Experience the unique specialties of the Northwest region

The famous traditional dishes of the Northwest region with their characteristic rich flavors have stimulated the appetite of diners, even the most fastidious ones.

With its distinctive spices, Northwest cuisine always awakens all the senses of diners. (Source: dacsanvietnam.com)

The Northwest is home to ethnic minority communities such as Thai, Tay, Muong, Dao, Mong, Lo Lo, Ha Nhi... One of the unique ethnic cultural nuances of the Northwest people is the famous traditional dishes that can only be found in this region. Northwest people are often meticulous in preparing dishes when they have distinguished guests at home, on holidays, Tet or to serve tourists when visiting the village.

In ethnic minority and mountainous areas in general, and the Northwest region in particular, each ethnic group has its own traditional dishes, imbued with its own ethnic identity. While the Mong people have men men made from corn, thang co made from horse meat; the Tay people have five-color sticky rice, bamboo shoots stuffed with meat, and braised pork with canarium, the Thai people are known for their grilled dishes such as grilled fish, grilled chicken, grilled pork; the Muong people have leaf feast, buffalo meat wrapped in lom leaves...

Grilled fish

Grilled fish with pa pỉnh tốp on charcoal stove has an attractive golden brown color when cooked combined with the characteristic aroma of mac khen and doi seeds. (Source: TITC)

The Thai ethnic group in the Northwest highlands is very fond of the rich, nutritious flavor of grilled dishes such as grilled fish and grilled chicken. They prepare this specialty with a very elaborate way of marinating and seasoning, bringing a unique flavor that is difficult for people in other regions to imitate.

Grilled fish (pa pỉnh tộp) is made from stream fish, carp, silver carp, grass carp... Spices used for processing are onions, green onions, basil, lemongrass, chili, ginger, galangal powder, rice bran, cardamom shoots, mac khen seeds, salt, MSG, seasoning powder... The spices are crushed by the people, then stuffed into the belly of the fish and rubbed on the outside of the fish to absorb evenly, left for 30 minutes, then clamped on bamboo sticks, grilled over charcoal. When grilling the fish, the people heat the fish until it is gradually cooked, cooked evenly.

The “pa pỉnh tộp” fish dish when cooked is golden brown and fragrant, carrying all the sweet and fatty flavors of the fish, the spicy flavors of the chili, the aromatic flavors of lemongrass, galangal, and all the herbs blended together perfectly. Enjoying the golden, fragrant grilled fish with new rice; sticky rice, we can fully appreciate the sweet and fatty flavors of the fish, the spicy flavors of the chili, the spicy flavors of the mac khen fruit, the green colors of the onions, the green colors of the herbs, and the yellow colors of the grilled fish.

Tourists from far away coming to the highlands can enjoy the dish "pa pỉnh tộp" with sticky rice dipped in cham cheo, adding a little spicy corn wine, numbing... making them ecstatic. The attractive grilled fish dish invites all the senses of diners and pleases everyone, even the most fastidious people.

Thang Co

Traditional thang co pot has horse meat, intestines, heart, liver, horse blood... and many spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, lemongrass, ginger and many other traditional spices. (Source: tourdulichsapagiare)

The dish thang co of the Mong, Tay, Thai people is often made from horse meat, horse intestines or buffalo meat, buffalo intestines... The dish is characterized by the mixing of all the internal organs, meat, and bones, which will be simmered with at least 8 types of mountain herbs and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, star anise... Many international tourists or people from the lowlands who come to the highlands, when trying thang co for the first time, will find it a bit difficult to eat because of the pungent aroma. However, after eating it a few times, getting used to this strange flavor, diners may find it difficult to put down their chopsticks. Thang co is often enjoyed with corn wine.

Buffalo jerky

The rich flavor of buffalo jerky combined with the typical Northwestern salt will make even the most demanding diners "fall in love". (Source: @thitsayyenphuong)

Smoked buffalo meat, also known as dried buffalo meat, or buffalo jerky, is made by the Thai people from fresh buffalo tenderloin and thigh. If the buffalo meat has tendons or silver bands, it must be removed, then cut into pieces along the grain about 7-8cm wide, about 15cm long, about 2-3cm thick, and pounded until very soft.

People will chop and pound lemongrass, ginger, garlic, dried chili, mac khen seeds, salt, sugar... then mix well to form a slightly thick spice mixture... Rub that mixture onto the buffalo meat to marinate for about 3 hours so that the buffalo meat absorbs the spices evenly, then use skewers and dry on charcoal, leaving it far away so that the meat cooks slowly and evenly.

The meat is dried like that until it is just cooked, do not dry it too much or it will be tough and hard to eat, losing its sweetness. When the dried buffalo meat has a very unique attractive smell, remove it, wrap it, and put it in the refrigerator to eat gradually.

As for households in the highlands who still use wood stoves, they will hang it up in the kitchen to smoke and store it for later consumption. When using any piece of meat to eat, take it down and put it in a steamer to soften it for about 20-30 minutes before eating. The sweetness of buffalo meat mixed with the richness of spices creates the appeal of this specialty of the Northwest highlands.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/trai-nghiem-cac-mon-dac-san-doc-dao-cua-vung-tay-bac-279628.html