A touch of Hue

NHAN DAN

Whenever you visit Hue, you absolutely must buy some souvenirs on your way back. In the past, it was sesame candy, now it's usually tapioca dumplings. I don't visit Hue often, but Hue holds a special place in my heart; everything about this imperial city leaves a lasting impression. Hue's temples, rivers, scenery, royal court music, and especially its cuisine with its simple, rustic dishes, are captivating, creating more memories. It seems that the products of nature, when they arrive in Hue, become elevated and full of fond memories.

The Trang Tien Bridge is considered a symbol of the ancient capital of Hue . Photo: Archival material.

You mentioned that Hue has hundreds of kinds of cakes, all tiny little things. If it's your first time attending a memorial service in Hue, you'll surely be surprised by the rituals and incense burning, and even more surprised by the food served. Being a daughter-in-law in Hue means not only waking up before dawn and preparing tea for the elders, but also knowing how to cook, especially for important memorial feasts.

In the past, almost every household had to prepare the flour and leaves for making the dumplings themselves. Now, you can order them from a bakery, but the level of ceremony depends on the offerings presented. Banh bot loc (tapioca dumplings) have been around for a very long time and are a rustic dish closely associated with the lives of the people here. This dish is found in many places, especially in the central provinces, but it seems that only in Hue is it truly fragrant, delicious, and flavorful. The chewy and delicate texture, with its red-glazed shrimp filling and a touch of pork fat, seems to remind the eater that there is still a hint of richness and fattiness in the world. I wonder if this rustic dish was once offered to the emperor for his "filtering" ritual, because it easily evokes fond memories.

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Shrimp paste is found in many places, but only in Hue is it truly delicious. Boiled pork belly with pickled vegetables, dipped in Hue shrimp paste, is the only way to truly appreciate its exquisite flavor. It's said that Hue's shrimp paste is so uniquely delicious because, in the past, the women of the Southern provinces, following their husbands to the Perfume River and Ngu Mountain, missed the shrimp and fish of their orchards and devised a way to make it. Therefore, its deliciousness stems from the longing for their homeland. Perhaps Hue, as the former imperial capital, created this culinary tradition. Like snakehead fish noodle soup and tapioca dumplings, perhaps these are local specialties. Could it be that the rainy season, with its chilly weather, gives rise to these familiar yet unique dishes that appeal to so many people?

Da Nang is over a hundred kilometers from Hue. Because Hue was once the capital, all roads lead to Hue. This is why Quang Nam province has a unique place name: Hue Crossroads. The name "Hue Crossroads" is unusual because it's actually in Da Nang. According to historical records, "Hue Crossroads" was formed in the early 1940s, when this intersection was the only gateway to Hue. Later, many people from Hue moved to Da Nang, but few people from Quang Nam settled in the Perfume River and Ngu Mountain region. My older brothers often joked: "Only a lucky man can marry a woman from Hue." And indeed, Hue women possess a refined elegance, a gentleness beyond compare, and are highly skilled at cooking both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. As for preparing flowers and tending to ancestral altars, other women would honestly be amazed by their meticulousness.

I read in the newspaper that someone wrote that Hue beef noodle soup is the best in the country, while pork knuckle noodle soup is best eaten in Da Nang. I don't know if that's accurate, but based on my vague experience, it seems to be true. A bowl of Hue beef noodle soup is rich in flavor, with tender beef, and most importantly, the sweet and savory taste of shrimp paste, lemongrass, simmered bones, and especially the chili peppers that create the unique flavor of Hue. Pho is best found in Hanoi, while noodle soup is best found in Hue. So, eating pho in Hue is like eating noodle soup in Hanoi or listening to traditional opera in the Mekong Delta.

Quang Nam province boasts three of the best poets about Hue. Nam Tran has an entire collection titled "Hue, Beautiful and Poetic," Bui Giang's "Yes, dear Hue city now / The Ngu mountain still stands by the Perfume River" (place names are not capitalized) has become legendary, and Thu Bon bid farewell to Hue to create a very Hue-esque nostalgia: "The river lingers, the river does not flow / The river flows into the heart, making Hue so profound." It turns out that these two regions have expanded long ago, but Hon Kem and Da Dung remain places that the people of this region "look up to" from the depths of their being.

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Source: https://baodanang.vn/channel/5433/202503/chut-hue-4002136/