Raw beef with ant bites - a strange specialty of Tam Dao mountains and forests

Tam Dao, a dreamy land with a cool climate and green chayote specialties, also hides a unique culinary treasure of the San Diu people: raw beef with ant stings. This dish with a strange name and a curious preparation method is not only a taste experience but also a cultural story that needs to be preserved.

Raw beef with ant bites made in the original way, fresh, hot beef just slaughtered will be cut into pieces about 1-2cm thick, then hung right next to the forest ant nests on the trees.

Processing feat: Flavor from forest ant venom

Raw beef with ants, a traditional specialty of the San Diu ethnic group in Tam Dao commune, Phu Tho province, makes a strong impression right from the preparation method. According to the original method, fresh, hot beef that has just been slaughtered will be cut into pieces about 1-2cm thick, then hung right next to the forest ant nests on the trees.

People use sticks to poke the ants out, cover them, and burn the meat. What's special is that each type of ant has a different flavor: red ants create a characteristic sour aroma; black ants have a pungent aroma; ladybug ants have a sweet and spicy taste; and stinging ants have a scent like water bugs.

Fresh beef marinated with mountain spices such as mac khen, doi seeds, ginger, lemongrass, chili

After the meat has been “bathed” sufficiently, it is brought home, washed in diluted salt water to clean it, then grilled over hot coals until it is rare. The meat will be firm, oozing with “sizzling” juice, giving off a fragrant aroma. The meat must be flipped quickly so that the meat is rare and pink, soft and juicy on the inside, with the outside slightly charred. The qualified meat will be sliced ​​thinly and served with raw vegetables, sour star fruit, and green banana.

Reviving specialties thanks to curious tourists

The dish of raw beef with ants is gradually disappearing from the daily meals of local people. However, it is the curiosity and demand of tourists that has urged restaurants to restore and turn this dish into a specialty.

Ms. Tran Thi Quynh Anh, owner of Thien Cam restaurant, Tam Dao commune, Phu Tho province shared: "Many tourists from other provinces come to ask for the dish of raw beef with ants, while sometimes I have not even heard of the name. That makes me determined to learn and relearn how to make it from the San Diu ethnic women and mothers to create a specialty with historical and local identity, in addition to the traditional chayote shoots".

The meat is dried in the sun for about 2-3 hours to firm the surface, keeping the elasticity and freshness inside.

To ensure food hygiene and safety and preserve flavor, restaurants have now adjusted their cooking methods. Chef Nga Van Duy (Thien Cam Restaurant) revealed: “Fresh beef is marinated with mountain spices such as mac khen, doi seeds, ginger, lemongrass, and chili. Then, the meat is dried in the sun for about 2-3 hours (depending on the weather) to firm the surface, keeping the elasticity and freshness inside. The meat is grilled on charcoal (for the best aroma) or in an oil-free frying pan for just 5-10 minutes, quickly turning it evenly to cook it rare, the inside is still bright red and bloody.”

The soul of the dish: Ant salt "awakens" the senses

The soul of the raw beef with ants lies in the dipping sauce. In addition to the traditional soy sauce (made from corn and soybeans), the main highlight is the ant salt - a creation based on traditional principles such as: Original ant salt will retain the strong sour taste of forest ant venom; spiced ant salt is pounded with ginger, lemongrass, and chili, reducing the sourness but increasing the spiciness and pungent aroma.

Meat is grilled over charcoal or an oil-free fryer in just 5-10 minutes.

Ms. Phung Thi Tho, Vinh Phuc ward, Phu Tho province excitedly shared: "I thought our beef would be tough, but this dish is very soft. When dipped in ant salt, it is like "hitting" the senses. The characteristic sour taste of ant venom, combined with the spicy taste of doi and mac khen seeds, creates a completely different flavor."

Diners will roll the tender beef on raw leaves, add green banana slices, sour star fruit and dip it in the bowl of shimmering sauce. The blend of the unique aroma of the meat, the sour, sweet and astringent taste of the accompanying spices creates an unforgettable impression.

When eaten with ant salt, the characteristic sour taste of ant venom, combined with the spicy taste of doi and mac khen seeds, creates a different flavor.

In particular, this dish is also considered by local people as a folk medicine, aiding digestion, treating neurological or rheumatic diseases, thanks to the venom of wild ants in Oriental medicine being a precious medicine.

Tourists can find and enjoy the ant-burning beef dish at some specialty restaurants in Tam Dao, with the price of about 150,000 - 200,000 VND/plate (enough for 2 people). This is definitely a unique culinary experience, full of the mountain forest flavor that cannot be missed when coming to Tam Dao.

Ngoc Thang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/bo-tai-kien-dot-dac-san-la-lung-cua-nui-rung-tam-dao-241831.htm