Viet-Cajun Crawfish: the Food of the Future
Viet-Cajun crawfish is the food of the future. The combination of Vietnamese and Cajun spices with a slight alteration to how the crawfish are boiled creates a delicious take on something that has gone relatively unchanged for centuries. Viet-Cajun crawfish has thrived in Houston where it created. Viet-Cajun crawfish spots have been raved about in countless Houston newspapers and have made renowned Houston food critic Allison Cook’s top 100 list. It is the food of the future because it represents Houston as well as America’s burgeoning acceptance of immigrants’ culture and food and the possibility of seamless integration into already established American culture. Propelled by the James Beard Foundation’s recognition of Houston Viet-Cajun chef Trong Nguyen of Crawfish and Noodles as a semifinalist in the 2018 Best Chef Southwest, Viet-Cajun is beginning to spread nationally with Viet-Cajun spots opening up in Los Angeles (Christina Tiber). Viet-Cajun Crawfish has been propelled into extreme popularity because Viet-Cajun Crawfish is the result of a natural progression of culinary culture which alters a Southern staple in an exciting way.
Boiled crawfish has been very popular in Houston since 1976 with springtime Crawfish Boils hosted by Ray Hay’s Cajun Poboys which attracted Cajuns who moved to Houston during the oil boom (Robb Walsh). From then on, crawfish boils have become extremely popular and a tradition for many in Houston. Traditionally, crawfish are boiled in water seasoned with spices, and other sides are added to the water such as potatoes and corn. Viet-Cajun crawfish are boiled in water without spices, then a combination of Vietnamese and Cajun spices are added after the crawfish is cooked (Ugly Delicious). This process brings out the flavor in the crawfish and allows for a whole host of different flavors to be added after. One of the more popular seasonings is a garlic butter sauce, but other Vietnamese ingredients added to the crawfish could include lemongrass, red-pepper and citrus, and tamarind-spiked Thai Basil. While these ingredients may not be mainstays in every American household, they are not entirely unfamiliar to Americans. However, the addition of these ingredients and the slight alteration to how the Crawfish is boiled is exciting as the tradition has gone relatively unchanged for years.
The way crawfish has been boiled has gone unchanged for years due to its deep history with Cajun culture. Viet-Cajun crawfish has not thrived in cities with large Cajun populations like New Orleans. Like Houston, New Orleans is a port city and has a substantial Vietnamese population. However, New Orleans has a deep history and has for hundreds of years been an economic center, allowing for its food and art cultures to thrive and for traditions to form. One of those traditions is boiling crawfish. Usually eaten communally, crawfish are boiled in spices and spread out on a large table, most often in celebration or for a family gathering. Cooking crawfish like this has been a tradition since the 19th century (Jefferson Chamber). Because of this tradition, it is extremely difficult to convince Cajuns to cook crawfish any other way as it would break hundreds of years of tradition. Because Vietnamese immigrants in Houston were more removed from the birthplace of Crawfish boils than Vietnamese immigrants in New Orleans, their alterations were more accepted and appreciated. And because those flavors had stayed pretty much the same for so long, the change was exciting and refreshing.
Additionally, due to Houston’s ethnically diverse population, it is a prime candidate for the birthplace of a tradition-breaking dish like Viet-Cajun Crawfish. Houston ranks #7 on U.S. News’ “Most Racially Diverse Big Cities” list (Newman). Also, according to the Migration Policy Institute, Houston’s immigrant population is the fifth-largest among U.S. metropolitan areas and “third in the numbers of Mexican, Vietnamese, and Honduran immigrants” with not one “majority racial or ethnic group” (Capps et. al.). This diversity is greatly reflected in the topography and culture of Houston. There are so many restaurants and businesses representing different ethnicities from across the world in such close proximity to each other. For example, a phenomenal Mexican restaurant, El Hidalguense, is located right next door to Vieng Thai which serves fantastic Thai food. Because of these cultures’ close proximity to each other, cuisines that may never have been exposed to each are now close enough to allow culinary cross-pollination.
Also, in contrast to New Orleans, Houston has not had the type of economy that fosters art and culture for very long. Houston didn’t become a dominant economic center until the early 20th century after the discovery of oil in Texas (Mary G. Ramos). Those who amassed fortunes off of oil were benefactors of the arts and culture in Houston in the 1940s (Mary G. Ramos). Most of Houston’s culture is still tied to the culture of the home countries of the immigrants in the city. So because of this, Houston is more willing to try new things and break tradition, allowing for the creation of Viet-Cajun crawfish.
There are so many ingredients that overlap in Vietnamese and Cajun food, that it is only natural that they would combine when they met in the southern United States. Due to the Vietnam War, many Vietnamese people immigrated to America in 1975. Many settled in port cities. Port cities like Houston and New Orleans attracted Vietnamese immigrants because of their similar climate and Vietnamese fisherman could quickly find work. Their similar climate also allowed crops commonly grown in Vietnam to be grown. In 1975, crawfish was not widely available in Vietnam. However, Crawfish were appealing to Vietnamese immigrants because they’re one of the few things sold in American markets that are kept alive until cooked. It is very popular to buy seafood live in outdoor markets in Vietnam, and crawfish closely resemble the River Prawn that is popular in Vietnam (Ugly Delicious). Vietnamese and Cajun flavors stem from French cuisines, as France colonized both Vietnam and Louisiana. By combining with a flavor profile that was already widely available in Houston, Vietnamese food became even more accessible to Houstonians.
Admittedly, Viet-Cajun Crawfish is not 100% authentic Vietnamese. Vietnamese chefs altered their recipes so that they would be more familiar with those who grew up eating Cajun Crawfish. Crawfish and Noodles Chef Trong Nguyen said that his recipe is 60% Cajun and 40% Vietnamese “in order to retain the level of Cajun flavors that the local palate demands” (Ellie Sharp). It is very common for Viet-Cajun places to present the Crawfish the same way as Cajun places, like serving the crawfish with corn and potatoes mixed in and plating the crawfish in large plain bowls. Because boiled crawfish is ubiquitous in the southern United States, presenting it in a different way or served alongside other side dishes that are more authentically Vietnamese may make the crawfish appear too adventurous or foreign for people who love traditional Cajun crawfish.
But the presentation of the Viet-Cajun dish as a slight alteration to Cajun crawfish with Vietnamese flavors can be a great stepping stone to Vietnamese cuisine for the less adventurous eater. Places that serve Viet-Cajun crawfish serve more authentic dishes alongside the crawfish on the menu. Because Viet-Cajun crawfish shares flavors with dishes commonly found in the southern United States, it may make people more willing to try more authentic dishes because they have already tried Vietnamese flavors on something they are familiar with.
Because of Houston’s willingness to break tradition and cultural diversity, Viet-Cajun crawfish exemplifies what comes from the acceptance of other cultures into the already established cultures of a city. Momofuku Chef David Chang said that Viet-Cajun crawfish is “not fusion food” but a “natural progression” of culinary culture (Ugly Delicious). Viet-Cajun crawfish is just one example of what happens when cultures are exposed to each other in a natural way and are able to experiment without the boundaries set up by tradition. Hopefully, more dishes like Viet-Cajun Crawfish will begin to become popular across the world. The world is becoming more and more interconnected through the internet and immigrants. People generally are becoming more tolerant of other cultures, and immigrants are not being forced to adopt the cultures and comply with the traditions of the countries they move to. Because of this, there are many opportunities for cultures from across the world to naturally progress and create new things. Viet-Cajun crawfish was just the beginning.
Works Cited:
Anderson, Emily. “The History of the Crawfish Boil.” Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, 16 May 2019, jeffersonchamber.org/the-history-of-the-crawfish-boil/.
Capps, Randy, et al. “A Profile of Immigrants in Houston, the Nation’s Most Diverse Metropolitan Area.” Migrationpolicy.org, 21 July 2015, www.migrationpolicy.org/research/profile-immigrants-houston-nations-most-diverse-metropolitan-area.
Cook, Alison. “Top 100 Restaurants.” Houston Chronicle, 2019, www.houstonchronicle.com/flavor/top100/.
JBF Editors. “The 2018 James Beard Award Semifinalists.” James Beard Foundation, 15 Feb. 2018, www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2018-james-beard-award-semifinalists.
Newman, Katelyn. “These Are the Most Diverse Big Cities in the U.S.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 22 Jan. 2020, www.usnews.com/news/cities/slideshows/the-10-most-racially-diverse-big-cities-in-the-the-us?slide=5.
Sharp, Ellie. “Viet-Cajun Crawfish Is The Most Delicious Expression Of Houston’s Diverse Culinary Identity.” Eater Houston, Eater Houston, 27 Feb. 2017, houston.eater.com/2017/2/27/14707856/houston-vietnamese-cajun-crawfish.
Tiber, Christina. “Eating L.A. Before It Eats Itself: The Boiling Crab Successfully Melds Cuisines.” Daily Trojan, 18 Apr. 2019, dailytrojan.com/2019/04/18/eating-l-a-before-it-eats-itself-the-boiling-crab-successfully-melds-cuisines/.
Ugly Delicious Season 1: Episode 4
Walsh, Robb. “The History of Crawfish in Houston.” Houstonia Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, 10 Mar. 2020, www.houstoniamag.com/eat-and-drink/houston-louisiana-crawfish-tradition#:~:text=The%20original%20Ragin'%20Cajun%20on,When%20Luke%20Mandola%20Sr.&text=The%20restaurant%2C%20which%20later%20changed,put%20crawfish%20on%20the%20menu.
