When I'm sick like this, I wish I were back home so my mother could make me some turmeric rice noodles with stir-fried offal to cure this terrible cough. Just thinking about it makes my heart ache with nostalgia...

My mother's turmeric-flavored rice noodles with stir-fried offal is always a wonderful treat.

My mother was always like that. Whenever any of my sisters or I got sick with minor ailments like stomach aches, headaches, colds, or coughs, we rarely had to use Western medicine. Instead, she would cook us dishes like braised eggs with mugwort leaves, mugwort porridge, pumpkin soup, sweet rice porridge, or stir-fried rice noodles with offal... to cure our illnesses. This method of warding off illness was both effective and avoided the side effects of taking medicine.

I remember when we were kids, because my younger brother loved my mother's turmeric noodles with stir-fried offal so much, he would always make excuses about getting sick after being out in the rain and sun, so he needed to eat turmeric noodles right away to prevent illness. At those times, my mother would feel each of our foreheads and laugh happily: "Why didn't you tell me sooner that you were craving turmeric noodles so I could go to the market? The market's closed now. Just wait until tomorrow, I'll make this dish for you." Hearing that, we all happily shouted in unison: "Yes, we agree!"

At dawn the next day, while the whole family was still asleep, my mother woke up, wheeled her old Phoenix bicycle, and cycled nearly ten kilometers to the market. Because it was early morning, everything was still fresh. She chose to buy pig's offal, including the small intestine, large intestine, liver, and blood. Then she bought rice noodles, some fresh turmeric, onions, a few lemons, chili peppers, a bunch of coriander, and scallions. And she didn't forget to buy a few packets of betel nut candy as gifts for her children waiting at home.

After buying pig intestines, my mother would pour water over them to wash away the slimy membranes inside. Then, she would turn them inside out with chopsticks, rub them thoroughly with coarse salt and lemon juice, and scrub them well. She would continue this process until the intestines changed from an ivory color to white before rinsing them clean and turning them back inside out. My mother warned that if the intestines weren't properly prepared, they would have a foul odor when cooked, making them unappetizing and unhygienic.

Once the intestines are cleaned, they are cut into bite-sized pieces and marinated with spices. The amount of pepper and chili is slightly higher. As for the turmeric, it is peeled, washed, and then pounded in a mortar until finely ground. Each time this step is completed, the hands turn a deep yellow. It takes several days for the turmeric color to gradually fade.

Grandma put a pan on the stove and poured in some oil. When the oil was hot, she added turmeric and sautéed it until it turned golden brown, then added the pork intestines and stir-fried them until they were cooked through. Once the intestines were cooked and firm, she quickly added the rice noodles, stirring them until the white noodles turned golden, and seasoned with fish sauce and salt to taste. Before turning off the heat, Grandma sprinkled chopped onions, coriander, and scallions on top to enhance the flavor. The small kitchen was now bustling with a warm, comforting aroma. My sisters and I lingered around Grandma's feet, our stomachs rumbling, waiting for the signal to set the table and serve.

On the worn-out straw mat, those poor children gazed intently at the pot of turmeric noodles, eagerly anticipating their meal. The richness of the offal, the pungent flavor of turmeric, the aroma of coriander and scallions, the chewy texture of the noodles, plus the spiciness of chili and pepper… all left a subtly sweet aftertaste, a hint of bitterness, and a tingling sensation on the tongue. We scraped the pot clean, down to the last burnt crumbs clinging to the bottom, and still craved more.

Text and photos: YEN VAN

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/du-lich/danh-lam-thang-canh/xa-que-them-bun-nghe-xao-long-57363.html