Quang Ngai delicacies: Sweet and refreshing An Khe mussel soup

The sun has risen high on the sandbanks of An Khe lagoon (Pho Khanh commune (Duc Pho town, Quang Ngai province), but under the cool water, people are still diligently raking for mussels. The slender nets gently stir in the muddy sand, collecting each small mussel. Plastic basins bob on the water surface, gradually filling up, then being pulled to shore. A simple, quiet labor rhythm in the midst of immense nature.

People rake mussels at An Khe lagoon

PHOTO: TRANG THY

Life source from An Khe lagoon

An Khe Lagoon is considered the largest "green lung" of Quang Ngai, covering 347 hectares, located next to National Highway 1. Although separated from the sea by a sandbar about 50 meters wide and connected to the ocean via the Cua Lo River, the lagoon still retains a source of fresh water all year round.

This place is associated with the Sa Huynh culture, the cradle of the residents more than 3,000 years ago. The ancient breath still lingers in every small wave and the fragrant smell of young mud.

Tourists visit An Khe lagoon

PHOTO: TRANG THY

The mussels are soaked overnight in large tanks of water to remove all the sand, then brought to be consumed throughout the provinces and cities. But the most quintessential thing is still when enjoying mussels right in this lagoon, during a lunch in a small house, the wind blowing from the Cua Lo River, listening to the rustling of poplar leaves like a mother's lullaby.

And the indispensable dish is mussel soup with water spinach, simple but delicious.

The way to cook mussel soup is not complicated, but requires care. After cleaning the mussels, they are boiled on a red wood stove. When the mussel shells open, the housewife skillfully separates the ivory-white meat, then lightly marinates it with a little salt, ground pepper and MSG.

Clam meat combined with water spinach will give a sweet taste in the summer noon.

PHOTO: TRANG THY

The broth is poured into another pot, seasoned to taste. A handful of fresh green water spinach is picked from the backyard garden, the young parts are picked, washed, and cut into pieces. When the water boils, add a few slices of red chili to bring out the flavor, then the vegetables, then the mussels. When the vegetables are just cooked, not too tough or too mushy, take them off the heat.

Taste of home in every spoonful of mussels

A bowl of mussel soup appeared: the green of the vegetables blended with the ivory white of the mussels, dotted with a few slices of red chili like bright flowers in the middle of summer. Scooping a ladle into the bowl, the steam gently rose, carrying a rustic aroma, making everyone want to put down their chopsticks and just sip the soup.

Rustic mussel soup, rich in the flavor of the countryside

PHOTO: TRANG THY

The broth is sweet and clear, the sweetness is extracted from aquatic plants growing in the calm lagoon. The mussel meat is chewy and sweet, the water spinach is crunchy, with the mild spiciness of pepper and chili, the more you eat, the cooler it feels. The new rice, just harvested from the fields next to the lagoon, is fragrant and sticky, dipped in a bit of salty braised fish and sipping a spoonful of mussel soup, the heart feels soothed after the fatigue of a long day.

An Khe Lagoon not only has ecological and archaeological value but is also a "kitchen" that nurtures simple dishes, of which mussel soup is a typical representative. No need for delicacies, just a bowl of mussel soup with water spinach in the middle of summer is enough to dispel the scorching heat of the Central region, enough for anyone who has eaten it to never forget.

A bowl of mussel soup in a country meal

PHOTO: TRANG THY

If you have the chance to visit An Khe, don’t just admire the scenery. Let your taste buds guide you. Have a rustic meal, with mussel soup cooked with water spinach. Then you will understand why this dish makes people remember it so much.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mon-ngon-quang-ngai-ngot-thanh-canh-hen-an-khe-185250508103205595.htm