The Hmong (pron: Mong) people are an ethnic group from the mountain region of southern China who now number in the thousands in Southeast Asia.
Many Hmong migrated to Thailand, Vietnam, Burma and Laos and many more have settled in North America, Australia and France.
As a result of their migration patterns, you can detect Laotian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese influences in Hmong cuisine. Hmong food sounds particularly appetizing considering there's a rainbow of herbs and spices used in the cooking including chilis, cilantro, ginger, garlic, green onion, mint, fish sauce, oyster sauce and hoisin.
Consider how healthy the Hmong are: their three meals are typically comprised of white rice, a few vegetable dishes and small portions of meat. Most food is stir fried, boiled or steamed with either vegetable oil or a little pork fat for cooking.
Sambal-like condiment
Back in Asia, many Hmong harvest their own fruit and vegetables and get their meat freshly-killed every day. What they put into their bodies is pure food, no "extra" man-made ingredients.
Meals may include egg rolls, steamed cabbage, papaya salad, pickled veggies, beef noodle soup, sausage and always, hot pepper (kua txob).
Some of the more fantastical dishes include stir-fried yam leaves with onion and bitter melon with chicken wings. There's a hot condiment similar to the Indonesian/Malaysian sambal composed of thai chilis, scallions, cilantro and salt all pounded together.
Breakfast usually consists of a light soup with rice, vegetables and some chicken or pork.
Sweet-less diet
The Hmong live a healthy lifestyle – snacking is a foreign concept in the culture, few foods are fatty, no one stocks up on sweets and rarely do Hmong make desserts, save for the occasional rice cake.
In terms of anything sweet, the Hmong prefer fruit such as bananas, lichees, mangos, pineapples, coconuts, and jackfruit.
By the way, a little about manners Hmong-style:
- Meals are served in a communally. Food is placed in the middle of the table.
- You eat with a spoon or fork and using fingers is a no-no.
- Generally, the Hmong do not like direct eye contact.
- When they are listening to you, they will say "yes, yes" as a way of intimating that they understand you.
HMONG HOT RELISH
Ingredients
- 16 small green thai chiles
- ¼ to ½ tsp salt
- 4 scallions, chopped green sections
- 2/3 cup chopped clilantro
Method
- Put the chiles and salt into a mortar and crush until a coarse paste forms, or mash together in a food processor.
- Add the chopped scallions and cilantro leaves and work the pestle or the processor until the mixture looks like relish.
Stir it into soups or fried dishes or, simply on its own to add to any plate.
