Because Sa Huynh is a coastal area, its cuisine also carries the flavors of the sea. I remember vividly that every time the Dragon Boat Festival came around, my grandmother would cook Quang noodles – a special noodle dish with grilled meat, sausage, quail eggs, shrimp, and squid.
Quang noodles
I remember the intoxicating aroma and the smoky fumes clinging to my breath as my grandmother placed the meat slices on the grill, letting the red charcoal color permeate each fiber. The quail eggs were already boiled and peeled, revealing their smooth, white skin. The plump prawns, freshly brought ashore by the sea, were washed clean by my grandmother. Then, along with the pre-cut squid rings, she cooked a pot of broth.
To enhance the flavor, my grandmother adds roasted peanuts, mint, banana blossom, and shrimp crackers. These are considered side dishes, but their absence would truly be a deficiency in Quang noodles. Just like Láng mint, which is considered an "extra ingredient in pho," it's the very soul of Hanoi pho.
Quang noodles are my grandmother's "traditional" dish every time the Dragon Boat Festival (the 5th day of the 5th lunar month) comes around. Her Quang noodles have an irresistible charm. Everyone wants a second or third bowl. The bowl is overflowing with tender and fragrant pieces of meat, the fresh taste of shrimp and squid, the sweet flavor of banana blossom, the nutty taste of peanuts… all blended together to leave me utterly captivated.
When my grandmother passed away, I no longer got to eat a bowl of Quang noodles filled with her love. Thinking about Quang noodles, I feel a pang of nostalgia, remembering her gentle smile, her loving eyes, and her sweet words. The smoke from the kitchen still stings my eyes…
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