The soul of the countryside in every dish.

Tay Ninh province has the Vam Co Dong river, scorching sun, and a flood season. There, depending on the bounty of nature, people create dishes that are rich in the flavors of their homeland and imbued with the spirit of the countryside.

Trang Bang rice noodle soup is one of the 100 most distinctive culinary dishes of Vietnam (Photo: Tay Ninh Online Newspaper)

Trang Bang rice noodle soup - a distinctive culinary feature of Vietnam.

When talking about Tay Ninh cuisine, it's impossible to forget the famous Trang Bang rice noodle soup. It's unclear exactly when this dish originated, but even now, it's a very distinctive culinary feature of the people of Trang Bang, Tay Ninh.

Someone recounted that Trang Bang rice noodle soup was invented and made by a woman who sold goods from a carrying pole. Seeing the hardships of those around her, she passed on her cooking skills so they could also earn a living. And from then on, Trang Bang rice noodle soup became a signature dish, popular both in Trang Bang and Tay Ninh province, and then spread to many other regions.

Rice noodle soup can be found in many regions, such as Nha Trang's fish cake rice noodle soup, Quang Tri's snakehead fish rice noodle soup, Phu Quoc's crab rice noodle soup, etc. Since Trang region has no coastline and freshwater fish isn't particularly unique, the deliciousness of the rice noodle soup here comes from the noodles themselves.

Banh canh must be made from rice flour, specifically a type of rice from Trang region originating from the Khmer people, or the banh canh maker must know how to mix the flour to create noodles that are both chewy and sweet, captivating diners.

Although a local specialty, Trang Bang rice noodle soup is made from very common ingredients. The broth is sweetened with bones and must include chicken heads. This is considered a "secret" to achieving the authentic flavor of Trang Bang rice noodle soup. The meat used in the soup is also not too "picky"; lean meat, thigh, leg, or trotters are all acceptable, depending on personal preference, but it's essential to choose fresh, high-quality meat. After boiling, the meat should be removed from the pot and placed in cold water to keep it crisp and white.

Besides the sweet broth, chewy noodles, and flavorful meat, Trang Bang rice noodle soup is truly delicious when eaten with wild herbs, the kind of simple, rustic vegetables that anyone can easily pick around them.

The towering mountains and forests steeped in history have given the people of Tay Ninh a unique and unmistakable specialty: wild vegetables – an indispensable accompaniment to many of the region's famous dishes.

On a weekend when you miss your hometown, returning home, sitting in a small market, and enjoying a bowl of flavorful banh canh (rice noodle soup) would be the greatest gift for those from Tay Ninh living far away.

A steaming bowl of banh canh (Vietnamese rice noodle soup) emits a delicate aroma from cilantro, onions, and pepper, awakened by the bubbling broth poured into the bowl already filled with meat or pork trotters. A small bowl of fish sauce with pepper, a few slices of lemon, and a basket of various fresh wild herbs beside it promise diners a well-rounded, authentically rural meal.

Dong Thap Muoi fish sauce hotpot - a reflection of the people of the riverine region.

Gathering around a steaming pot of fish sauce hotpot creates a warm and cozy atmosphere, reminiscent of home (Photo: HA LAN)

Tay Ninh is not only home to Mount Ba Den and its ancient forests; it also boasts a riverine region in Dong Thap Muoi where "fish and shrimp are readily available, and rice grows naturally," so Tay Ninh's cuisine also features dishes typical of the Mekong Delta, among which fermented fish hotpot is a must-try.

Hot pot with fermented fish sauce is served with common, easy-to-find vegetables (Photo: HA LAN)

Visiting Dong Thap Muoi during the flood season, enjoying a pot of fermented fish hotpot with water hyacinth and water lily flowers is simply wonderful. While it's raining outside, the whole family gathers around a steaming, fragrant pot of fermented fish hotpot – what could be a more worthwhile experience!

During the flood season, fish follow the rising water down into the fields, and people catch them to eat and sell. If they can't eat it all, they dry it and make fish sauce. And this fish sauce is an indispensable ingredient in fish sauce hot pot, a dish that's easy to cook, easy to eat, and hard to forget.

The ingredients for fish sauce hotpot are practically readily available right at your doorstep. Fish, shrimp, eel, or pork can all be cooked together. The vegetables for dipping in the hotpot are also diverse and all are natural products such as water spinach, Sesbania grandiflora flowers, banana blossoms, morning glory, water lilies, etc., which are delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive because they are always readily available.

With readily available vegetables around their homes, people in Dong Thap Muoi in particular, and the entire Mekong Delta in general, find ways to incorporate them into their simple meals, which have now become specialties.

Dong Thap Muoi fish sauce hotpot is fragrant with the rich aroma of fish sauce, blended with the fragrant sautéed minced garlic and chili, the sweetness of local shrimp and fish, and the refreshing taste of various readily available vegetables. When guests visit, the locals of this rice-growing region will treat them to a steaming pot of fish sauce hotpot and a bottle of rice wine.

The rich, savory flavors, blended with a hint of mild spiciness, in a meal served to guests is what makes visitors from afar fall in love with both the land and the people of that place.

Even as time passes and life changes, dishes like Trang Bang rice noodle soup and Dong Thap Muoi fish sauce hotpot quietly preserve the "soul of the countryside" of Tay Ninh, a simple and affectionate land. It's not just about the delicious taste of the food, but also about the memories and way of life connected to the fields, mountains, rivers, and people of this region.

Each time they return home, sitting beside a steaming bowl of noodle soup or a bubbling pot of fish sauce hotpot, people not only eat to satisfy their hunger but also feel their hearts warmed by the familiar scent of their homeland—a flavor that, no matter how far they travel, they can never forget.

Guilin

Source: https://baolongan.vn/hon-que-trong-tung-mon-an-a199877.html