Nam Pia made from animal viscera is a thick soup in Yen Bai, anyone who can eat it is a specialty.

Coming to the Northwest region, tourists are always introduced by the locals to a unique dish called "nam pia", a popular dipping sauce with the most pristine colors of the Northwest mountains and forests in general and of the Thai ethnic group in Muong Lo, Nghia Lo town, Yen Bai province in particular.

In Thai, "nam" means soup, "pia" is the viscous substance in the small intestine located between the stomach and large intestine of cows, goats, buffaloes...

The main ingredients of this dish are the internal organs of herbivores including stomach, blood, intestines, heart, liver, lungs, etc. and indispensable is a thick liquid from the small intestine of cows, goats, buffaloes, and horses called "pia" which is simmered until soft.

When preparing this dish, people first choose a good piece of small intestine to get the pia, simmer the bones and organs of cows, goats, and buffaloes to get the water, then pour the pia in (some places also add a little honey to the pia).

After taking the small intestine, the two ends must be tied tightly, then cut into pieces, mixed with herbs, sesame seed powder (a typical spice of the Northwest mountains and forests), garlic, chili, coriander... all spices are chopped finely.

Nam Pia, a unique dish of the Thai ethnic group in Muong Lo, Nghia Lo town, Yen Bai province.

After preparation, place the pot of pia on the stove and cook until the pot of pia is thick and sticky. The dish of nam pia is scooped into a bowl and has a dark brown color, the liquid is thick, at first when tasting it, we will find it bitter and has a strong smell. Nam pia is not an easy dish to eat, but it is very safe for those with weak stomachs.

When first eaten, Nam Pia has a slightly bitter taste in the throat, but after a while, it becomes sweet with the strange taste of mac khen (wild pepper).

It is this strange flavor that makes diners absorbed in the dish without getting bored. It can be used as a dipping sauce for grilled meat dishes. Usually, people here eat nam pia with steamed beef or goat, served with banana leaves and mint.

When dipping boiled (or steamed) meat into a bowl of Nam Pia, you can feel the flavor of the spices spreading to the tip of your tongue because the taste buds change from bitter to sweet, making it difficult for anyone who has tasted it to forget Nam Pia, and it can be enjoyed directly as a soup, especially with a very good effect in sobering up.

Many people, especially those from the lowlands, find it difficult to “risk” eating Nam Pia because of its distinctive taste. However, after eating a few bites, ignoring the initial aversion to the taste, you will feel the charm of the ingredients from the mountains and forests.

Nam Pia makes visitors from afar remember a very unique culinary culture of the ethnic people here. This dish has contributed to creating a unique culinary culture of the Thai people of Muong Lo, Yen Bai province in particular and the Thai people of the Northwest in general.

Source: https://danviet.vn/nam-pia-lam-tu-phan-noi-tang-gia-suc-la-mon-canh-sen-set-o-yen-bai-he-ai-an-duoc-la-dac-san-20240628185216824.htm