Hoi An Cuisines
Cao
Lau
Cao Lau is the foremost traditional food in Hoi An.
Visitors to Hoi An always remember Cao Lau, which was considered by the Quang
Nam people as a special symbol representing Hoi An. Cao Lau does not taste like
any other Vietnamese dish, but nobody can really recognize it as being
comparable to Chinese or Japanese cuisine. Despite its Chinese-like appearance,
the Chinese people don’t consider it to be Chinese food. Until now, the origin
of Cao Lau is still enveloped mystery.
Cao lau noodles are carefully made from local fresh
rice. The dish cannot be replicated outside of the town because the water used
in the dish must be drawn from a well in the nearby Ba Le well, which is at the
end of an alley opposite 35 Phan Chau Trinh Street. The noodles will therefore
be soft, enduring and flavored with special sweet-smelling additives. In
addition, the meat used to prepare the Cao lau must be pork loin or trotter.
The pork is fried in a marinade and then roasted for 1 hour. Next, fish sauce,
soy sauce, garlic, sugar, salt & pepper, thin crispy croutons, vegetables,
bean sprouts and spices are thrown in, and after adding the noodles and herbs
the dish is done with a hint of spice, simple and yummy.
The dry pancakes used must be thick and have a lot
of sesame. Greasy coconut essence and bitter green cabbage are also
indispensable. The so-called genuine Cao lau Hoi An must satisfy all the above
requirements. It was said that only some wells in Hoi An were used to make Cao
Lau noodles.
Banh
Beo
Banh beo is also one of the favorite traditional
dishes in Hoi An and the surrounding rural regions. Banh beo is made of a
mixture of rice flour and water. The mixture is poured into small, clay bowls,
much smaller than the usual ones.
The delicious core of Banh beo is stuffed with small
shrimps, and the dipping sauce is made by mixing fish sauce, sugar, garlic,
chilly, fresh small shrimps and watery grease.
Banh beo offers customers an irresistible marriage
of sweet and buttery flavors. The delectable sauce is the key to making this
dish priceless. A special bamboo fork, a tool called "Que
Cheo", is required to serve Banh beo. The cake is cut into 4 to 6
parts, pricked with the Que Cheo. The pieces are put on bamboo gridirons and
steamed in a big saucepan. When well-done, banh beo is porcelain white and
contains a small hollow in the middle. Spicy, shopped shrimp and minced meat is
combined with cashew and rice flours then stir-fried into aromatic dough.
The aromatic dough is called "Nhun" and is used as a garnish for the
Banh beo. Pepper, fish sauce, oil, chili or pimento may be added to “excite”
one’s taste buds. It feels great to enjoy.
Quang
Noodle
This is the popular country dish in Hoi An and Quang
Nam. The noodle is yellow or white in color and made from rice flour. It is
mixed with shrimp, pork and vegetables, and topped with grilled rice paper and
spices. Similar to rice noodle and chicken or pork soup (Hu tieu), My Quang is
a variety of Pho (rice noodle soup), because the noodles are made from rice and
covered with soup as serving.
The mystery of the Quang noodle is in that pot
above. This is ‘nuoc sot mi quang’ or Quang noodle sauce. This makes the stock
slightly sweet and a smidgen spicy. This dish's ingredients include rice,
vegetables and meat. After being soaked in water, the rice is ground to a fine
powder and made into attractive smooth white noodles. Accompanying vegetables
are water morning-glory, cress, young banana flowers and herbs. Place in the
famous Tra Que savory of Quang Nam Province to give the dish more flavors. You
can use pork, chicken, fish, crab or shrimp to make the broth. If chicken is
chosen, the meat is separated, seasoned and stir-fried while the bones are
stewed. Finish the stock by adding cooked chicken meat. The noodles are yellow,
somewhat distinct from Pho. However, the main reason for having this color is
to be in harmony with the colors of shrimps and crabs. There are also noodles
for vegetarians.
Quang soft noodle soup tastes best when being served
with a variety of herbs, such as mint leaves, cabbage, onion, coriander and so
on. What makes Quang noodle soups unique is the richness of the broth, the lack
of it and the crushed peanut toppings on the noodles.
A traditional version says: “I make for you,
darling, green tea and Quang noodles to express my feelings”. Thus, you can
visit a Quang noodle kiosk in Hoi An Town to enjoy the typical flavor of the
soups.
Fresh
Rice Paper in Cam Nam
Have you ever tried fresh rice paper in Cam Nam in
the shadow of bamboo trees by the Hoai River? Soft, thin fresh rice paper
between crisp, grilled rice paper, making pleasant sounds when squeezed.
A bowl of special fish sauce, with chili, you can enjoy the flavor of a rural
dish from Hoi An.
To create these sounds, hundreds of people get up
early in the morning to make the rice paper, some of which is kept fresh; the
rest is dried in the sun and grilled. The make rice paper, good, clean rice is
soaked in water for 3-4 hours, and then ground to a paste. It takes years of
experience to master the correct proportion of rice flour and water. Water is
boiled in a big, bronze pot over a clay fireplace, and then a thick cloth is
placed to tightly cover the pots mouth. A thin paste of flour and water
is spread on the cloth in circle shape then covered with the lid. The rice
paper is cooked by the rising steam seeping through the cloth. It is well done
after 1 minute and removed with a thin bamboo stick. You can devour it with
your hands.
