The man cooks delicious noodles down to the last spoon, many customers come back to eat

Many people who come to the noodle shop at 168 Chom Sao Street, Hung Dinh Ward, Thuan An City, Binh Duong often wonder "how can the owner, a man, cook so quickly and deliciously?". They do not know that the owner, Mr. Van, used to cook in the army and was awarded the title of excellent soldier.

Cooking in the Army

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Van (from Pho Cuong commune, Duc Pho town, Quang Ngai) once served in the military kitchen.

Anh Van's noodle shop with a spacious roof

"Back then, every day was like that, my brothers and I worked hard. Many days were tiring, but seeing everyone enjoy their food made us very happy...", he recalled. Van learned from his teammates and cooking instruction books to improve his cooking skills, contributing to the successful completion of his tasks. The dishes he prepared became more and more delicious, and were praised by everyone. He took care of each dish or bowl of fish sauce mixed with lemon, sugar, chili, and garlic.

During holidays and Tet, many people exclaim in admiration when enjoying the delicious dishes prepared by him and his teammates.

Mr. Van is serving noodles to customers.

"More than 20 years ago, Van and I lived together in the unit's kitchen. Van was diligent, clean, careful, and eager to learn, so he was very good at cooking. The dishes he cooked were delicious. Because he cooked well, Van completed his tasks well," said Dang Viet Tri, a comrade of Van's in the army.

Affordable price but delicious

After leaving the army, Mr. Van worked hard in the city to help his parents raise his younger siblings. Later, he bought a noodle cart from an acquaintance and worked hard every day to make a living near the Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry.

Seeing that he was gentle and hardworking, the girl from the same hometown fell in love with him and they became husband and wife. They rented a room and sold noodles at 168 Chom Sao Street, Hung Dinh Ward, Thuan An City, Binh Duong for several years now.

Because his wife is busy taking care of their young children, Mr. Van is quite busy. In the morning, he rides his motorbike to the market to buy food: bones, ham, meat, pork skin... then brings it back to the boarding house to cook. The broth is considered the "soul" of the bowls of noodles, vermicelli, rice noodles... so he takes care of it quite carefully. He washes the bones and ham and puts them in the water to boil for a long time. After that, he seasones and adds a little Quang Ngai rock sugar. This type of sugar is added to the water to cook the bones and ham to create a sweet taste when enjoyed. He washes the meat and pork skin and puts them in the boiling broth on the stove. After a long time, he takes out the bones, ham, meat and skin, when they are cooked and have absorbed the delicious spices.

Diners enjoy Mr. Van's noodles

Mr. Van made chili paste and pickled garlic by himself to reduce costs and ensure food hygiene and safety. The wontons were prepared quite elaborately, so many people praised them when they enjoyed them. The pork, both lean and fatty, was minced and looked very fresh. He washed the onion heads (the base of the green onion), chopped them, put them in the meat with spices, then minced them, giving off a fragrant aroma. The small meatballs were wrapped in soft wonton skin before being put into boiling water to cook and then scooped out into a bowl. "Food must be fresh and clean when processed to be delicious. The broth must be seasoned with rock sugar and spices at the right time...", Mr. Van confided.

Around 4pm, he pushed his noodle cart out front and stood selling until midnight. Customers entered the shop, which had a spacious roof, and watched the traffic on the street. Mr. Van opened the lid of the container, and the fragrant broth wafted in the wind. He quickly blanched the noodles and bean sprouts, then put them in a bowl quite skillfully. Next, he poured a little fat on top and used chopsticks to stir quickly, releasing a gentle aroma. He added thinly sliced ​​pork, ham, sliced ​​beef balls, or wontons... into the bowl according to the customer's request. Next, he added chopped herbs, half-cooked green onions, then ladled the broth into the bowl, and sprinkled some fried onions and ground pepper on top.

The hot steam brings the aroma to the nose as if inviting. Diners can squeeze a little lemon juice, add a few thin slices of chili according to their preferences. Customers coming here can eat noodles, noodle soup, wonton noodles, beef ball noodles, banh canh, duck eggs... Each bowl is sold for 20,000 VND, suitable for low-income workers. And according to customers' requests, he can sell at a higher or lower price. "I often come here to eat because the noodles are delicious and cheap, suitable for our workers' wallets," said Nguyen Van Nam, a worker in Binh Duong.

A bowl of noodles gives off a fragrant aroma.

Receiving the bowl of noodles from Mr. Van, I secretly inhaled the aroma from the hot steam floating in front of me. Squeezing a lemon, picking up a few thinly sliced ​​chili peppers and dipping them into the clear broth, I slowly ate and watched the afternoon sun fall on the street. The chewy noodles, crispy bean sprouts and crunchy pork skin were extremely enjoyable. Chewing the half-cooked onion with a strong aroma and a sweet aftertaste lingering in my throat. The meat stuck to the bone, sweet and soft. Biting into the wonton, the outer shell broke, the sweetness of the meat mixed with the salty taste of salt mixed with the mild spiciness of pepper rushed into my mouth. Slurping a spoonful of the broth to fully enjoy the flavor, it was so delicious!

I told myself that I would come back to this place to enjoy the delicious bowl of noodles until the last spoonful of broth.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-nau-nau-to-hu-tieu-ngon-den-muong-cuoi-cung-nhieu-khach-quay-lai-an-185240812142937202.htm