Stir-fried earthworms with sweet onion and alluvial soil of the Tich River

Stir-fried earthworms with chives

Tran Minh Y

My house is near the last section of the Tich River (Chuong My District, Hanoi ), when it meets and merges with the Bui River at the junction of Tien Truong and Bui Xa villages.

In this place, when I was a child, my mother took me to the river to catch mussels, clams, and earthworms to improve our poor meals of cassava and sweet potatoes. I don’t know if it was because of the hardship and poverty, but the rustic dishes from the rivers, lakes, and fields made us remember their deliciousness, sweetness, and strange charm when we grew up. My mother’s stir-fried earthworms with chives is the dish I remember the most…

The worm is the common name for freshwater bivalve molluscs, egg-shaped or finger-shaped, with smooth or rough shells. The worm's meat is chewier and sweeter than clam meat, and firmer than mussel meat. The worm my mother likes to stir-fry with chives for us to eat the most is the kind that each one is only as big as a thumb, has a smooth, shiny shell, and likes to burrow in the mud.

When I brought the worms home, I cleaned off all the mud and dirt from their shells, soaked them in clean water for a few hours, and then boiled them. When they were cooked, the worms separated from their shells. My mother squeezed out their intestines, then marinated them with spices.

You need a handful of Vietnamese coriander, a few sprigs of dill, a few chopped green onions, a couple of crushed shallots, and a ripe tomato cut into wedges. When everything is ready, Mom sautés the onions until golden brown and then scoops them out into a small bowl. When the pan is hot, Mom pours in the worm meat and stirs it evenly. The worm meat is cooked, giving off a fragrant aroma, and is even more fragrant when the herbs are added.

The finished product is a stir-fried dish with the ivory white color of the worm, the cool green color of the chives, and the bright red color of the tomatoes. Oh my, eating this hot dish with rice in the cold winter is really wonderful. My father was so pleased that he told the whole family: This dish is even more delicious than pork and chicken.

In addition, with the same ingredients, my mother also varied them into mussel porridge, worm porridge, or a pot of refreshing sour soup.

On occasions when friends from far away come to visit, if I am lucky enough to buy some worms at the market, I always treat them to a simple delicacy from my hometown, on the outskirts of Hanoi. The dish reminds me of my poor childhood but living in a fresh atmosphere.

In the past, my villagers had a trend of raking mussels on the Day River, which is the first confluence of the Tich River and the Bui River. Mussels and worms were pulled up and piled up on the riverbank, but the abundance of this species on the river at that time was still not enough... Nowadays, they are a dish that can be found in all four seasons, each season has a sweet aftertaste.