A portion of Vietnamese-Indian beef stew for 50,000 VND - Photo: DANG KHUONG
As soon as you turn into alley 194 Vo Van Tan street (HCMC), diners can immediately smell the aroma spreading from a small beef stew restaurant.
In front of the modestly sized shop, the beef stew cooking area has been somewhat browned by smoke after more than 30 years.
This is the beef stew shop with Vietnamese - Indian flavors of Mr. Sau Ngoc Lam Son's family.
Vietnamese - Indian beef stew from grandparents' relationship
Mr. Son said that the restaurant was originally opened by his grandparents in 1993. His grandfather was Indian and his grandmother was Vietnamese. From there, the Vietnamese-Indian beef stew flavor was born.
The recipe was kept for generations by his grandparents, and then passed on to Son's parents. His mother recently passed away, so Son took on the role of main seller.
Mr. Son learned and preserved the beef stew recipe from his grandmother and mother - Photo: DANG KHUONG
From 6am every day, the small family starts preparing.
Mr. Son's father is the one who goes to the market to buy the ingredients. Because the restaurant's beef stew recipe requires some special ingredients to create the Indian flavor in the dish, the source of goods is also a familiar one from India imported to Vietnam.
The first priority is to cook the broth. Mr. Son said this is the most difficult step, requiring the cook to not be negligent, to continuously watch and stir for 5-6 hours.
He chose meat that was neither too tough nor too soft. "The restaurant has been open for a long time, so many elderly people eat here. If the meat was tough, they wouldn't be able to eat it," Son shared.
The shop is located in a small corner in an alley on Vo Van Tan Street (HCMC) - Photo: DANG KHUONG
The flavor and aroma of the beef are all created by the ingredients in the broth. Therefore, let the meat cook slowly in the pot to absorb the spices, while ensuring that the meat is not too tough.
Even cutting meat requires meticulousness. Mr. Son said that for a large piece of meat, the cook needs to determine the grain of the meat and cut in the opposite direction to ensure deliciousness for the diner.
The scent is both familiar and strange.
When a bowl of steaming beef stew is placed on the table, diners will find it difficult to distinguish the difference from Vietnamese beef stew.
In the bowl are vegetables, carrots, meat, tendons, fat… all in the same orange-red color that stimulates nostalgia for traditional Vietnamese beef stew.
The beef stew eaten here is covered with a layer of shiny fat, making it difficult for anyone to resist craving it.
Vegetables, bean sprouts and some other spices are kept the same as Vietnamese beef stew - Photo: DANG KHUONG
Eating it, you can immediately feel the familiar yet strange aroma, mixed with Vietnamese beef stew and the strong aroma of Indian cuisine.
According to Vietnamese habits, diners will often squeeze a little lemon and add herbs, coriander, and bean sprouts before eating.
The meat is firm, rich, and flavorful but not overly sweet or salty in Indian cooking.
In addition, diners can freely choose dishes to eat with beef stew such as bread, instant noodles, pho...
Mr. Son said that the current seasoning recipe for beef stew has been adjusted from the original Indian recipe.
"If you make it exactly the Indian way, it will be very difficult to eat because the beef stew tastes harsh and strong, but the beef will have a very fragrant smell," said Mr. Son.
However, although there are some adjustments, most of the cooking and tasting methods are kept the same as the grandmother's and mother's recipes, without losing the traditional flavor.
Beef stew with molasses, the taste of Tet at homeSource: https://tuoitre.vn/co-mot-quan-bo-kho-di-ut-an-do-trong-con-hem-sai-gon-20240830194256609.htm
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