Tourists to enjoy Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand sea route

A travelling route on the southwestern sea linking Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand will be launched.

An agreement to this effect was reached by the tourism authorities and relevant agencies of localities from the three countries at a meeting in the Phu Quoc island District, Kien Giang Province, from October 24 to 25.

There will be two trips a week along this line by a high-speed ship, capable of carrying 300 people. Visitors will depart from Vietnam’s Ha Tien Township, travel to Cambodia’s Shihanouk Ville port city and finally arrive in an eco-tourism site in Thailand’s Chanthaburi Province.

Kien Giang Province, the Vietnamese partner in the project, is mobilising capital to upgrade its infrastructure and entertainment facilities in Ha Tien and Phu Quoc.

Tom Chua (Hue Sour Shrimp) - Hue

Tom Chua (Hue Sour Shrimp)

When Hue natives living outside the city return to their homeland, they usually have sour shrimp. Tourists also make sure to buy some jars of sour shrimp before leaving Hue.

Because of the national reputation of this dish, some cooks and merchants specialize in making sour shrimp. In the past, people made this dish at home, but now it is easier to buy it at the market.

This dish can be prepared with any kind of shrimp. The recipe includes a number of steps that must be performed in a specific order. First, the fresh, clean, and dry shrimp of approximately the same size are put in wine along with dry bamboo shoots, garlic, and chili. The ingredients are kept in a closed container at room temperature for three days. Then the container is put in a cool, dry place. After five or seven days, the sour shrimp are ready.

Com Hen (Hue Mussel Rice) - Hue

Com Hen (Hue Mussel Rice)

Hot white rice is part of every meal in Vietnam, but only Hue mussel rice is served cool. Hue people, after deciding that no food should be wasted, have designed this dish using leftover rice.

This dish includes Chinese vermicelli, bamboo shoots, lean pork meat, and an assortment of green vegetables (banana leaves, mint, star fruit, etc.).

The broth obtained after boiling the mussels is used to flavour the rice. Ginger, sesame, and chili are also added to the broth. This dish is very spicy and it is not rare to see people with watery eyes and sweaty faces while eating it; nevertheless, everyone congratulates the cook for such a delicious meal.

Hue Beef Noodle Soup - Hue

One must have years of experience to cook excellent Hue beef noodle soup. This recipe mainly consists of shredded meat and rice noodles. Most restaurants and merchants in Hue do not make the rice noodles themselves; they buy them in Van Cu and Bao Vinh, two villages located near Hue.

Learning how to make a clear broth from bone and meat is also a difficult task, but cooks have the satisfaction of seeing customers enjoying a good meal. The secret of this recipe resides in the meat–this is why it must be bought directly from the slaughterhouse early in the morning. The meat is then shredded, boiled, and taken out of the water to obtain a delicious clear broth.

The amount of salt put in the recipe varies depending on the season; during summer, Hue beef noodle soup is served with soy bean, mint, and different kinds of lettuce; in the winter, the recipe is saltier and lemongrass and fish sauce are added.

Flying fish with young jackfruit

Flying fish is at its best in summer. You can cook it immediately or dry it for later use. Among the recipes for this fish, cooking with young jackfruit is the most popular. It is affirmed in a local traditional verse.

"Who goes upstream, please help me send flying fish to my friend
And ask him to send me young jackfruit”

Saute the fish and arrange it in a pan with sliced young jackfruit. Cover it with water and simmer. Season with spices. When the jackfruit is well done and the water has gone, add some fat and reheat.

There are a number of flying fish dishes. After cleaning and scaling the fish, split it vertically leaving a "hinge" and soften its backbone. Mix chopped spring onion, garlic, pimento, turmeric and fish sauce. Spread the mixture inside the fish, fold it over and fry until it has a dark yellow coat and an attractive aroma.

As for young jackfruit, we can make soup, cook with fish or eat raw. Remove the skin and core and boil. Let it cool, then slice and wait until it is dry. If you like, you can mix it with well-grated young papaya. Combine with vegetable oil, sauted onion and garlic, crushed dried peanuts, herbs, pimento, a little sugar and fish sauce. Serve with rice noodle and fish paste or fish sauce plus chilli and garlic. "banh trang" is an alternative to rice noodle. Make a special thick sauce from vegetable oil, sauted onion, fish sauce (1/2 bowl), pure water (1 bowl), seaweed flour (2 teaspoonfuls). Boil the mixture; add crushed dried peanuts, garlic, pimento and sugar.

Quang noodles

As “pho” is to Hanoi and beef rice noodles is to Hue, Quang noodles is very popular in Quang Nam and Danang.

“I make for you, darling, green tea and Quang noodles to express my feelings” (a traditional version)

This dish's ingredients include rice, vegetables and meat. After being soaked in water, the rice is ground to a fine powder and made into attractive smooth white noodles. Accompanying vegetables are water morning-glory, cress, young banana flowers and herbs. Especially, the famous Tra Que savory of Quang Nam Province will give the dish more flavour. You can use pork, chicken, fish, crab or shrimp to make the broth. If chicken is chosen, the meat is separated, seasoned and stir-fried while the bones are stewed. Finish the stock by adding cooked chicken meat.

Arrange the noodle on a bed of vegetables and a cover with enough stock to moisten the noodles. Don’t use as much stock as when making “pho” or beef rice noodles. Serve with crushed dried peanuts, oil from fried onion, chopped spring onion, lemon, chilli, and grilled "banh trang".

There are many Quang noodle restaurants in Quang Nam and Danang. Each area is famous for one certain recipe. For example, Thanh Chiem Village in Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province is known for shrimp noodle, while chicken noodle is at its best in Tuy Loan, Hoa Vang District, Danang City.

Some well-known Quang Noodle Kiosks in Danang City:

1. Mrs. Ngan Quang Noodle
- Add: 108 Dong Da Street

2. Mrs. Lu Quang Noodle
- Add: 126 Ham Nghi Street
- Tel: (84)511 6520243.

3. Mrs. Vi Quang Noodle
- Add: 155 Trung Nu Vuong Street
- Tel: (84)511.865651

4. Hai Phong Quang Noodle
- Add: 05 Hai Phong Street
- Tel: (84)511.827936

5. Dinh Tien Hoang Quang Noodle
- Add: 53/54 Ong Ich Khiem
- Tel: (84)511.863025

6. Quang Noodle Inns in Tuy Loan
- Add: Tuy Loan Commune, Hoa Vang District