Enjoy the taste of Nam Dinh pho with dipping sauce

In the list of Vietnamese cuisines, pho has long become a cultural symbol, a dish that is not only encapsulated in a bowl of hot broth but also carries the spirit and soul of the national cuisine. In 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism officially included Nam Dinh pho and Hanoi pho in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, affirming the special value of this dish in the lives of Vietnamese people.

In recent years, besides the traditional pho that has made the name of Thanh Nam land, a new variation is attracting the attention of diners: "Pho dim xiu" - a dish that is not only strange in name but also unique in flavor.

Ignoring the usual way of cooking pho, which requires beef and chicken, today, Nam Dinh people combine pho with pork, replacing the broth with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. This is the beginning of the name pho dim xiu.

"Xíu" in Vietnamese cuisine originates from Chinese, specifically the word "xá tíu" in Cantonese, which refers to marinated and roasted or grilled pork. When introduced to Vietnam, especially in provinces influenced by Chinese culture such as Nam Định, Hải Phòng..., "xíu" gradually became the abbreviation for meat dishes prepared in this style. These are bánh mì tíu mai, cốm tíu, bánh tíu pao, cốm tíu xoi,...

To make pho with dipping sauce, the seller has to prepare from morning to evening to have goods to sell, from choosing meat to marinating spices, mixing delicious dipping sauce. The sophistication in the processing stage is a plus point for the dish, helping to attract customers from near and far to come and experience the food.

The pork belly is sliced ​​into bite-sized pieces and beautifully presented on a plate, sprinkled with fried onions to create an attractive, rich aroma. (PHOTO: THU TRANG)

In Nam Dinh, the "xiu" in "pho dip xiu" is usually pork that has been marinated and simmered until soft, creating a rich flavor. The pork must be selected from the neck (also known as cheek meat), because this is the most delicious part of the pig, not tough, not dry, soft but not greasy.

“When you buy meat, you must wash it thoroughly, then blanch it in boiling water to remove impurities. Next, marinate the meat with spices such as garlic, good fish sauce, MSG,…” - Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc, 55 years old, owner of Ngoc Quan Dem restaurant in Nam Dinh shared. The meat must be marinated for at least 1 hour so that the spices have time to soak in evenly, helping the finished piece of meat to have a rich flavor from the inside out.

The pork belly is fried a second time until golden brown before being served to diners. (PHOTO: THU TRANG)

After the meat has absorbed the spices, it is lightly fried, just enough to make the surface of the meat slightly golden brown. When a customer orders, the meat will be fried a second time to create a crispy outer layer, while the inside remains soft and moist. This is the characteristic of braised meat, the meat is not dry, not too hard, but has a light crunch on the outside, and is soft and tender on the inside.

A delicious bowl of pho xiu does not only depend on the rich pork, but what makes the difference and keeps customers coming back is the special dipping sauce. The dipping sauce is carefully simmered from chicken, creating a natural sweetness, then skillfully seasoned to be both rich and harmonious.

When the piece of pork belly touches the tip of the tongue, the flavor spreads with a little sourness, a little sweetness, a refreshing and alluring taste. It is not the dipping sauce for banh cuon, nor is it the dipping sauce for cha, but a unique flavor - a dipping sauce that can only be found in pho with pork belly.

The remaining ingredients are small, soft and chewy fresh pho noodles and raw vegetables. At first glance, the ingredients seem to be separate and inconsistent, but when picking up a piece of pork belly, dipping it into the rich dipping sauce with fresh pho noodles and raw vegetables and enjoying, the flavor gradually spreads throughout the mouth and tongue, helping diners fully feel the uniqueness of this strange yet familiar dish.

Crowded with late-night diners at the pho dim xiu restaurant. (Photo: NVCC)

Night food stalls along Nguyen Hien Street (Nam Dinh City) usually start selling pho with dipping sauce from 4 p.m., but before that, many customers are already at the stalls waiting to buy take-out.

As the evening progresses, the number of customers increases, peaking between 10pm and 12am. Some patiently line up to buy, others sit back and slowly enjoy the rich flavor of this unique pho dish.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Tien, 23 years old, a diner in Nam Dinh shared his experience of enjoying pho with pork belly: “I have lived in Nam Dinh for a long time, but it was only about a year ago that I learned about this dish through an article online. At first, I didn’t think pho could be eaten with a dipping sauce instead of the usual broth. But when I tried it, it felt very strange and attractive. The pho noodles were soft and chewy, the pork belly was rich, the dipping sauce was just the right amount of sweet and sour, combined with green vegetables to help balance the flavors, making the dish not greasy at all.”

Mr. Tien said that since he learned about pho dim xiu, he visits the shop two to three times a week to enjoy it and buy some for his family.

The refined and creative taste of Nam Dinh people has developed a new type of pho with a strange yet familiar flavor. Although it only appeared in 2018-2019 from a small night-time eatery of a Nam Dinh resident, until now, pho with dipping sauce has appeared along the small street of Nguyen Hien and has become a "must-eat" dish when coming to Nam Dinh.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thuong-thuc-huong-vi-pho-cham-xiu-nam-dinh-post868630.html