Jellyfish salad is delicious... it pierces the heart.

My friend chuckled, "Our village has plenty of jellyfish salad, you're too kind." I said, "Jellyfish is familiar, but the way it's prepared is unusual. Plus, the wind is strange, the land is strange, and the restaurant is also unusual, with its roof and walls made of coconut leaves. You should remember, 'one unusual thing is worth a ton of familiar things.' The strangest thing was the owner's question after we'd eaten a few bites: 'How are you guys?' The jellyfish salad at my restaurant is so delicious... it's like it's cutting right into your heart."

Hương vị quê hương: Gỏi sứa ngon... cứa vào tim - Ảnh 1. — Tam Ky Jellyfish Salad

If the jellyfish salad is nine parts delicious, then the person who made it says it's ten parts delicious. I thought to myself: This phrase is a gateway to heightened emotions. It's not some grand, philosophical nonsense, but it has a nice rhyme and sounds pleasant to the ear. Her cheeks flushed, and the girl from Tam Ky explained that her jellyfish salad is made in three stages. The owner's manner of speaking created a very friendly atmosphere. The few of us gathered around to observe the "process" of making Tam Ky-style jellyfish salad.

First, the owner poured the shredded jellyfish into a bowl of boiling water. The jellyfish, initially a milky white with tiny black specks like sesame seeds, was blanched to give it a chewy, slightly crunchy texture that was incredibly pleasing to the palate. Next, she poured the onions into a bowl of ice water. When onions meet ice, they become incredibly crisp and appealing. Believe it or not, some people only choose the onions in a salad because they are all white, crisp, sweet, and tangy – who could resist? A few minutes later, both ingredients were removed from the water.

Secondly, she poured the thinly sliced starfruit and unripe bananas, soaked in vinegar and sugar, from the jar onto a large plate. The owner cheerfully said: "You know what? Soaking them this way prevents the starfruit and bananas from turning brown. As you can see, the starfruit slices are a light green, and the unripe banana slices are a deep white, retaining their natural color. I have a great sense of aesthetics, so customers who come here will definitely want to see you again." Then, a whole array of ingredients—fish sauce, sugar, MSG, chili peppers, and squeezed lime—were prepared to make the salad dressing.

Third, and final stage: Pour the salad dressing over the jellyfish, onions, starfruit, and unripe bananas, then gently mix a few times until evenly combined. The owner "instructs": Now it's time to add the green vegetables. The vegetables shouldn't be chopped "properly," but rather gathered together and roughly chopped for the best taste. The roasted peanuts can be eaten separately or sprinkled into the salad as desired.

I asked, "Are the vegetables mixed in last?" The owner said, "That's right. Mixing the vegetables means eating them immediately. The leaves are fresh, crisp, fragrant, and visually appealing. If you mix them too early, the vegetables will be soggy before you've even finished half of them, and the aroma will be gone, ruining the look of the salad." The owner said they have Vietnamese coriander in there. This herb is similar to perilla but more fragrant, and it's also great for treating colds and flu. And as for jellyfish, well, no need to say more, eating it a few times a week will keep you young, even if you're old. It's anti-aging. I said, "Then any weakling should eat jellyfish salad." The owner smiled broadly and said, "Don't overthink it, it's not a good idea."

After saying goodbye to the owner, we started chatting about romantic things. One of us said her jellyfish salad shop was our new passion. Another said, "Oh, I'll miss this so much when I get back." I told her, "Let whoever wants to miss it, miss it. Life is more colorful when you have memories and longing." The owner smiled with her eyes: "Of course! This shop's jellyfish salad is so good... it really cuts through the heart."

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