Fish noodle soup with eggplant - the culinary quintessence of the Khmer people in the South

Western fish vermicelli is attractive with the characteristic aroma of the spice of the Chinese wormwood (noodle soup). (Photo: Hong Dat/VNA)

Talking about Hanoi cuisine , people will immediately remember the famous pho, Hue cuisine is most famous for Hue beef noodle soup, Southern cuisine cannot fail to mention Hu Tieu, and the Southwest is famous for Khmer fish noodle dishes.

Western fish noodle soup is different from Central and Northern fish noodle soup because of the flavor of a special spice called ca choi. This noodle dish originally came from Cambodia, brought to the West by the Khmer people, becoming an attractive dish with a unique flavor that cannot be found elsewhere.

The Khmer call it "ca choi" (or "ngai bun" or "ngai he" in the Southern dialect), is a light yellow spice root, similar in shape to turmeric or ginger, with a gentle, pungent aroma, reminiscent of the smell of the land and wild mountains and forests.

This is a famous spice in Khmer cuisine. Khmer noodle dishes are never without this root. It not only enhances the aroma of the broth but also helps remove the fishy smell of fish.

Western fish noodle soup is very diverse, each locality will have different variations of ingredients and different names, some places call it fish noodle soup, some places call it noodle soup, some places call it eggplant noodle soup. However, the main ingredients are still fish (snakehead fish, other types of fish from the West), fish sauce; the broth has a rich flavor, fragrant, attractive with the ingredients of the mixture of eggplant, lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, garlic, chili.

During the culinary exchange between regions, between the Kinh, Hoa and Khmer ethnic groups, many people have transformed the broth by adding pork bones, toppings in addition to snakehead fish, shrimp, squid, fish cakes, roast pork, spring rolls... making the dish more flavorful and attractive.

The eggplant used to cook fish noodle soup must be fresh because the drier the eggplant is, the more it loses its aromatic essential oils. The eggplant is washed, peeled and crushed, then a little boiling water is poured over it, the pulp is filtered out and the juice is kept separately. Or the eggplant can be crushed with lemongrass and then sauteed with garlic and onion to add to the broth.

Each locality in the West has a different combination of ingredients in a bowl of fish noodle soup.

Tra Vinh people call fish noodle soup as noodle soup. The ingredients of the soup are fish sauce, tomato juice, cooked with climbing perch, snakehead fish, and straw mushrooms.

This noodle dish is not only eaten with boiled snakehead fish but also has fatty roasted pork, crispy spring rolls, served with raw vegetables, bean sprouts, shredded banana flower and pig's blood.

Bun nuoc leo has a rich flavor, blends ingredients, and gives off an attractive aroma. It is a famous specialty dish of Tra Vinh province, so much so that many diners believe that if you have not eaten bun nuoc leo, it means you have not been to Tra Vinh.

Chau Doc fish noodles are served with raw vegetables, lemon, chili, etc. (Photo: Hong Dat/VNA)

Chau Doc fish noodle soup ( An Giang ) is also famous as a specialty. People here do not use beef sauce but use shrimp paste wrapped in grilled banana leaves and tomato juice in the broth.

After boiling the snakehead fish, remove the meat and marinate with fresh turmeric, then stir-fry until golden brown and keep the pieces intact, do not let them fall apart.

Before eating, the cook will increase the heat to bring the broth to a boil, then add shrimp paste, tomato juice and the stir-fried fish. At this point, the fish noodle pot will have a shimmering golden color and an irresistible aroma.

Chau Doc fish noodle soup is served with shredded water spinach, banana blossoms, and water mimosa flowers. The bowl of noodles has an attractive yellow color from turmeric, the light aroma of eggplant mixed with rich broth, and the firm meat of snakehead fish, you will remember it forever after just one bite.

Soc Trang noodle soup is also loved by many diners because of its unique broth made from fish sauce, eggplant, and lemongrass, which blends very well.

To cook delicious vermicelli, the cook often prepares the fish sauce in a rather complicated process. The fish sauce is cooked and filtered to get clear water. The next step is to use this water to cook with eggplant and lemongrass for a certain amount of time.

Finally, the cook adds coconut water to make the broth sweeter and clearer.

Served with the noodle soup are boiled snakehead fish, meat separated and boned; boiled shrimp, shell removed; and sliced roast pork - a familiar Chinese dish that is also prepared quite elaborately.

Fish noodle soup served with fatty roast pork. (Photo: Hong Dat/VNA)

In Bac Lieu, the noodle soup has snakehead fish, shrimp and pork belly in addition to the ingredients. The broth is made from fish sauce mixed with rice powder, of course, the flavor of eggplant is indispensable, and there is also coconut water, creating a unique flavor.

Bac Lieu's specialty noodle dish has sweet, fragrant, hot broth, served with noodles containing snakehead fish, pork belly, shrimp and vegetables, thinly sliced banana blossom, bean sprouts, chives, and raw vegetables, easily conquering diners.

In Go Quao district, Kien Giang province, Khmer people call vermicelli with eggplant soup "the best vermicelli." This dish usually uses fish or eel cooked until soft to get the broth, the fish is boneless, the broth is seasoned with salt, chili, lemongrass... and two indispensable seasonings are eggplant soup and fish sauce.

The broth after seasoning will become a broth with a unique, attractive flavor of the eggplant, not mixed with any other spices.

Go Quao vermicelli with eggplant would be less delicious if it lacked ingredients. In addition to pork belly, it can also be served with fish cakes and roast pork. The vegetables that play an important role in this vermicelli dish are shredded water spinach, young banana blossom, chives, herbs...

This rustic country dish with its unique, mild, and refreshing aroma of eggplant is truly a specialty that tourists must try if they have the opportunity to travel to the West./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/bun-ca-ca-choi-tinh-tuy-am-thuc-cua-nguoi-khmer-nam-bo/902093.vnp

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