The people of Ninh Hoa are proud of their fragrant, delicious, rich, and fatty duck rice with ginger fish sauce. But the duck porridge from this region is also absolutely delicious. Anyone who tries it once will be hooked forever.
 |
| AI illustration |
One of the things that makes the rice and duck porridge from this region so memorable is the ginger fish sauce. Duck meat is considered "cold" in nature, and eating too much can cause stomach upset, so dipping it in ginger fish sauce warms it up. Ginger is ground or crushed, the juice is squeezed out to reduce its pungency, and it's mixed with red chili peppers, minced garlic cloves, good quality fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and chili for an eye-catching color. The mixture is stirred well to form a thick, viscous sauce. At first, you won't feel anything, but after a while, you'll feel the spiciness and warmth spreading throughout your body.
The porridge, cooked with duck broth, is incredibly rich and creamy. Ninh Hoa duck porridge is renowned for its tightly bound duck wings and feet, simmered until tender. People who eat duck rice rarely eat the wings and feet, but they must try them in the porridge. However, you have to arrive early to get them, as only about twenty sets of wings and feet are available from a dozen ducks; if you're slow, they'll be gone.
On a late afternoon at the end of the year, the persistent drizzle made the weather chilly. I huddled under the old, moss-green plastic tarp, ordering a bowl of porridge with a separate plate of chicken thigh and offal, along with feet and wings. The owner stirred the porridge, scooped three ladlefuls into the bowl, sprinkled chopped scallions, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander on top, and added a little pepper for extra flavor. She then sliced the offal, liver, and gizzard, and chopped the thigh meat onto another plate. The maid placed it on the table, and while stirring the fish sauce, scooped a tiny bowlful, adding a plate of vegetables including sawtooth coriander, mango, unripe banana, cucumber, star fruit, and some pickled carrots and papaya. Looking at the steaming, fragrant bowl of porridge, my stomach rumbled. I took a spoonful, blew on it slowly to cool it down, and sipped gently. The sweet and rich flavor of the porridge spread throughout my body. I took another spoonful. The rice grains were soft and chewy. At that moment, all the hardships of the cold rain in my hometown seemed to vanish.
Pick up a piece of meat, dip it in the fish sauce, and chew slowly to savor the fatty skin, tender, juicy meat. The spicy fish sauce, the sourness of lime, and the pungent aroma of ginger warm the stomach. Add a piece of liver and gizzard, along with some fresh vegetables, sour starfruit, cucumber, and unripe banana, dip it in a little ginger fish sauce, and chew slowly, the crunchy sensation caressing your mouth. In an instant, the bowl of porridge with the plate of chicken thigh and offal is empty. Glancing at the still warm feet and wings, my eyes light up. Taking a small sip, the skin, meat, and tendons seem to melt right in my mouth. Is there any porridge with feet and wings that tastes better than this?
Over the years, generations have grown up and left Ninh Hoa to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Some have disappeared without a trace, while others have quietly returned to their hometown to marry, settle down, and live a leisurely, slow-paced life. But Ninh Hoa's duck porridge seems to have remained unchanged by time. Those who remember and cherish the dish, who have become addicted to the bowl of porridge, the jar of ginger fish sauce, and the accompanying head, wings, and legs, will, upon returning home, rush to the restaurant before even settling down, ordering a plate of rice and a generous bowl of porridge overflowing with offal and meat to satisfy their longing and cravings from their long absence.
Amidst the afternoon rain in my hometown, the joyful feeling of eating a familiar dish makes the exiled person feel a pang of nostalgia, bringing tears to their eyes.
NGUYEN HUU TAI
Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/sang-tac/202604/chao-vit-xu-minh-19d10c8/
Comment (0)