Hmong cuisine

Hmong cuisine comprises the culinary culture of Hmong people, an Asian diaspora originally from China who are present today in countries across the world. Because Hmong people come from all over the world, their cuisine is a fusion of many flavors and histories in East and Southeast Asia, as well as modern diasporas in the Western world such as the United States. Most dishes are not unique to Hmong culture, but are rather served in a Hmong style developed during centuries of migration across cultures.

Staple elements include fresh herbs, vegetables such as leafy greens and hot peppers, steamed rice, and small amounts of meat, often chicken meat.^[1][2] Herbs are of major importance as both a food, a flavoring agent, and traditional medicine. Common southeast Asian sauces such as oyster and fish sauce feature prominently, although a fresh sauce called "pepper dip" which is unique to Hmong cuisine is so popular that the first ever Hmong cookbook included 11 variations.^[1][3]

Cooking is traditionally done by steaming or boiling and many dishes are prepared as simple stews or soups. In the modern Hmong diaspora, other forms of cooking such as stir frying have become common.^[1] Historically the animal fats and oils required for frying were scarce.^[4]

There is an emphasis on fresh ingredients, as many Hmong are farmers and may pick ingredients from a garden just before cooking. Butchering for meat is also done close to the time of cooking. Frugality is a common theme, as many Hmong are from low-income backgrounds, especially Hmong Americans who immigrated from underfunded refugee camps. Prior to the 21st century, Hmong lived mostly in self-sustaining agricultural villages where they raised livestock and grew crops.^[5][6]