Buzz
Amidst the grandeur of the stone plateau and the picturesque beauty of triangular buckwheat flowers..., many travelers to Hà Giang are captivated by tales of the extraordinary Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms, enticing them to purchase these unique delicacies as souvenirs.
Exploring Hà Giang: Acquiring Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms as souvenirs
Arriving in Hà Giang from November onwards, visitors are likely to witness locals showcasing and selling Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms along roadsides, marketplaces, and in traditional bazaars.
Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms typically flourish from September to the end of October, growing as parasites on the roots of large submerged trees, in the darkness beneath the soil, amidst thickets, and are usually harvested from around November to just before the Tet Lunar New Year.
Notably, this unique mushroom isn't found everywhere, as Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms mainly thrive in the Northwest region, at elevations of 1,500 meters above sea level and beyond.
The exceptionally precious Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms thrive naturally at altitudes above 2,000m, such as the peaks of Tây Côn Lĩnh and Hoàng Liên Sơn, where it remains freezing cold year-round, with snow-covered winters.
These mushrooms possess a distinctive appearance, resembling either tubers or jackfruit bulbs, with a half-plant, half-fungi structure, reaching sizes comparable to thumb or wrist dimensions, growing in clusters without thick protective leaves.
The coloration of the mushrooms ranges from slightly red, violet-red, to brown, aging into a white hue, while the inner flesh resembles dragon fruit pulp, containing starch.
Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms are typically sold in two forms: fresh and dried. Freshly harvested mushrooms are brought back and sold as is, while the dried variety is processed from fresh mushrooms. After thorough cleaning, they are thinly sliced and air-dried, packaged, or presented as-is on weighing scales.
Producing 1kg of dried mushrooms requires nearly 5kg of fresh ones, making dried mushrooms significantly more expensive than their fresh counterparts.
More intriguing than the mushrooms themselves are the locally ingrained advertisements showcasing their purported benefits, known by every local and used to entice tourists.
In reality, locals harness the power of Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms for traditional remedies, promoting blood circulation, kidney vitality, digestive stimulation, diuretic effects, alleviating hand and foot fatigue, back pain, enhancing virility, and notably aiding postpartum recovery in women.
Many jestingly claim, 'Consume these mushrooms, and your doors and walls might crumble due to their invigorating potency.'
Despite their medicinal prowess, these mushrooms are seldom incorporated into dishes due to their distinctive pungent odor that overpowers the culinary flavors of accompanying dishes.
People predominantly prefer to steep the mushrooms in alcohol or brew them into tea to maximize their benefits without compromising the flavors of other ingredients.
Whether it leads to 'doors and walls crumbling' as the locals humorously suggest remains uncertain, but after marveling at the breathtaking beauty of the stone plateau, our group joyfully emptied our pockets to purchase 2kg of dried Ngọc Cẩu mushrooms as a mountainous souvenir.
And who knows, occasionally sipping a glass of Ngọc Cẩu mushroom-infused wine or a cup of hot tea brewed with these mushrooms might evoke numerous memories of the majestic homeland in everyone's hearts.
As per Tuoitre.vn
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Explore more: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourOctober 19, 2016
