Rustic cuisine of Ha Nam

Ha Nam cuisine is famous for its many unique dishes, a harmonious combination of rustic and sophisticated flavors. Many dishes have become famous specialties nationwide such as Vu Dai village braised fish, Phu Ly rice rolls, Binh Luc fish sauce...

Braised fish of Vu Dai village

For the people of Vu Dai village (now Nhan Hau), Ly Nhan, Ha Nam , this is a dish with a long history, converging the quintessence and character of Ha Nam people. To make a delicious pot of braised fish, each step must be carried out carefully and meticulously. The fish for braising must be black carp, weighing from 4 kg - 6 kg. After being cleaned, the fish is headed and tailed, cut into bite-sized pieces and then marinated with spices: Galangal, ginger, chili, onion, salt, sugar, crab juice, fish sauce, bone broth, coconut water...

The fish is braised continuously for 12-14 hours with a steady fire. The type of firewood used to braise the fish must be longan wood. According to the famous families who braise fish in Vu Dai village, on every holiday, especially the Lunar New Year, the warehouses have about 5,000 pots of fish to serve tourists.

Phu Ly spring rolls with sausage

The first impression of Phu Ly rice rolls is the thin crust made from finely ground sticky rice flour, then spread on a hot steamer. The rolls are skillfully spread, ensuring thinness, toughness and softness.

Phu Ly rice rolls do not have meat filling like many other rice rolls, instead there is a layer of fragrant, golden fried onions, combined with a little bit of chopped wood ear mushrooms sprinkled on top. This simplicity is what makes Phu Ly rice rolls unique, helping diners fully experience the delicate flavor of Tam Xoan rice. The most important highlight that creates the appeal of Phu Ly rice rolls is the dipping sauce made from delicious fish sauce, adding a little sugar, lemon, chili, garlic, creating a harmonious sour and spicy flavor that stimulates the taste buds. Phu Ly people often eat rice rolls with grilled sausage.

Binh Luc fish sauce

Binh Luc crab paste is a famous specialty of Ha Nam, made from crabs (red claw crabs) with a characteristic flavor: Pungent, spicy, aromatic. Binh Luc crab paste is made from fresh crabs, washed, crushed, mixed with salt, galangal, ginger, then sealed in a jar and dried in the sun for many months.

Standard Binh Luc fish sauce will have a cockroach-wing color, the salty taste of salt, the aromatic taste of galangal and ginger, suitable for dipping boiled or stir-fried dishes. With its unique flavor, Binh Luc fish sauce has become a rustic and famous gift, loved by many tourists.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dan-da-am-thuc-ha-nam-705327.html