Tra Khuc River is a special river of Quang Ngai . Before flowing into the East Sea, Tra Khuc River winds around this land, bringing people many delicious products, including Don - a specialty only available in Quang Ngai.
Quang Ngai don - a "unique" specialty only found in Tra Khuc river
When the torrential floodwaters pass, revealing patches of don buried deep in the sand, that is when people flock to the sandbanks on both sides of the river to dig for don. Strangely enough, don only lives in this area, buried in the sand, eating the quintessence from upstream, so when the season comes, local people or tourists coming to Quang Ngai all try to eat the river don dish.
The don has the shape of a small plum, thin shell, dark yellow color, usually about 2cm long. The don's core is pinkish-yellow, surrounded by pink tassels. The don's breeding season lasts from January to late summer. During this time, people go to rake the don. People use a "chui" - a tool shaped like a water trough woven with bamboo strips just enough to hold the don and let the sand out.
@mia
Besides goby fish, don is the cleanest thing in Tra River. Unlike freshwater mussels that are found in many places, don only lives in the brackish water of Tra River. Don meat is firmer, sweeter and more fragrant than mussels. Although not a delicacy, don in Quang land is full of hometown love, nurturing the childhood of many people and is also a specialty that the people here are very proud of.
In early July, the don season comes, visitors to Quang Ngai have the opportunity to enjoy fresh, fragrant bowls of don. Not fancy but requiring meticulous processing and cleaning, don is raised by the land and sky of Quang Ngai, a specialty that everyone wants to try when visiting this land.
How to eat don in Quang Ngai?
Although Quang Ngai don is not complicated to prepare, it takes a lot of time to clean it. You have to clean the sand and take out the inside. Add some spices, eat with grilled rice paper and you have a cool, sweet bowl of don in the harsh summer sun of the Central region.
When the don is brought back, people will wash it clean. Then soak it in rice water to release all the mud. Put the don in a pot, cover it with water and bring it to a boil. When the water boils, people stir it until the don opens its mouth and releases all the dirt and sand. After the don is cooked, separate the broth and the don meat.
Don water served with rice paper
For the don, people use chopsticks to stir the meat to separate it from the shell. Then put the don meat into the broth and cook it again. Then, add fried onions, green onions, chives, green chili, and season to taste. The characteristic of the don dish is that it must be spicy.
At first glance, a bowl of don nuoc is just opaque white, with don meat at the bottom. On top are some thinly sliced onions and broken rice paper. The side dish of don nuoc is thick rice paper, with sesame added for more flavor. The way Quang Ngai people eat it is to break it into bite-sized pieces, put it in a hot don bowl so that the rice paper absorbs the water and softens. Then, scoop the rice paper with don meat, chew thoroughly to feel the sweet taste, along with the rich broth. People also often add duck eggs to make the don broth sweeter.
Don Nuoc is best eaten hot, add a little stir-fried chili sauce or hot peppers to make it more attractive. In addition, green chili and pepper are also indispensable. Don Nuoc is the dish most enjoyed by tourists coming to Quang Ngai, this is also a typical dish made from Don.
@kawaii.food, @minh.king, @huysilom.
Chicken soup
In addition to don soup, don soup is also a dish made from don that many people like in the summer. After separating the don meat, stir-fry it with fried shallots. When it smells good, pour in the broth. When the water boils, add the vegetables. The vegetables can be Malabar spinach or your favorite vegetables.
@mia
Stir-fried Don and Don Porridge
Similar to mussels with rice paper, don is also stir-fried and served with grilled rice paper. After being pre-processed, the don meat is stir-fried with shallots, pepper, and fish sauce. When cooked, mix it with chopped herbs such as coriander, basil, lemon leaves, and add some crushed roasted peanuts. This stir-fried don dish is also delicious when eaten with hot rice.
Thanks to its natural freshness and sweetness, don can also be used to make porridge. The broth is used to make porridge, and the don meat is stir-fried. When the porridge is done, add the don meat and stir-fry well, sprinkle with fried onions and chopped green onions. This dish is also very attractive.
@mia
Coming to Quang Ngai, tourists can visit some highly rated don restaurants here to enjoy, such as Don Quang Ngai, Don Gao Dua, Don Song Tra, Don Co Huong, Don Co Luy, Don Co Thanh. Not expensive nor elaborate, the natural sweetness of don produced in the homeland of Quang Ngai has added a proud mark to the culinary map of our country. That is also a culinary pride that only Song Tra has.
Source: https://danviet.vn/loai-dac-san-doc-ban-ngon-vo-doi-chi-co-tren-song-tra-khuc-quang-ngai-do-la-con-don-an-the-nao-20240728071419469.htm
Comment (0)