In
fact, Hue culinary still remains in its traditional characters, which are very
picky in processing methods, choosing materials, and presenting the dishes.
Here are the best Hue food dishes to eat which are very famous, delicious, and
have been existed for a long time.
Com Hen – Tiny Mussel
Rice:
The
tiny mussel rice dish is a very famous food to eat in Hue that tourists should
never miss! If you have a chance to come to visit Hue, you will be able to
visit the beautiful sceneries everywhere: The Huong river with the sound of the
bell from Thien Mu Pagoda, the mist and incense sight in Hon Chen temple, or go
to visit Vy Da river, the Citadel, or visit the tombs of Minh Mang, Tu Duc …
Before
traveling the rivers and mountains, you should stop at the first corner of the
Truong Dinh Street and opt for Hue tiny mussel rice as a delicious, spicy, and
aromatic breakfast. Hue tiny mussel rice is a rustic dish which is sold
everywhere whether in the village or country road in Hue. This dish is very
simple, rustic yet still tastes like a cheer. Hue tiny mussel rice is also
called with a luxurious name: “Cau Lau Con” to honor the simply, rusticiality,
and frugality which are the characteristics of Hue.
Banh Canh Nam Pho –
Nam Pho Thick Noodle Soup
Not
popular and widely sold as beef vermicelli or tiny mussel rice, yet Nam Pho
crab thick noodle soup (Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue) is still preferred
by many tourists, so it attracts a lot of tourists to come and enjoy it
whenever they have chance to visit the former Citadel. No bar, no fame, Nam Pho
thick noodle is sold in small diners and mobile stalls on the sidewalk or in
small alleys in every evening.
Nam
Pho thick noodle soup is not picky in ingredients. It just contains thick
noodle (fresh), shrimp, crab, meat pie…yet very meticulous in cooking process.
Therefore, the thick noodle soup here has its own characteristics compared to
other thick noodle soup which is originated in other provinces throughout the
Central. The meticulous requirement is expressed through each processing stage.
First, the thick noodle fibers are also made from rice flour, yet it requires
many efforts to create soft and tough noodle fibers which are used to make Nam
Pho thick noodle soup. After milling the rice, the flour will be put into a hot
pot and steamed over low heat. People will need to whisk the flour until it is
viscous. After that, the flour will be poured into a plastic bag with a side
cut in the tapering shape to create the noodle fibers in a pot with boiling
water. When the noodle fibers are milky, take them out and soak in cool clean
water.
Bun Bo Hue – Hue Beef
Vermicelli
Hue
beef vermicelli (“bun bo Hue” in Vietnamese) is the soul of Hue cuisine. The
fame and delicious taste of this dish makes no discussion as it is on the list
of the top 50 most delicious dishes in the world. Hue beef vermicelli contains
a piece of pig’s leg, a piece of beef pie, a small piece of boiled pig’s blood,
and of course a few thin slices of beef. The fresh herbals to serve with Hue
beef vermicelli are also very fresh and plentiful.
Bun Thit Nuong –
Grilled Meat Vermicelli
Grilled
meat vermicelli is a popular dish which is the favorite of many people in all
three regions of the country. Among these, Hue is the place that has the most
preferred beef vermicelli dish. Grilled meat vermicelli everywhere keeps its
own distinctive taste depending on the 3 regions: the North, the Central, and
the South. This noodle dish can be suitably used for breakfast, daily meals, or
between meals. It is very tasty and attractive dish which many people in the
country and also the foreigners love. The requirements of grilled meat vermicelli
contain:
–
The grilled meat need to be brown with the charming scent of lemongrass and
sesame
–
The sauce must be harmoniously sweet and sour served with many kinds of fresh
vegetables and raw herbals.
In
fact, this is also one of the best Hue food dishes which are famous and popular
in Vietnam.
Banh Beo – Bloating
Duckweed -Shaped Cake
Bloating
fern-shaped cake is a simple, rustic Hue food that is very famous in all 3
regions in Vietnam. The tiny, limber cake with the attractive fragrant of rice
flour, the sweetness of fried dried shrimp, and the spiciness of the dipping
sauce, making people are really attracted when enjoying this dish. The name
“Banh Beo” was born due to the shape of the cake which is thin, rounded like
the duckweed, or according to the folk comparison, this dish is very cheap
(“beo” in Vietnamese). Bloating duckweed-shaped cake is rustic yet very famous
speciality which everyone who comes to visit Hue wants to taste.
Banh Bot Loc –
Chestnut Starch Cake
Hue
chestnut starch cake is very picky and meticulous in choosing ingredients,
cooking process, and also the shape of the cakes. In the Hue ancient palace in
the past, this cake was shaped in the form of bullion, wrapped in fresh banana
leaves. Chestnut starch cake is small yet has unique taste. Hue chestnut starch
is tough with the fragrance of chestnut starch, fleshy stuffing made from
shrimp and milled pork meat, sweet and salty shrimp rousing, fatty and aromatic
cooking oil with scallion, and Hue’s style sweet and sour dipping sauce.
By Wanderlust
Tips