Vietnamese summer recipes aim to cool the body and boost health

During the hot summer months in Vietnam, culinary experts recommend simple, cooling dishes that also support nutrition. One highlighted recipe combines duck meat, pumpkin (bí đao) and yǐdǐ seed in a light soup, claimed to "remove dampness" and refresh the body. The preparation emphasizes gentle seasoning and the use of traditional ingredients believed to aid digestion and detoxification.

The vegan restaurant Vị Lai has designed its seasonal menu around tropical medical principles, adjusting dishes to match the weather. In July’s peak heat, the menu focuses on ingredients such as lotus seeds, taro, and yǐdǐ to "eliminate heat and support the spleen." As the weather shifts to the cooler, rainy months of August and September, the offerings change to foods like lotus root, white ginkgo and bark to "moisten the lungs and strengthen immunity." The restaurant also eliminates preservatives and limits refined sugar, using natural umami from mushrooms to maintain flavor without stressing the digestive system.