Old eating habits - new eating habits
In an old house with a "dark brown tiled roof" and a shiny wooden floor on Hang Can Street, Hang Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, the extended family of Mr. Nguyen Duc Thong and Mrs. Hoang Thi Lien, consisting of 9 people and three generations, lives. The family meal only has one main dish, one soup and one vegetable dish, but what makes the difference in each meal is the way of preparation as well as the order when entering the meal. Boiled vegetables must be green, when taken to the plate, they must be loose so that when picked up, the vegetables do not roll into a ball. Braised meat must be tender but not mushy, when taken to the bowl, it remains intact but when eaten, it melts in the mouth. The soup must be clear, not cloudy, not greasy. And most importantly, the atmosphere of the meal must be happy, cozy, and all outside troubles must be removed. In the grandparents' family, at each meal, they try to wait for everyone to gather around the wooden tray that has been "left by the ancestors".
One of the traditions that has been maintained in the family for hundreds of years is the invitation when entering the meal. The words "Dad invites mom and grandma to eat", "I invite dad to eat", "I invite mom to eat", "Grandpa invites grandpa to eat", "Grandma invites grandma to eat"... every meal is maintained in the correct order, complete, from big to small, not inviting "the whole family to eat". Many people when visiting the house jokingly said: "If you invite like that, the rice will get cold", but for the children and grandchildren of Mr. Thong and Mrs. Lien, the formal invitations seem to create a unique flavor for the family meals of the ancient Hanoians. At the end of the meal, the children and grandchildren all politely say "I/I ask for permission from grandpa/grandma/dad/mom not to eat anymore", 10 meals like 1.
According to Mrs. Hoang Thi Lien, the homeowner, this custom of inviting people has been maintained in the family for many generations. Likewise, the act of leaving food for latecomers is done carefully. Each piece of meat and vegetable is placed on small, pretty plates, and tidied up so that latecomers feel warm even if they cannot eat with the whole family. On weekends, Mrs. Lien and her daughter-in-law often cook beef noodle soup, vermicelli with meatballs, or fanned meatballs to change the "fresh" dish. The "fresh" custom from the subsidy period is still maintained, although now, with chicken, grouper, and vegetables in abundance, dishes can be prepared any day to their liking. Mrs. Lien said that the secret to having delicious dishes on weekends is gathering, warmth, and fresh food.
The couple has 4 children, 3 boys and 1 girl, 2 of whom are married and live separately, while the eldest son and the youngest son still live with their grandparents after getting married. Therefore, the "fresh meal" on the weekend is an opportunity for the extended family of 2 grandparents, 8 sons and daughters, in-laws and 8 grandchildren to gather together. The tube house in the old quarter is cramped but full of laughter. Ms. Lien said that the ancestral worship meal of Hanoians cannot lack stir-fried almonds (including shelled roasted peanuts, kohlrabi, carrots, diced lean pork) or dried squid stir-fried with kohlrabi, also cut into strips. Although these two dishes are a bit elaborate, they are delicious and beautiful. At her house, on the 3rd day of Tet, the "burning votive paper" rice offering to send off the ancestors is always accompanied by bun thang, which the 3 daughters-in-law compete to show off their skills, each contributing a dish.
The culinary story of Mrs. Hang Thi Lien's family is probably not much different from that of Hanoi families with elderly people born in the first decades of the 20th century. It can be seen that Hanoi and Hanoi cuisine are always an attractive topic for writers. Not only Nguyen Tuan with his famous pho dish, but also in works written about life in Hanoi such as "The season of fallen leaves in the garden" by writer Ma Van Khang (the work won the ASEAN Literature Award in 1998, the State Prize for Literature in 2001) also devoted a few parts to describing the Tet tray of Hanoi full of flavor and color. Unfortunately, there are not many families that still maintain such traditions today, because the old generation is gradually fading away. The current heads of families are women who are still busy with work and children, so they also want to reduce the sophistication and strictness of the culinary culture of Hanoi of the previous generation. Therefore, the risk of fading away is inevitable. It's the same at home, but outside, the street vendors and street food in Hanoi are different from before.
Journalist Vinh Quyen, former Deputy General Director of National Assembly Television, Deputy Director of Joy FM channel, could not help but wonder: “I feel that Hanoi's sophisticated culinary art is now mixed and transformed a lot compared to traditional cuisine. This can be seen in the changes in dishes. For example, Hanoi's vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste now has many side dishes (which young people often call "toppings") such as com sausage, fried spring rolls, boiled meat, sausage, fake dog meat... Or from a bowl of vermicelli with crab soup, tomatoes, green onions cooked with vinegar, now there are also many side dishes such as ham, beans, pork rinds, beef, duck eggs, grilled pork with betel leaves... It is also very difficult to find a bowl of vermicelli with traditional Hanoian style. Now vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste is almost like a bowl of pho with a lot of meat, liver, gizzards, eggs, not the elegant vermicelli with crab soup like before. Not only the dishes mentioned above, but it can be seen that many traditional dishes of Hanoi have now been transformed like that".
Has ancient culinary culture changed in the hearts of young people?
At a famous pho restaurant on Bat Dan Street, Hoan Kiem District, we met a young man named Hoanh Son patiently waiting in line to eat traditional Hanoi pho. Son happily shared: “I have been in Hanoi for half a year now, and every weekend I am drawn into the pleasure of finding traditional Hanoi dishes. This is the second time I have waited in line at this pho restaurant. The last time it was too hot, I couldn’t wait so I had to miss the appointment.”
Hoanh Son added, “As a food lover, I have also been to many restaurants that are “reviewed” as traditional restaurants that must be tried when coming to Hanoi. But not all of them are as delicious as I expected. I really want to learn about the culinary culture of Hanoi, the capital of a thousand years of civilization, because I read in books that it is very attractive, but I haven’t had many opportunities to learn more.”
This pho restaurant has long been famous for its traditional pho flavor of old Hanoi. Many diners of different ages and backgrounds, whether it is winter or summer, still quietly line up to wait for their turn to bring a hot bowl of pho to their table. While many people think that the queuing culture in Vietnam has disappeared, at traditional food shops like this pho restaurant, or the traditional Bao Phuong mooncake shop on Thuy Khue street, it is not difficult to see long lines of people waiting in order for their turn. That queuing scene is like a tacit affirmation of the appeal of traditional culinary culture.
According to journalist Vinh Quyen, the desire of young people to learn and explore the lands they visit is an encouraging trend. In addition, to make the discovery process more "beautiful" and complete, journalist Vinh Quyen believes that young people need to proactively equip themselves with knowledge, to have a certain understanding of the cuisine and the land they visit. From there, they will have the background knowledge to understand, to experience fully and absorb the cultural beauty hidden behind those special and traditional dishes.
Journalist Vinh Quyen added that Hanoi's traditional cuisine is very sophisticated and unique, different from the culinary culture in other regions - although culinary culture everywhere has its own characteristics. For more than 1000 years, it has played the role of the capital and center of the country, so delicious and strange foods from all over the world have gathered here, bringing diversity and richness to Hanoi's cuisine. In addition, the majority of people living in Hanoi have abundant economic conditions and often have the opportunity to welcome guests, so food preparation is also more sophisticated, sophisticated, and stylish. Therefore, many rustic and rural dishes, after being prepared by Hanoians, are presented more attractively, meticulously, and attractively, thereby creating a new visual impression for dishes that seem familiar. All of these things make Hanoi's cuisine very unique.
Pure, delicious and clean - the culinary goal Hanoi needs to aim for
Cuisine is increasingly becoming a cultural beauty of Hanoi, a cultural strength to attract tourists and promote the country. Many foreign tourists coming to Vietnam, in addition to the need to explore famous landscapes and landscapes such as Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Trang An (Ninh Binh), Da Lat (Lam Dong) ..., also want to learn about the culture through experiencing the traditional cuisine of the thousand-year-old capital, a land of talented people.
Therefore, preserving the culinary traditions and cultural style of Hanoi is very important. If every Hanoian does not join hands to preserve it, let the sophistication and meticulousness in each stage of processing, especially in choosing hygienic food, and let Hanoi cuisine gradually lose its identity, then at some point future generations will no longer retain any trace of the simple but attractive dishes, imbued with national identity and the sophisticated taste of Hanoi.
However, preserving traditional culture, including culinary culture, is not a simple problem. We cannot use administrative orders to force food producers, traders and processors to preserve culinary culture, if we do not help them see the benefits that preserving traditions brings.
Therefore, according to journalist Vinh Quyen, preserving the beauty of cuisine needs to be maintained in every family living in Hanoi, through the previous generation teaching the next generation how to choose fresh and delicious food, how to prepare traditional dishes and how to present them beautifully and attractively. Tradition also needs to be absorbed through small actions such as arranging trays, arranging plates, serving, scooping, inviting people over... Vietnamese people still have a saying "A piece of betel is beautiful, but the beauty lies in the hand holding it".
In addition, food lovers can also create groups and pages to share about traditional dishes of the nation, including the old Hanoians, the old scents and flavors. Or they can organize workshops about Hanoi cuisine, such as the workshop program "For Beloved Hanoi" organized by journalist Vinh Quyen, journalist Vu Thi Tuyet Nhung, chef - culinary expert Nguyen Phuong Hai every week to share the beauty of traditional dishes of Hanoi people... From such practical actions, each person contributes a little passion, thereby spreading the love for Hanoi cuisine to the younger generation.
Stories related to the history of a dish, how to prepare it, or in other words, breathing life into it, will help food lovers build their understanding of Hanoi cuisine, thereby absorbing and spreading love for a dish, because that dish is also a part of the soul of Hanoi, of the place where they live.
Western-style cuisine is not entirely suitable for the Vietnamese way of life. Of course, some people have become accustomed to such a culinary style. But the majority of Hanoians still maintain the quintessence of the nation's culture. Many restaurants still cook traditional dishes, eel, fish, snails and frogs in an attractive way, ensuring hygiene and safety, so diners love them and they are still in high demand as usual. Traditional, familiar restaurants still have many opportunities to develop. It is not necessary to have Western dishes with beef and red wine, especially when people increasingly want to eat healthy foods, while red meat is considered unhealthy.
Hanoi also accepts the culinary culture of many other localities, especially traditional dishes and local specialties that are attractive to Hanoians, such as Hai Phong crab noodle soup. Therefore, the trend of restoring traditional dishes has become a need of people who want to live a simple life with the rustic dishes of the past. Sophisticated Western-style dishes are mainly sold in large restaurants. Normally, Hanoians still choose to eat familiar, delicious, reasonably priced dishes that are still nutritious. The basic problem is that in the cooking process, whether it is a luxurious restaurant or a simple eatery, the food must still be fresh, of clear origin, the restaurant must be clean, the cook must ensure hygiene, so that although it is not spacious, not really flashy, it is still delicious and healthy, not affecting health.
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, Institute of Biotechnology and Food - Hanoi University of Science and Technology
My family has been selling rib porridge in the old quarter for nearly half a century, passed down from my mother to me. Although I did not advertise or ask anyone to post it on social media platforms, many young tourists - Vietnamese and foreigners - after stopping by to eat rib porridge at my house took photos, filmed videos, and introduced it online at home and abroad. Since then, more and more tourists have come. But my family's main customers are still regulars, old quarter residents or people who used to live in the old quarter and have now moved elsewhere. I have customers who now live in Tay Ho or Dong Da but still ride their motorbikes to my house to eat on the sidewalk on the weekends, or drive home to buy a few boxes to take away. Actually, there is no secret, it's simply choosing fresh, delicious food, processing it cleanly, to your taste, and with care. I often simmer bone chunks instead of using marrow bones, which are prone to bad breath. I bought the bones, washed them with clean water, then boiled them with a few grains of salt. After boiling, I washed them again, doing this three times, then fried them with chicken fat, then added water and simmered them thoroughly. Doing so makes the porridge naturally sweet, fragrant, and healthy, so customers really like it. I also buy fried dough sticks from a familiar store, and do not use cooking oil that has been used many times.
Ms. Tran Thi Huong Lien - owner of rib porridge shop on Hang Bo street, Hanoi
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/am-thuc-ha-noi-trong-doi-song-hien-dai-10292588.html
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