The previous afternoon, a storm raged, with dark clouds covering the sky. Heavy rain washed over the rice paddies of the central Vietnamese countryside, which had been parched after days of drought. By dusk, the fields were damp, with water pooling in the low-lying areas. Frogs, toads, and other amphibians were everywhere...
Eagerly, they left their dens and sang their mating songs, like a lively choir in the countryside. The rain gradually stopped. The friends, flashlights in hand and net baskets slung over their hips, strode out into the fields.
A cool breeze caresses the skin after nights stiflingly hot from the long, scorching sun. Flashlights sweep across the fields, laughter and chatter awakening the darkness. Light footsteps and quick hands swiftly capture frogs blinded by the light. After a few hours, you return home with a heavy net basket slung over your hip. The frogs are placed in a large earthenware pot, covered with a sieve made of thin, sharpened bamboo.
The next day, take the frogs out of the pot, rub them with coarse salt, and use a knife to remove the intestines. The slime and fishy smell will be washed away when rinsed with a mixture of vinegar and fish sauce. Go to the garden and cut some fresh green chives and dig up some fresh yellow turmeric roots. Peel and wash the turmeric, then pound it into a paste. Wash the chives and cut them into short pieces. Put the frogs into a blender and blend them until smooth with salt, pepper, sugar, chili, and thinly sliced shallots.
Heat peanut oil in a pan, then add frog meat, shallots, and fresh turmeric, stir-frying until cooked through. Remove from heat. Wash the rice and put it in a pot of water, simmering over a low flame. When the rice has bloomed like delicate white flowers floating in the water, add the stir-fried frog meat and shallots. After a while, season to taste, add chives, sprinkle with a little ground pepper, and turn off the heat. You now have a rustic, flavorful porridge, reminiscent of the countryside after a summer rainstorm.
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