Simple from ingredients to preparation
The most interesting point of Canh Thut is the way it is cooked. Canh Thut is prepared in bamboo tubes or bamboo tubes - natural materials available in the forest or easy to grow in the fields. The ingredients for Canh Thut are all familiar products of the mountains and forests: bitter eggplant, bep leaves (rau nhip), rattan shoots, chili, rice flour with meat, fish depending on the season, free-range chicken, pork... All are pre-processed, chopped and put into bamboo tubes or bamboo tubes. Then, the mouth of the tube is covered with banana leaves or forest leaves, placed on the stove. During the cooking process, the cook continuously uses a small stick to push into the tube to pound and mix the ingredients. This is also the origin of the special name - Canh Thut. The "thut canh" step requires the skill and experience of the cook. The bamboo tube (lo o) must be young enough to be fragrant and not crack when exposed to fire. The cook must adjust the pressure and time so that the ingredients blend well while still retaining the natural flavor of the dish. When the bamboo tube begins to give off a strong aroma, that is also when the soup is perfectly cooked.
The rich flavor of the great forest
The taste of the soup is a blend of four typical nuances: sweet, bitter, nutty, and spicy. The bitter taste of bitter eggplant and bamboo shoots is a "picky" taste for diners, but it is addictive to those who are used to it. In the culture of the Central Highlands, bitterness symbolizes challenges and human resilience in the face of harsh nature. The natural sweetness comes from young bamboo shoots and meat, creating a harmonious feeling with the bitter taste. Rice flour and betel leaves contribute to the viscosity and light nutty taste, making the soup even more flavorful. What is even more special is the scent of burnt bamboo that permeates the ingredients. It is a unique aroma that only dishes cooked with bamboo tubes have. After it is cooked, the cook puts the soup in a bowl, the fragrant smoke rises, carrying the scent of bamboo, the quintessential taste of mountain ingredients, making the person enjoying it feel like they are immersed in the vast space.
Canh thut is not only a daily dish but also appears in many festivals of the M'nong people: New Rice Celebration, Water Worship Ceremony, Health Prayer Ceremony... Canh thut tubes placed next to jars of rice wine, next to the fire of the stilt house, create a warm picture of solidarity and community activities.
Unique delicacies for tourists
Nowadays, Canh Thut has become a curious and attractive dish for many tourists when they come to the M'nong people's living areas in the West of Lam Dong province. Mr. Ky Phuc Hau - a tourist from Vinh Long province said: "Once when I passed through Gia Nghia, I had the opportunity to enjoy Canh Thut. Since then, I have been addicted to this dish. Because it has many strange and delicious flavors, stimulating the taste buds. I like the taste of Bep leaves, bitter bamboo shoots, both rich and bitter but sweet aftertaste. In the cold rainy winter weather, adding the spicy taste of local chili makes me feel even warmer and better for my health. Since then, every time I have the opportunity to pass through this locality, I stop by to enjoy Canh Thut - a dish rich in the unforgettable flavor of the mountains and forests".
Canh thut is not only a dish with the flavor of the mountains and forests but also a vivid cultural story of the M'nong people. Many Central Highlands specialty restaurants have included Canh thut on their menus, but the most original and authentic flavor of the mountains and forests is still enjoyed in the village, by the fire of a stilt house in the warm atmosphere of the M'nong people.
Source: https://baolamdong.vn/canh-thut-net-doc-dao-trong-van-hoa-am-thuc-cua-dong-bao-m-nong-405492.html
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