Try something new with sticky rice and sea cucumber eggs.

The fragrant stickiness of glutinous rice blends with the rich, nutty flavor of horseshoe crab eggs,加上 a touch of sweet and creamy grated coconut, creating the delicious and unique taste of Ha Tien horseshoe crab egg sticky rice.

A box of sticky rice with sea cucumber eggs. Photo: THUY TIEN

Ha Tien is famous for its rich cuisine , from bun ken (noodle soup with fish), steamed rice noodles, stir-fried rice noodles, to many distinctive sticky rice dishes sold on the streets and in local markets. The sticky rice here is made from fragrant, chewy glutinous rice and comes in many variations such as savory, sweet, or Siamese-style sticky rice. Among them, horseshoe crab egg sticky rice is considered a unique variation, combining fragrant glutinous rice with horseshoe crab eggs. After preparation, the horseshoe crab eggs have a rich, nutty flavor and a very distinct aroma, creating an unforgettable taste when eaten with sticky rice.

Horseshoe crabs are a species that lives in brackish and coastal waters. The horseshoe crab breeding season begins around December of the previous year and ends around March of the following lunar year. According to many people in Ha Tien, during the horseshoe crab breeding season, they often use horseshoe crab eggs to prepare various dishes such as grilled and stir-fried. Among them, combining horseshoe crab eggs with sticky rice has created a unique dish, bearing the mark of the coastal people. Sticky rice with horseshoe crab eggs was once a familiar dish to the locals, sold from street vendors or small stalls in the morning market. While not complicated to prepare, the dish impresses with its unique flavor, combining the fragrant stickiness of the sticky rice with the rich, nutty taste of the horseshoe crab eggs and grated coconut.

According to Ms. Lam Bao Tran, a resident of Ha Tien ward, the most important step in making delicious horseshoe crab egg sticky rice is selecting the ingredients. The glutinous rice used is usually fragrant and sticky. The rice is washed clean, soaked for about 4-5 hours, and then steamed until cooked through. When the rice is just cooked, the cook quickly fluffs it up to prevent the grains from sticking and to maintain its soft and chewy texture. After cleaning, the horseshoe crab eggs are stir-fried or roasted with spices to retain their richness and characteristic aroma. When sold, a small amount of hot sticky rice is scooped into a box or wrapped in banana or lotus leaves, then topped with horseshoe crab eggs, and a little grated coconut and roasted sesame seeds are added to enhance the flavor and aroma of the dish.

Compared to many other specialties in Ha Tien, sticky rice with horseshoe crab eggs is not widely available. This is partly because horseshoe crab eggs aren't always in demand, and partly because the dish is mainly sold at small stalls or online. Therefore, many tourists, even those visiting Ha Tien, don't have the chance to enjoy this unique dish. Many tourists believe that you need luck to find a stall selling this special sticky rice with horseshoe crab eggs. "A friend recommended the sticky rice with horseshoe crab eggs in Ha Tien, saying it's quite delicious, so when I came here, I asked my friend to order some in advance. The sticky rice combined with the sweet and creamy taste of the horseshoe crab eggs and the slightly nutty flavor of grated coconut is very appealing," shared Ms. Tran Thu Trang, a resident of Can Tho City.

Although not a luxurious dish, sticky rice with horseshoe crab eggs still tells a story of the creativity of the people of the coastal region in utilizing local produce to create a dish with a unique flavor. Amidst modern life, the taste of sticky rice with horseshoe crab eggs is preserved and passed down as a unique beauty, contributing to the richness of the cuisine of Ha Tien in particular and An Giang in general.

THUY TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/la-mieng-voi-xoi-trung-sam-a479955.html