Traveling to the Northwest, enjoying dishes made from the Thai people's mouth watering fruit

Nuc Nac is a forest tree, often grown in the highland provinces of the Northwest, and is entering the harvest season. In addition to being a folk medicine with many uses, nuoc nuc is also processed into special dishes by the Thai people of the Northwest.

The fruit is flat and curved. Photo: Internet

The fruit is flat and curved, about 40 - 80cm long, usually in season from July to September, which is the rainy season in the Northwest. Every season, people often go to the forest to collect the fruit and process it into many rustic and delicious dishes.

On the dinner tables of Thai families, traditional dishes made from fruit are prepared by the skillful hands of mothers and sisters, making the cuisine of the people more unique and distinctive.

The Thai people in the Northwestern provinces commonly call the nuoc nuoc fruit “linang ca” or “mákáng ca”. The fruit is flat and curved, about 40 – 80 cm long, 5 – 7 cm wide, and mainly bears fruit during the rainy season. From the fruit, the Thai people have prepared many dishes that are both rustic, delicious and unique.

Noodles can be boiled and dipped, or thinly sliced ​​and stir-fried with buffalo or beef, each with its own rich flavor. One of the most typical dishes is steamed salad (also known as goi). There are many ways to make salad. Some people grill it first and then make salad, others boil it, slice it, and mix it with a mixture of spices such as MSG, fish sauce, salt, garlic, chili... The most popular is to grill it and then mix it with vegetables to make salad.

Nac nac salad is quite prepared simply, the main ingredients include: nuoc fruit, minced grilled fish or pork, herbs (sliced ​​coriander and perilla), crushed roasted peanuts, and lemon.

Nuc Nac salad has a bitter and slightly sour taste. Photo: Internet

First, you have to choose young or not too old fruit, just 1-2 fruits are enough for a full plate. Then, the nuc nuoc is grilled on a wood stove until both sides are even, grilled until the outer shell peels off and feels soft to the touch. After grilling the shell, remove the outer shell and cut into small strips. Mix the sliced ​​nuoc nuoc with peanuts, spices including salt, MSG, lemon, and coriander so that the nuoc nuoc absorbs evenly. Finally, put it on a plate and enjoy the results.

Noodle salad is often eaten with shrimp paste. The bittersweet taste of nuoc nuoc combined with spices gives the dish a very unique flavor. It may be a bit strange for first-time eaters, but once you get used to it, you will remember it forever.

During the muc nuoc season, usually from July to September of the solar calendar, which is the rainy season in the Northwest, people go to the forest to collect nuoc nuoc fruits and burn them over charcoal, until the outside is slightly burnt and puffy, then use a knife to peel off all the burnt parts, wash them clean, and then cut the fruit horizontally into small pieces the size of a finger.

Sliced ​​nuoc nuoc and eaten with astringent leaves and dipped in cham cheo. Photo: VOV

Nuoc Nac is eaten with Gem leaves, piper lolot leaves, ginger leaves and dipped in cham cheo (a type of dipping sauce pounded together from many spices of the Thai people) which is very delicious, with the slightly bitter taste of the Nac Nac fruit, combined with the sweet and astringent taste of Gem leaves, the spicy taste of Cham Cheo, anyone who has ever eaten it will find it hard to forget. In addition, noodle soup can also be made into salads such as vegetable salad, boiled and dipped, stir-fried with buffalo meat, beef, all of which have their own rich flavor. Ms. Tong Thi Bien, a resident of Mong village, Hua La commune, Son La city, Son La province, said: The best time is when the fruit is about 40-60cm long. If the fruit is too old, it will have a lot of fibers and be a bit tough to eat. The way to prepare it will depend on each person's taste and preference.

Some people like to eat salad, but the salad must be grilled first to be fragrant. Some people boil it, then slice it, mix it with fish sauce, MSG, herbs, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chili, astringent leaves, and sprinkle with sesame and peanuts like vegetable salad.

Nowadays, not only do people go to the forest to pick fruit, but Thai people in the Northwest also look for fruit to bring home and plant in gardens near their homes to have fruit to eat, because the trees are easy to grow and have the ability to withstand drought and heat well. In addition to serving family meals, people also sell nuc nac fruits, so during the nuc nac season, many families have a source of income from this fruit.

Ms. Quang Thi Lien, who specializes in selling fruit in Son La City, Son La Province, said: In the past, no one bought or sold fruit, people in the highlands only ate it. But now many people love to eat it, so people in the villages know how to sell water. During the wet season like now, I often buy and sell at the agricultural market, on average I sell 20 to 30 fruits per day, some days I sell up to 40-50 fruits.

Going to the Northwest during the harvest season of nuoc nuc fruit, visitors will see nuoc nuc fruit sold in many highland markets. In particular, at restaurants selling ethnic cuisine, visitors will also enjoy many typical rustic dishes, including dishes made from nuc nuc fruit./.

Yanjiang