Don is deeply rooted in his hometown.

Located downstream of the Tra Khuc River, Nghia Hoa and Nghia Phu communes in Quang Ngai City, Quang Ngai province, have long been known as the "capital" of don (a type of shellfish).

Many of these establishments have been around for over 50 years, serving generations.

Visiting the Don Gáo Dừa restaurant (Nghĩa Phú commune) on a cold winter afternoon, enjoying a steaming hot, spicy bowl of don, and savoring the characteristic sweet and delicate flavor of the don, one truly appreciates the richness of this traditional dish.

The way to prepare and enjoy don is not complicated. A bowl of don only contains hot broth, don meat, a little thinly sliced ​​onion, and scallions. People in Quang Ngai like to eat don with grilled rice crackers. The crackers are broken and added to the bowl of don, along with some green chili and Ly Son garlic for extra flavor.

Use a coconut shell ladle to serve the don (a type of shellfish) to customers.

Ms. Pham Thi Kim Lien, 69 years old, owner of the Don Gao Dua (Coconut Shell Don) restaurant, said her family has been involved in this business for over 70 years. "In the past, my mother-in-law carried her wares on her shoulders and sold them throughout the town (now Quang Ngai City). Later, as she got older, she only sold don at the village market and used coconut shells to scoop the don for customers. Now that she has passed away, I have taken over the restaurant and continue to use these traditional coconut shells to serve the don," Ms. Lien shared.

Don is harvested by people in Nghia Hoa commune, Quang Ngai city.

Mr. Cao Hong Cam, Mrs. Lien's husband, recounted that in the old days, when his mother used to carry baskets of clams to sell door-to-door, his father would often go out to gather clams the evening before, only returning home late at night. At 3 a.m., his parents would wake up to cook the clams, then pour them into earthenware pots, and in the morning they would carry them out to sell. Each pot of clams weighed at least ten kilograms, yet his mother carried them on foot from morning till evening, selling them throughout Quang Ngai town.

Based on inherited experience, Mr. Cam revealed that for a delicious bowl of don (a type of shellfish), besides the don itself being fresh, the broth must retain the sweet flavor of the don's nectar. That's why Mrs. Lien always cooks bowls with the most don. On peak days, the Gáo Dừa don restaurant can sell up to 100 bowls, occasionally supplying the broth and don to specialty restaurants in Quang Ngai province, located in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi .

Source: https://nld.com.vn/don-dam-tinh-que-196250124135224559.htm