The bamboo worm, an animal that has not yet reincarnated, lies inside a tree trunk. When taken out, it becomes a Lao Cai specialty.

The chit worm is a larva that lives in the trunk of the chit tree - a famous specialty in many northern provinces, including Lao Cai .

At first glance, the chit worm looks like a silkworm pupa but is smaller and longer. According to local people's experience, from November to January of the following year is the time to harvest chit worm.

The way to distinguish a tree with worms is that the trunk is stunted, does not flower, and has a swollen trunk. After being cut down, the tree will be split in half to get the worms.

Coming out of the tree tops, these worms are immediately dropped into a basin of diluted alcohol to prevent spoilage and help the worms release all the dirt.

Highlanders in Lao Cai often use bamboo worms to soak in wine or process into dishes such as stir-fried with lemon leaves, fried in flour, cooked into porridge...

The Mong people in Lao Cai also use bamboo worms to boil with galangal and dip in salt or stir-fry with squash shoots and chayote.

Bamboo worms are often used to soak in wine or processed into delicious and nutritious specialties of Lao Cai.

Currently, the first season of bamboo worms has been sold quite widely on social networking sites. Ms. Diep (facebook Quach Diep), who specializes in selling products soaked in wine, said: A bundle of 100 bamboo worms sold on the market costs from 160,000 to 180,000 VND.

The split type, where the worms are separated from the top, is more expensive, ranging from 950,000 to 1 million VND/kg. In particular, the split and dried type of chit worms costs about 4 million VND/kg. Because it is the beginning of the season, it is quite rare to find chit worms, so customers who want to buy them must order 2-3 days in advance.

Ms. Dang Thi Thuan in Hanoi said: There is a sick person in her family, so she bought bamboo worms to soak in wine, because this is a very good medicinal herb, supporting cancer treatment and restoring health for patients after radiation therapy.

Ms. Thuan also added that soaking in alcohol helps preserve the original flavor of the worms, without changing their properties, so patients can absorb maximum nutritional value.

Bamboo worms have many nutrients and have a rich, fatty taste. Bamboo worms wine has the effect of increasing vitality for men and beautifying the skin for women. Thanks to these effects, bamboo worms are considered the "cordyceps" of the Vietnamese people.

What could be more enjoyable than sitting by a crackling fire in the chilly Northwest weather, enjoying dishes made from bamboo worms, and sipping a cup of bamboo worm wine that is sweet and spicy and numbs the tongue.

Source: https://danviet.vn/sau-chit-con-dong-vat-chua-chiu-chuyen-kiep-nam-trong-than-cay-loi-ra-la-thanh-dac-san-lao-cai-2024101317440109.htm