soybeans f ...

'' to roasted soybeans, which are then allowed to naturally ferment in a jar with water until it develops an

umami Umami ( from ja, 旨味 ), or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes. It has been described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats. People taste umami through taste receptors that typically respond to glutamates and ...

flavor. Other ingredients, such as

glutinous rice Glutinous rice ('' Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amyl ...

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American English, North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous ...

powder, salt, or water, may also be used. ''Tương'' is similar to the Chinese

yellow soybean paste Yellow soybean paste is a fermented paste made from yellow soybeans, salt, and water. Yellow soybean paste is produced in China and is used primarily in Beijing cuisine and other cuisines of northern China. Etymology In Chinese, the full na ...

, though the latter is generally saltier and thicker in texture. ''Tương'' may range in consistency from a thick paste to a thin liquid. Some varieties, such as that prepared in Central Vietnam, are watery, with solids at the bottom of the container in which it is stored. A more condensed variety, called ''tương Bần'' or ''tương làng Bần'', is produced in the town of Bần Yên Nhân, in Mỹ Hào district of Hưng Yên Province, in the

Red River Delta The Red River Delta or Hong River Delta ( vi, Châu thổ sông Hồng) is the flat low-lying plain formed by the Red River and its distributaries merging with the Thái Bình River in northern Vietnam. ''Hồng'' (紅) is a Sino-Vietnamese word ...

of northern Vietnam, and takes its name from the name of the town. Other varieties of ''tương'' are similarly named for the towns or districts in which they are made, such as ''tương Phố Hiến'' (made in a township of Hưng Yên Province), ''tương Nam Đàn'' (made in a district of Nghệ An Province), ''tương Cự Đà'' (made in a town in

Hà Tây Province Hà Tây () was a former province of Vietnam, in the Red River Delta, now part of Hanoi. On May 29, 2008 the decision was made to subsume the province into the city of Hanoi. The merger took place on August 1, 2008. The name of the province wa ...

) and ''tương chùa Mía'' (Đường Lâm village, Hà Tây Province). In Southern Vietnam, it is called ''tương hột.'' ''Tương'' is commercially available in glass and plastic jars and bottles throughout Vietnam, as well as in Vietnamese grocery stores overseas. The word ''tương'' can also be used to refer to other condiments, such as ''tương cà'' (

tomato sauce Tomato sauce (also known as ''salsa roja'' in Spanish or ''salsa di pomodoro'' in Italian) can refer to many different sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish, rather than as a condiment. Tomato sauces are ...

), ''tương xí muội'' (

plum sauce Plum sauce is a viscous, light-brown sweet and sour condiment. It is used in Cantonese cuisine as a dip for deep-fried dishes, such as spring rolls, noodles, and deep-fried chicken balls as well as for roast duck. It is made from sweet plums or ...

) or ''tương ớt'' (

chilli sauce Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers. Chili sauce may be hot, sweet or a combination thereof, and may differ from hot sauce in that many sweet or mild varieties exist, which is typically lacking in hot sauces ...

). In southern Vietnam, ''nước tương'' refers to

soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' As ...

while Northern Vietnam calls it ''xì dầu.''

Varieties

''Tương đen'' (or ''tương ngọt'', or Hoisin sauce)

Phở Phở or pho (, , ; ) is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles (), herbs, and meat (usually beef (), sometimes chicken ()). Phở is a popular food in Vietnam where it is served in households, street stalls and restaurants ...

* Gỏi cuốn: a variation of ''tương đen'' is used. This variation is called ''tương xào''. * Bò bía: uses ''tương xào''. *

Chạo tôm ''Chạo tôm'' is a traditional Vietnamese dish that comes from the Huế region of Central Vietnam. It consists of shrimp surimi grilled on a sugar cane stick. It is often presented as a dish during large banquets prepared for weddings, holida ...

: a variation of ''tương đen'' is used. This variation is called ''tương kho''. *

Nem nướng (literally "grilled spring rolls") is Vietnamese grilled pork sausage or grilled meatballs, and a popular Vietnamese food item, sometimes served as an individual appetizer or snack, or served with rice noodles or rice as a main course. is a spec ...

: uses ''tương kho''. * Bánh ướt thịt nướng: uses ''tương kho''. * Cuốn tôm chua: a variation of ''tương đen'' is used. This variation is called ''tương ruốc''.

''Tương ớt''

Sauce with chilli and garlic. * Sriracha sauce

Tương Bần and tương Cự Đà

* Boiled water spinach. * Bánh đúc lạc: a kind of

bánh đúc ''Bánh đúc'' is a Vietnamese ''bánh'' (cake). There are two main types of bánh đúc, the white Northern Vietnamese cake and the green Southern version. Northern Vietnamese version In northern Vietnam, ''bánh đúc'' is a cake made from ei ...

* Bê thui: a kind of grilled beef.

Tương Nam Đàn

* Bánh khoái, a pancake which is similar to

bánh xèo ''Bánh xèo'' (, ) is a crispy, stuffed rice pancake popular in Vietnam. The name refers to the sound (from ''xèo'' – 'sizzling') the rice batter makes when it is poured into the hot skillet. It is a savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, ...

Etymology

The word ''tương'' derives from the Chinese word ''jiàng'' (

: 醬), meaning "paste."

External links

Article about ''tương Bần''Photo of containers of ''tương Bần'', taken in the town of Bần Yên Nhân
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuong Fermented soy-based foods Umami enhancers Vietnamese cuisine Buddhist cuisine Food paste