Transporting tofu from Lang Son to Hanoi takes a lot of time, not to mention the storage temperature is not guaranteed to affect the quality and taste of the tofu, so even customers who live far away and have money will find it difficult to buy.
[/caption]Na Sam tofu has been a hit on many online forums recently. Photo: Minh Thuy Vu, Nhat Le Vu
Ms. Nguyen Xuan - a small trader who has been making and selling Na Sam tofu for many years in the town of the same name said that this dish is currently only consumed in the province, not transported to neighboring areas, especially Hanoi because it is difficult to ensure quality.
“Tofu is fresh, hand-made and preservative-free. Transporting tofu from Lang Son to Hanoi or other regions takes a long time.
Not to mention the incorrect storage temperature and the seller often leaves it overnight before delivering it to customers, which will affect the quality and taste of the beans," she said.
[caption id="attachment_594607" align="aligncenter" width="1276"]
[/caption]Na Sam beans are individually wrapped in thin layers of cloth to keep the shape beautiful and ensure more hygiene. Photo: NVCC
This retailer said that many online sellers in Hanoi saw that Na Sam tofu was causing a stir and contacted her to import it to Hanoi for sale. However, she refused because she found it unfeasible.
“Some people still pack beans in styrofoam boxes, add ice water and transport them to Hanoi, but when they arrive, the beans are spoiled, sour and rancid. This makes many diners mistakenly believe that the quality of Na Sam beans is not as advertised and have an incorrect opinion about the food of my hometown,” Ms. Xuan said.
[caption id="attachment_594612" align="aligncenter" width="1088"]
[/caption]The process of wrapping the beans also requires meticulousness and takes a lot of time because people have to wrap them twice to make the beans square and beautiful. Photo: Thai Lang Son
According to this woman, tofu is a popular, familiar dish, available throughout the country, but thanks to their own secret recipe and slightly different way of making it, the people of Na Sam have created an attractive tofu dish with a unique flavor.
The process of making tofu is not too complicated, but it requires many steps and is time-consuming. Local households making tofu have to wake up at 3am to make batches of tofu to sell in the morning, and at 12pm to make batches of tofu to sell in the afternoon.
The meticulous processing helps Na Sam beans have the right firmness, when fried they do not break but the shell is still crispy, the inside is soft and fatty. Photo: NVCC
To make delicious Na Sam tofu, the locals must choose good soybeans, large, round and not flat. After washing, the beans are soaked in water for about 1 - 2 hours, then ground into powder, then put into a filter - squeezed to get the water.
Continue to boil the resulting water, then pour it into a basin and mix until the bean water precipitates into lumps, then pour it into molds and wrap them into individual pieces.
Na Sam beans are delicious eaten raw or processed. However, because the transportation process is difficult to ensure the complete quality of the beans, many diners in Hanoi find it difficult to enjoy them. Photo: NVCC
“The preparation stage is very important. You have to make sure to mix water and sour bean water in the right proportion so that the finished beans are soft and smooth, with a characteristic aroma. When pressing the beans, you have to press them firmly so that they are solid and do not break when processed,” Ms. Xuan shared.
The most distinctive feature of Na Sam beans is their refreshing, rich flavor. They can be eaten raw (blanched in boiling water) or processed into fried or braised dishes. The best is deep-fried beans, dipped in shrimp paste, with a crispy outer shell and soft, moist inside.
Because it is difficult to preserve when transported long distances, Na Sam tofu is mainly consumed within the province.
If tourists want to enjoy this famous bean dish, they can visit Lang Son , combining it with experiencing many other attractive specialties such as roast duck, sour pho, rice rolls, grilled spring rolls, and meatloaf...
Thao Trinh
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dau-phu-na-sam-gay-sot-cho-mang-khach-ha-noi-co-tien-cung-kho-mua-2304209.html
![[Maritime News] Container shipping faces overcapacity that will last until 2028](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/7/30/6d35cbc6b0f643fd97f8aa2e9bc87aea)
Comment (0)