Taste of home

Healthy food from my hometown. Photo: THIEN THU

At dawn, my father and I got up, put on our headlamps, grabbed our baskets, and went out into the garden to look for termite mushrooms. After each prolonged period of cold rain, these mushrooms usually grow in damp areas, in places with lots of decaying acacia leaves.

My father said that wherever termite mushrooms grow, the following year you should just "close your eyes" and go back to the same spot or nearby area, picking at least a few. In the old days, mushrooms grew in abundance on termite nests in the earthen cavities. The name "termite mushroom" probably originated from that.

Mushrooms picked early in the morning are usually fresher and more nutritious than those that have already opened their caps. My eyes widened and I shouted with excitement when I discovered my mushroom relatives pushing through the decaying leaves and emerging from the ground. Gently turning over the damp leaves, we carefully picked each mushroom with great enthusiasm.

After picking and cleaning the mushrooms, soaking them in diluted salt water, draining them, and preparing them into many rustic dishes. From mushroom porridge and soup to stir-fried meat and salads, everyone in my family loves them. Especially on rainy days, hot mushroom pancakes are always eagerly awaited.

In the wood-fired kitchen behind the house, mother and daughter together, batches of crispy fried cakes are filled with layers of flavor: the sweet taste of mushrooms, the richness of homemade peanut oil, the pungent aroma of local herbs, all served with a 3-in-1 dipping sauce that is spicy, sour, and sweet.

My family's garden is quite large, retaining its original shape through generations. I still remember the star apple tree in front of the house, its wide canopy shading the pathway. Around January and February, when the fruit ripened, my mother would take it to the Thơm market to sell and buy rice.

Peaceful garden. Photo: THIEN THU.

The small plot of land over there, where just yesterday Dad planted the ginger seedlings, is now a thriving clump. Whenever Mom catches a fish from the rice paddies, she always runs out to the garden, picks some leaves, and adds them to the stew for extra flavor.

During his lifetime, my grandfather also divided up land to grow tea. It was a family tradition that every early morning, family members would go to the garden to pick tea leaves to brew. Adding a few slices of fresh ginger made the tea taste delicious and retain its unique aroma. In the days leading up to Tet (Vietnamese New Year), the garden would be adorned with lush green vegetable beds and a few bushes of brightly blooming flowers.

As for me, I waited for the white yam harvest. The yams were so "easy to handle" that my grandmother always said, "Cooking yams helps those who are clumsy in the kitchen." As if to repay the host, the large clusters of tubers nestled together underground, waiting for someone to come and dig them up.

Peel and wash the sweet potatoes, then cut them into finger-sized pieces. Heat peanut oil in a pan, sauté the shallots until golden brown, then add the sweet potatoes and stir-fry. The sweet potato slices begin to loosen, becoming translucent and bubbling. The entire kitchen is filled with the aroma of peanut oil, turmeric, shallots, and the fragrance of the sweet potatoes.

Remove the pot of soup from the stove, then sprinkle with a handful of chopped chives, turmeric leaves, parsley, or ginger leaves, and the whole family can gather to enjoy it.

Things found around the garden always stir up emotions, because they evoke the taste of home...

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/vi-cua-que-nha-3147449.html