Buzz
If you ever find yourself at the bustling markets in the mountainous region of Bình Liêu, make sure to indulge in the flavorful Bình Liêu Stir-Fried Pho, a traditional dish that strikes a perfect balance between familiarity and novelty, leaving a lasting impression on distant diners.
Bình Liêu Stir-Fried Pho – A Unique Traditional Dish in the Highlands of Quảng Ninh
Visiting the Dong Van Market in Bình Liêu on market days, tourists will easily immerse themselves in the vibrant and colorful atmosphere of the local vendors, offering a wide array of delicacies amidst the smoke-veiled thatched roofs, tantalizing with the aroma of food.
Among them, the Bình Liêu Stir-Fried Pho, a local specialty, is beloved by both locals and visitors who enjoy sampling it while strolling through the market, stocking up on various essential items.
Only in Bình Liêu can you find such a peculiar way of preparing pho. The rice noodles are stir-fried using ingredients that customers must personally handpick from the market. The proprietor prepares the noodles by blanching them and then slicing them into strands. The stir-fry ingredients, along with the pho, can include pork belly, vegetables, or bean sprouts…
Bình Liêu Stir-Fried Pho features rice noodles made from fragrant, soft Bao Thai rice, cultivated on terraced fields. The rice is soaked, ground into flour, then steamed over a wood fire. The pho noodles are thick, large, pressed into long sheets, folded neatly on a large skillet…
Only when customers order, the owner chops the noodles into thick, wide strips, retaining the lingering aroma of soaked rice. Traditionally made pho noodles differ from industrial ones; hand-cutting ensures unevenness, but it doesn't diminish the delicious aroma of the dish.
Stir-fried pho with sautéed garlic, shallots, and oil, along with ingredients brought by the customers. The plate of stir-fried pho absorbs the golden hue of the oil; upon tasting, the edges of the pho are crispy and fragrant, chewy yet soft, complemented by the flavor of local pork, the sweetness of bean sprouts, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who has had a taste.
The people of Bình Liêu enjoy stir-fried pho anywhere and anytime. Stir-fried pho is a staple in daily meals, gatherings, and celebrations. During market days, festivals like the March Fair (on the 16th day of the lunar calendar), Wind Avoidance Day (on the 4th day of the 4th lunar month),… young men, women, families of the Tày, Dao, and Sán Chỉ ethnic groups flock to the markets.
They come to trade goods, watch the Tày's then singing, the Sán Chỉ's wave singing, the Dao's pả dung singing, and play folk games. And in these markets, festivals, they never forget to indulge in Bình Liêu Stir-Fried Pho. Many market-goers come solely to savor stir-fried pho, sipping wine with friends.
Today, visiting Bình Liêu, tourists have the opportunity to admire a border mountainous region with pristine forests, beautiful waterfalls, blooming white reed fields, or explore border milestones, the 'dinosaur's backbone'…
Dishes made from native chicken, local pork, river snails, wild bamboo shoots… or dong vermicelli, have become signature dishes whenever Bình Liêu is mentioned. Among them, Bình Liêu Stir-Fried Pho holds an important position on the culinary map, leaving tourists longing for more with every bite!
As stated by Mytour
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Source: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourNovember 22, 2022
