The unique culinary features of Pho Hien

When visiting Pho Hien – Hung Yen city, tourists cannot miss the dishes, ranging from simple and rustic to elaborate, that are unique to this place, possessing a distinctive flavor that will be remembered forever after just one taste.

The cuisine of Pho Hien can be summed up in two words: delicious and wholesome. With skillful and diligent hands, the women of this land have for generations created many dishes that delight diners. From hot breakfasts like bun thang (noodle soup), banh cuon cha (steamed rice rolls with pork sausage), and savory and sweet banh day (rice cakes), to snacks like lotus seed and longan sweet soup, peanut candy, and banh rang bua (a type of rice cake)... And also specialties to take home as gifts for family and friends such as longan, lotus seeds, and banh tuong (a type of fermented soybean paste)...

Bun thang – a dish loved by many diners when visiting Hung Yen.

Especially in the spring, when a large number of locals and tourists flock to the Pho Hien Folk Culture Festival, the food stalls here make the spring festival atmosphere even warmer and more flavorful. Strolling along the tree-lined paths, with a light drizzle and the faint scent of incense, visitors can immerse themselves in the traditional culture and beliefs of the historical sites in Pho Hien, join in the lively atmosphere of folk games, and freely sample many delicious and unique dishes.

Having just traveled a long distance to Pho Hien, Ms. Doan Thanh Hoa, a tourist from Nghe An province, happily shared: "Every year at the beginning of spring, my friend in Hung Yen invites me to come and visit and worship at the historical sites. This time, I'm very happy and impressed to be in Hung Yen city during the Pho Hien Folk Culture Festival. I enjoyed the bun thang (a type of noodle soup) for breakfast today, and it was very fragrant and delicious."

Bun thang is also a unique feature of Pho Hien's cuisine, loved by many diners. To make a delicious bowl of bun thang, dozens of different ingredients are needed, from bone broth, pork belly, shredded fried egg, meatballs, and especially eel. It requires skill, meticulous effort, and a secret recipe to create a fragrant, impressive, and distinctive bowl of bun thang. Families who make bun thang always stay up late and wake up early to prepare the ingredients. The bone broth gives the soup its sweetness, and the ingredients blend together: the thin, white noodles, the golden color of the shredded fried egg, the pinkish shredded pork sausage, the meticulously fried pork belly, and the golden, fragrant eel slices arranged in the center of the bowl. The steaming hot bowl of bun thang is a harmonious culinary masterpiece that leaves diners praising its deliciousness and visual appeal.

After strolling and admiring the tranquil atmosphere of Pho Hien, visitors can stop at a small shop by the Crescent Lake and enjoy a bowl of tapioca pudding with sticky rice, or a refreshing bowl of lotus seed and longan pudding. Lotus seed and longan pudding, a dish made from the specialties of Pho Hien region – lotus seeds, longan, and tapioca flour – naturally combine to create a captivating flavor. This rustic yet refined dish requires skill and attention to detail from ingredient selection to preparation and presentation. The dish is simple and unpretentious, yet appealing due to its natural flavors. The tapioca starch is cooked until smooth and creamy with rock sugar, offering a gentle sweetness. Plump longan envelops the soft, white lotus seeds, exuding a subtle fragrance of pomelo and jasmine blossoms; each bite exudes purity and elegance. The refreshing sweetness of the tea, the crisp and fragrant longan pulp, and the nutty flavor of lotus seeds... all the fatigue from the long journey seems to melt away with that gentle sweetness.

Visiting Pho Hien in early spring, you'll find food stalls simply arranged under the shade of lush green trees, in cozy settings. The gentle smiles of Pho Hien girls peek out from behind their white conical hats, their skillful hands preparing delicious dishes with simple, natural ingredients... all adding to the beauty of this place's culture.

Within the framework of the Pho Hien Folk Culture Festival, the food stalls were organized by Hung Yen city through the coordination of specialized departments, units, associations, and local organizations. The stalls were not intended for profit but rather to introduce visitors to the dishes and specialties of Hung Yen city in particular, and Hung Yen province in general, through the sale of goods. The beauty and charm of the cuisine were showcased, from the process of selecting ingredients and the cooking methods to the nutritional benefits of the dishes for health. Ms. Nguyen Thi Nu, President of the Women's Union of Hung Yen city, stated: "The stalls allow visitors to enjoy delicious food and learn about the subtle cultural nuances of Pho Hien, Hung Yen, hidden within these rustic, countryside dishes." The food products selected for display at the Pho Hien Folk Culture Festival all meet criteria for quality, aesthetics, food safety and hygiene, and are reasonably priced, thereby creating a positive impression on tourists visiting Hung Yen city.

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