Bun cu ky is a famous delicacy in Ha Long City (Quang Ninh), sold all year round, especially popular after Tet thanks to its "detoxifying" effect. The reason for its strange name is because this dish is made from cu ky - a typical product of the Quang Ninh sea.

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Bun Cu Ky is a famous dish in Ha Long City.

According to locals, the horse-footed crab is related to the crab, but its claws are significantly larger than its body size and it has a brown shell and green eyes. There are two types of horse-footed crab: black horse-footed crab and red horse-footed crab. Red horse-footed crab has an eye-catching appearance and tastier meat, so it is often used as an ingredient in cooking.

The season for sea cucumbers lasts from March to July. During the season, they are sold for 190,000 - 250,000 VND/kg, and at the end of the season, the price is higher due to scarcity.

Black and red horse crab (right). Photo: Cong Doan horse crab vermicelli

Ms. Huong - owner of a restaurant in Ha Long City said that crabs can be processed into dishes such as grilled, steamed... but the most delicious and popular is cooked in vermicelli, which is both filling and takes advantage of the fatty roe of this crab species.

“The crab does not have as much meat as other types of crabs. It only has thick claws, but it tastes sweeter and has more fat. Its body is quite spongy, so it is often pureed and the shell removed to make broth,” said Ms. Huong.

According to this woman, to make delicious cu ky noodles requires skillful preparation. With this dish, all parts of the cu ky are used to ensure the most nutrition and flavor.

Select healthy, live crabs, wash them, and separate the meat, roe, and shell. The meatless part of the body will be ground, filtered to get the juice to make broth, and the roe will be processed like crab soup, giving the dish an attractive appearance and flavor.

“To make the broth sweeter and richer without being greasy, depending on the restaurant, they can also use dried seafood such as squid, shrimp, and sea worms. In addition, during the cooking process, people also add tomatoes and a little vinegar to create a natural sour taste,” she added.

The crab claws are skillfully processed to obtain the intact meat. Photo: Cong Doan Cu Ky Vermicelli

Not only the broth, the crab fat and claws are also meticulously prepared to ensure the quality of the dish. The crab fat will be stir-fried with onions and spices for fragrance. When the customer orders, the chef will scoop the crab fat into the noodle bowl.

The crab claws are quite large and firm, the meat is cooked, set aside, then the hard shell is broken off, and the meat is skillfully separated so that the piece of meat retains its original shape.

This part of meat is used as the final decoration, displayed on top of the noodle bowl, helping diners to enjoy it conveniently, while increasing the aesthetics of the famous specialty of the coastal city of Ha Long.

The dish is refreshing and helps to relieve indigestion effectively.

A bowl of cu ky noodles in Ha Long includes noodles, cu ky meat, roe, mantis shrimp, shrimp, squid, beans..., priced from 40,000 - 60,000 VND/serving (depending on the portion and ingredients). In some restaurants, cu ky noodles are also served with seasonal green vegetables such as mustard greens, celery, and especially indispensable raw vegetables and pickled bamboo shoots.

Visitors can dip raw vegetables into the broth until half-cooked or dip them in fish sauce, add noodles and crab meat, and slowly sip the sweet and sour broth.

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Cu Ky vermicelli is cooked like crab vermicelli, so it has a fragrant, mildly sour taste that is easy to eat.

Thu Ha (in Hanoi) has enjoyed Bun Cu Ky in Ha Long several times and commented that the dish has a sweet and sour taste, quite similar to seafood noodles and crab noodles in Hanoi but without the fishy smell.

“The meat of the crab claw is not as sweet and flavorful as that of the sea crab, but it is firm, tasty, and has a distinctive aroma that is not boring to eat. This dish is eaten with raw vegetables, so it is refreshing and suitable to relieve the feeling of fullness at the beginning of the year.

Not to mention a full bowl of Cu Ky noodles is also affordable, enough to satisfy my seafood cravings without worrying about the cost," Thu Ha shared.

Despite its unique and attractive flavor, not everyone can enjoy cu ky noodles. Because cu ky noodles are similar to some shellfish such as crab, shrimp, clams, mussels, etc., people with allergies should consider and be careful before trying this dish.

Photo: Sang Doan Dang

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