An exciting archaeological discovery in Vietnam has shed light on the region’s culinary history.
According to a recent reports, traces of spices found on ancient stone tools have revealed that curry was enjoyed in Vietnam over 2,000 years ago.
The remarkable find was made at the Oc Eo archaeological complex, located in southern Vietnam, where a sandstone grinding slab was unearthed about 6.5 feet below the surface.
The site was once a significant trading hub of the ancient Southeast Asian kingdom known as Funan, adding to the historical significance of the discover.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, was conducted by Dr. Hsiao-chun Hung, a senior research fellow in the department of archaeology and natural history at the Australian National University in Canberra.
This fascinating revelation has offered a glimpse into the dietary habits and cultural practices of people from the ancient Funan kingdom.
The presence of curry in Vietnam’s history showcases the rich and diverse culinary heritage that has evolved over millennia, adding an exciting chapter to the country’s gastronomic story. As researchers continue to explore and decode the past, such findings serve as a reminder of the enduring connections between food, culture, and human history.
“This finding strongly suggests that the ancient inhabitants of Oc Eo utilised turmeric, ginger and other spices like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg as essential ingredients in their culinary practices, highly likely in the preparation of curry,” says Hung.
The ingredients the researchers identified are similar to those in curries eaten in Vietnam and other places in Southeast Asia today.
“Nowadays, preparing curry in Vietnam has become much simpler for most families due to the widespread availability of curry powder in supermarkets. However, it is interesting to note that the curry recipe used today has not deviated significantly from the ancient Oc Eo period,”
said study coauthor Dr. Nguyen Khanh Trung Kien, an archaeologist at the Center for Archaeology, Southern Institute of Social Sciences in Ho Chi Minh City.
Some of the ingredients recovered from Oc Eo, such as turmeric, are similar to those found in Indian curries, while other components are more distinctively Southeast Asian, including coconut milk and galangal, a spice commonly found in curry pastes in that region but seldom used in Indian curry.
Maritime trading routes between South-East Asia and south Asia were established more than 3000 years ago, with spices such as nutmeg and clove coming from Indonesia and others such as turmeric and cinnamon from south Asia.
Hung said that it’s not clear exactly who made curry at the site, but they likely were migrants from India or local inhabitants in Vietnam influenced by South Asian culture. The large grinding stone — 76 centimeters (30 inches) long and 31 centimeters (12 inches) wide — was found with the remains of stilt houses, which would have stood either along or above water.
Most surprising, Hung said, was that some of the nutmeg seeds unearthed during the dig still released a unique aroma.
“Food culture is significant in human history,” Hung added.
“When we enjoy delicious food, we often wonder about how its flavours were formed, the origins of the recipes, and when these culinary methods were first practiced.”
