Thanh Hoa specialty grilled on charcoal is so fragrant, Hanoi customers order 'shipment' from nearly 180km to eat

Made from a number of familiar ingredients, Thanh Hoa's specialty is still attractive thanks to its fresh, naturally sweet flavor, making Hanoi diners willing to order "shipment" from nearly 180km to enjoy.

Sam Son shrimp cake is a famous Thanh Hoa specialty, recognized as one of the top 100 Vietnamese specialties 2021-2022 by the Vietnam Record Organization (Vietkings) and Top Vietnam Organization (VietTop).

Not only popular in Sam Son area, this dish is also widely spread to many other localities in and outside the province.

In Thanh Hoa, shrimp rolls are made from three ingredients: rice noodles, pork belly and fresh shrimp.

However, instead of being processed fresh like some traditional dishes, shrimp cakes are made from pre-cooked meat and shrimp, thereby creating a unique and unmistakable flavor.

Shrimp rolls are a popular afternoon snack in Thanh Hoa. Photo: Mai Nhung

Ms. Thu Phuong - owner of a shrimp cake restaurant in Thanh Hoa said, to have a quality dish, the preparation of ingredients must be meticulous.

The shrimp must be very fresh, caught from the Sam Son sea, of uniform size, not too big. Wash the shrimp, remove the head and tail, peel off the shell, and remove the black line on the back.

Peeled shrimp, stir-fry with shallots, pepper and spices, add cooked gac pulp (or gac oil, annatto oil) for color, making the dish more attractive.

Pork belly is also cleaned, cut into small pieces, then fried or lightly roasted.

Ms. Phuong said that depending on the region and each family, the way to prepare the dish can be different. Some places stir-fry the pork belly first and then add the shrimp, while others do not stir-fry the shrimp but leave it fresh, pound it with the fried meat or lightly fry it to preserve the natural sweetness and aroma.

To keep the shrimp rolls from drying out or losing their deliciousness, people only stir-fry the filling first, avoiding overcooking. Photo: Thu Hang

According to the female owner, the filling, after being cooled, is ground by machine or pounded by hand to create a smooth, elastic mixture.

Nowadays, some shrimp cake making facilities in Thanh Hoa often use grinders to save labor and time, ensure productivity while still preserving the traditional flavor.

In addition to the filling, the shrimp roll skin is also carefully selected, cut from the rice noodle rolls into rectangular pieces.

Pho noodles must be fresh, thicker and chewier than regular pho noodles so that they don't tear when rolled.

The best shrimp cakes are grilled directly on charcoal and eaten as they are cooked. If left for too long, the shrimp cakes will cool down, the shell will become a bit hard, and the taste will be less. Photo: Nguyen Hong Thu Trang

When rolling, people spread the rice noodle lengthwise on a flat surface, put a spoonful of filling on top and roll it tightly.

This step sounds simple but requires skill because it must be done evenly, rolling straight so that the skin does not skew or tear, avoiding the filling falling out when baking.

Shrimp cakes are sandwiched between fresh bamboo sticks and grilled over charcoal. Each stick has about 5-7 pieces to ensure the cakes are cooked evenly. Be sure to flip the sticks constantly, rotating all sides so the cakes are cooked evenly and do not burn.

When the crust begins to burn slightly, revealing the attractive orange-red filling and giving off a fragrant aroma, the sausage is done and ready to enjoy.

Shrimp cakes are delicious served with raw vegetables, vermicelli, and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce or chili sauce. Photo: Lien Xukakeu

In Thanh Hoa, shrimp rolls are served with sweet and sour dipping sauce with pickled figs, papaya pickles, carrots, green mangoes and vegetables such as lettuce, perilla, Vietnamese balm and coriander.

A serving includes 10 shrimp rolls, priced at 12,000 - 15,000 VND each.

Shrimp cakes are sold year-round in Thanh Hoa, but are best enjoyed in winter.

In the cold weather, bite into a piece of hot, crispy, fragrant sausage, roll it with some raw vegetables or vermicelli and dip it in sweet and sour fish sauce, the combined flavors are enough to make diners remember it forever after just one bite.

The shrimp cake is golden brown in color, with brown edges. It tastes best when eaten hot. Photo: Cooky TV

Ms. Thanh Thao ( Hanoi ) had the opportunity to enjoy shrimp rolls in Thanh Hoa several times, and commented that the dish has a delicious and unique flavor. The shell is soft but still crispy, the shrimp and meat filling is smooth and fragrant.

“The filling is finely ground but when eaten, you can still clearly feel the flavor of shrimp and there is no fishy smell, combined with the fatty taste of pork belly, making it even more appealing,” said Ms. Thao.

Shrimp cakes have become a delicacy sought after by Hanoi diners, who order them from Thanh Hoa to eat. Photo: Thu Hang

Because of the deliciousness of this specialty, she sometimes orders shrimp rolls from a familiar restaurant and transports them nearly 180km from Thanh Hoa to Hanoi to enjoy and treat her whole family.

“The shrimp patties are grilled first, then carefully packaged and vacuum-sealed. When delivered, the dish is still fresh and delicious. I just need to grill it again with charcoal or put it in an air fryer to heat it up.

Each shrimp cake is quite small, only about the size of a finger, so I usually order hundreds at a time, enough for my family to eat 2-3 meals," the customer added.

A video clip recording the image of a foreign male tourist stirring a pot of sweet rice cake with locals in the ancient village of Duong Lam (Son Tay, Hanoi) is causing a stir on social media.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dac-san-thanh-hoa-nuong-than-thom-nuc-khach-ha-noi-dat-ship-gan-180km-ve-an-2453476.html