Famous local delicacies of Thanh Hoa province.

Người Lao Động•23/01/2023

(NLĐO) - Besides fermented pork rolls (nem chua), Thanh Hoa province also has many other famous delicacies that help relieve the feeling of satiety during Tet holidays, such as shrimp patties, rice rolls, rice cakes, and fried rice cakes...

These are all simple, everyday dishes of the people of Thanh Hoa , and the ingredients for making them are not difficult. During Tet (Lunar New Year), eating too much sticky rice cake, meat, and fish can make us feel very full, so these simple, traditional dishes can help diversify meals and prevent boredom.

Nem chua

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Nem chua is a famous specialty of Thanh Hoa, and it's now an indispensable dish during Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

When mentioning Thanh Hoa, visitors from near and far are all familiar with nem chua, a famous dish of this region. The main ingredient for making nem chua is lean pork, which must be tender, fresh, and delicious. After cleaning, the meat is ground or pounded until smooth, while the pork skin is cleaned, boiled until cooked, and thinly sliced into strips. Roasted rice flour or corn flour is mixed in with various other spices.

In addition, fresh banana leaves used to wrap the spring rolls are an equally important material. The banana leaves are washed, dried, and then torn into small pieces suitable for each spring roll. After preparing the main ingredients, the wrapping process begins. From the prepared mixture, which is rolled into individual rolls, the wrapper adds a few slices of chili, garlic, and some betel leaves to give the spring rolls a distinctive aroma.

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This dish is compact and easy to prepare, making it very popular during Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

During the Lunar New Year holiday, fermented pork sausage (nem chua) in Thanh Hoa is always in high demand, with prices rising one and a half times, or even double, the usual price. However, due to its convenience and ability to help cut through rich foods, this dish remains popular with many people.

Shrimp patties

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Thanh Hoa shrimp cakes are also a popular snack.

Besides fermented pork rolls (nem chua), Thanh Hoa shrimp patties are also a popular and attractive dish thanks to the distinctive flavor of shrimp. Shrimp patties are made from the main ingredient: sea shrimp, which is rich in nutrients and minerals. After being caught, the shrimp are cleaned, pounded into a paste, mixed with minced pork belly and dried onions, stir-fried with a little pepper and gac fruit powder, then mixed well. The mixture is then placed on rice noodles, rolled up, and grilled.

When the patties are cooked, they are served with fresh vegetables and a dipping sauce made from diluted fish sauce mixed with thinly sliced green papaya, sliced figs, fresh chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and sugar… With its delicious aroma and combination of sour, spicy, and astringent flavors, it is sure to be a unique and appealing dish .

Rice rolls

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Rice rolls, once a staple breakfast item, have now become a popular snack, with many streets in Thanh Hoa City selling them throughout the Tet holiday. (Photo: Tuan Minh)

This rustic dish was once very popular for breakfast in Thanh Hoa province, but now it has become a popular snack. The rice flour cakes are steamed over a cloth-covered pot, then carefully removed using a cylindrical tube and spread out on a small tray. A filling made from peeled shrimp, minced lean pork, wood ear mushrooms, and onions is added. Once cooked, the cakes are rolled up and served on a plate with a dipping sauce made from diluted fish sauce, lemon juice, ground pepper, and roasted shallots.

Nowadays, many eateries in Thanh Hoa City offer additional variations of banh cuon (steamed rice rolls) such as egg banh cuon and vegetable banh cuon (made with mugwort). Instead of the usual filling, egg banh cuon and vegetable banh cuon only use egg and vegetables as fillings.

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Rice flour cakes are now an indispensable traditional dish during Tet (Lunar New Year) in many rural areas of Thanh Hoa province. (Photo: Tuan Minh)

"Bánh răng bừa" is a traditional cake often made on the full moon day, anniversaries of death, Lunar New Year, or when there are family events. Nowadays, most localities in the province make bánh răng bừa year-round to serve holidays, festivals, and tourists visiting Thanh Hoa.

The main ingredient for the cake is plain rice flour, which is then cooked until soft and pliable. The cake is then wrapped in dong leaves or banana leaves. The filling consists of pork belly, wood ear mushrooms, pepper, and finely chopped dried onions that have been sautéed. After wrapping, the final step is to place the cakes in a pot and boil them until cooked through. The best way to enjoy these cakes is while they are still hot, especially on cold winter days. The hot cakes release a fragrant aroma of onions and lard, are soft and delicious, and are served with a dipping sauce made from fish sauce.

During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), when people visit each other and exchange New Year greetings, consuming a lot of beer, wine, and protein-rich foods, adding some "rake-shaped" cakes to the meal makes it more appealing and less monotonous.

Pan-fried rice cakes

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Pan-fried rice flour cakes are a delicious and appealing dish. Photo: Tuan Minh

This is also a famous and delicious snack in Thanh Hoa. However, many people might mistake it for shrimp fritters at first glance. But this dish is completely different. Roasted fritters used to be very popular in Thanh Hoa City, but nowadays very few people still sell this snack.

The rice cakes are made from plain rice, which is then soaked in water to the right consistency, avoiding excessive sourness which would make the cakes mushy, lose their aroma, and not retain their chewiness. The filling consists of fresh shrimp, pork belly, fried egg, scallions, and cilantro. The fresh shrimp are steamed and peeled, the pork is boiled until cooked through, and the egg is fried; all three are then sliced into thin strips. Scallions and cilantro are finely chopped, seasoned with black pepper, and mixed with crushed shallots.

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Mrs. My's famous pan-fried rice pancake shop on Tong Duy Tan Street, Thanh Hoa City. Photo: Tuan Minh.

The unique aspect of this delicious dish lies in the baking process. The batter is poured into round stainless steel molds and then placed on a greased pot. When the cakes turn golden brown, the baker quickly flips them over to cook the other side evenly before serving them with fresh vegetables and a sweet and sour fish sauce dip. The cakes can also be eaten with rice noodles.

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