A strangely named noodle dish in Nam Dinh costs 15,000 VND, but customers still crave more after eating two bowls.

Bun Chopsticks is one of the famous delicacies in Nam Dinh . The reason for its unique name is because of the unique appearance of this dish.

Accordingly, chopstick vermicelli is a type of vermicelli that is made into thick strands almost like chopsticks, white in color and softer, chewier than regular vermicelli.

Nam Dinh chopsticks noodles are in the top 100 Vietnamese specialties (2020 - 2021). Photo: JC Vuong

Ms. Phuong, owner of a popular noodle shop in Nam Dinh City, said that at first glance, vermicelli noodles look quite similar to banh canh in the South, but the noodles are large, firm, and do not become soft when poured with hot water.

Chopsticks noodles are usually cooked with rich crab broth, crab fat and celery, water spinach or water spinach (depending on the season), served with raw vegetables. Some places also serve customers with pork rinds and pig's ear sausage.

According to Ms. Phuong, the process of making noodle soup is not difficult, but from familiar ingredients, each restaurant will have its own secret to create a unique flavor.

To make the most delicious and traditional vermicelli dish, Ms. Phuong uses chopstick vermicelli from Cua Nam ward – a famous place for producing chopstick vermicelli in Nam Dinh city. The vermicelli here is naturally white, chewy and can be preserved for a long time.

Chopsticks noodle dish is simply prepared from familiar ingredients but has a delicious and distinctive flavor. Photo: @khaica3396

For the broth, she prefers to use field crabs to create a fragrant and sweet taste.

When choosing crabs, she chooses live, healthy ones. After buying them, she cleans them, separates the apron, shell and meat. The meat is pounded, mixed with water and filtered thoroughly to get a thick, smooth juice without crab shells. The more thoroughly the juice is filtered, the more fluffy, smooth and delicious the crab fat will be when cooked.

When boiling crab broth, keep the heat at medium to avoid overflowing. When the water boils, skim off the crab fat and set aside in a bowl. Season the crab broth with spices and add tomatoes to taste.

Use a toothpick to scoop out the crab fat into a bowl, then fry the fat until hot and add chopped shallots and stir well. Fry the shallots until fragrant and turn color, then add the crab fat and simmer together. When the fat is cooked, add it to the sour soup to create richness, aroma and make the dish more attractive.

“Each season has its own dishes, the vegetables served with rice noodles can be water spinach, water mimosa or celery. I usually buy vegetables from Tuc Mac village because they are crispy, green and fragrant. Wash the vegetables, remove the leaves, blanch them in boiling water, and place them in a basket to drain. This method helps the vegetables stay green and crispy,” said Ms. Phuong.

The bowl of noodle soup has eye-catching colors with the white of noodles, the red of tomatoes, a little green of vegetables and the golden color of crab fat. Photo: @at.diary.0601, JC Vuong

When customers order, the seller starts boiling the noodles, then adds ingredients such as crab fat, vegetables, etc., and pours hot broth on top. Customers eat the noodles with raw vegetables, seasoned with spicy vinegar, satay, chili sauce, etc., depending on their preferences.

“The best way to eat vermicelli with chopsticks is with spicy vinegar and fresh herbs to enhance the freshness. Each restaurant will serve different types of herbs, but the main ones are still Vietnamese balm, Vietnamese coriander, and perilla.

This dish can also be eaten all year round, at any meal of the day, and can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Sometimes when I come back from a trip, I eat two bowls in a row and still crave it,” said Ms. Nguyen Hang, a diner in Nam Dinh City.

According to Ms. Hang, noodle soup is a popular dish, only 15,000 VND/bowl and is hard to find on the menu of luxury restaurants and eateries. This noodle dish is usually only sold at some sidewalk stalls or traditional markets.

If you have the opportunity to visit Nam Dinh city, visitors can find and enjoy chopsticks noodles at Dien Hong market, Rong market, Ngo Ngang market or at some familiar local eateries such as Mrs. Bay's chopsticks noodles (opposite Hoang Ngan market), Mrs. Son's chopsticks noodles, Truong Chinh chopsticks noodles, etc.

Korean tourists come to Vietnam for this dish, revealing the place where they can 'eat it over and over again without getting bored'. The pho dish is served in a generous portion, served with a special spicy sauce, making the Korean tourist exclaim that it is delicious, admitting that he can enjoy it over and over again without getting bored.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/mon-bun-ten-la-o-nam-dinh-gia-15-000-dong-khach-an-2-bat-van-them-2329689.html