Tram suction snail on Giao Thuy bridge

A bowl of delicious, aromatic and unique snail soup. Photo: HOANG LIEN

For the people of Quang Nam, snails are not strange. Each person and each place has their own way of preparing them, depending on the ingredients, spices and secrets of each chef.

Sometimes the snails are cooked and stir-fried with lemongrass and lime; sometimes they are flavored with crushed fresh ginger, coconut water, or coconut milk, and chopped or grated coconut is added; in some places, the chefs skillfully stir in pieces of old coconut into the snail pot so that when enjoying the snails, you can enjoy the rich, fatty, nutty, and sweet flavor of the coconut pieces.

Residents living around rivers, lakes, ponds... are quite fond of snails. During the sunny months, when the water level in these places dries up, people flock to catch snails. For example, in Bau Ong (Dai Nghia commune, Dai Loc), on days when snails are plentiful, people can scoop up from a few dozen kilos to hundreds of kilos of snails each day. The snails are brought home, washed, soaked thoroughly to remove dirt and mud, sold to snail shops, or weighed for small traders at the market.

Apricot age with Tram snail. Photo: HOANG LIEN

Quang Nam has many famous snail restaurants. However, Tram snail still has its own charm. Tram snail has a fatty, rich, slightly spicy taste, with the added sweetness of fresh sugarcane, chopped lemongrass stir-fried with spices that permeate each snail. The snail broth is clear and sweet.

According to the owner of Tram snail restaurant, before Giao Thuy bridge was built, this place was isolated, far from the center, not many people knew about it. When the bridge was built, the restaurant became more crowded, each day the restaurant consumed nearly 100kg of snails. The owner is old, does not advertise or show off, but it is the richness of the dish and the meticulousness of the cook that customers tell each other to come here.

To prepare a super delicious, super attractive snail pot, first of all, the rice snails must be fresh, soaked and washed thoroughly, clean. Each snail is chopped off the small tail and then left to dry. The snail stir-frying stage determines the deliciousness of the dish. Usually, the snail pot is kept at a moderate heat so that the flavor and sauce continue to penetrate deeply and richly.

With each snail, just pick it up and suck lightly to feel the plump, crispy meat penetrate deep into the tip of the tongue. The sweet taste of lemongrass, sugarcane, the mild spiciness of chili, the light aroma of chopped lemon leaves, the strong aroma of fried onions blend in the rich, shimmering sauce, making you exclaim while eating. Break a piece of grilled rice paper and dip it in the rich, melting snail sauce. Experiencing Tram's snail dish will be an unforgettable memory for every diner.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/oc-hut-tram-ben-cau-giao-thuy-3156743.html