Irresistible Flavors of Quang Nam Cuisine

While they may appear in eateries in major cities, the true essence of Quang dishes is only felt when prepared in their homeland of Quang Nam.

Quang-Style Noodles

When it comes to Quang Nam cuisine, Quang-style noodles cannot be overlooked. This rustic dish is a familiar staple among the people of Quang. Though it may not always be perfectly cooked, hardly any Quang Nam local has not tried their hand at making Quang-style noodles at least once. The ingredients typically include noodles (made from rice flour cut into thick strands), various types of meat (chicken, beef...), roasted peanuts, rice crackers, assorted fresh vegetables, onions, chili, and a dash of broth.

When enjoying Quang-style noodles, it's customary to break the rice crackers into the bowl, add plenty of fresh vegetables, a splash of chili fish sauce, squeeze some lime, mix well, and savor. The aromatic essence of rice blends with the rich sweetness of the broth, the freshness of the vegetables, the sourness of the lime, and the spiciness of the chili to offer an unforgettable experience.

Banh Xeo

Banh Xeo is also a traditional dish of the people of Quang region. The fragrant cake wrapped in fresh greens and served with simple yet addictive sauce captivates many. Quang Nam's Banh Xeo isn't as crispy as Saigon's version but has a certain softness. The filling is often simpler with pork belly and land shrimp, or just land shrimp alone can make a delicious cake.

Quang-style Banh Xeo is usually only cut in half, and if small, it may be left whole. The fragrant, soft, hot cake is rolled with various raw vegetables but cannot be without green mustard leaves. The bitter taste of mustard leaves both prevents nausea and pushes the cake to taste better. When eating, people take a piece of cake rolled with raw vegetables and rice paper, then dip it in sauce made from anchovy fish sauce, ginger, and finely ground peanuts. This simplicity will bring you an unforgettable meal.

Ram

The basic ingredients and preparation method of this dish bear resemblance to Northern nem or Southern cha gio. The filling typically consists of a bit of vermicelli mixed with meat and wood ear mushrooms, though the ingredients may vary slightly depending on the region.

Each ram roll, about the length of a finger, with its fragrant, crispy shell, is fried in fragrant peanut oil. This dish is usually served with sweet and sour fish sauce and accompanied by plenty of fresh vegetables. In Da Nang, it's incomplete without mustard greens. The large mustard leaves and pickled vegetables help offset the greasiness of the ram's oil. The aromatic ram roll, spicy fish sauce, guarantees an unforgettable experience.

Banh To

This type of cake is a specialty with a long-standing tradition during the Tet holiday of the people of Quang region. Many localities in Quang Nam make this cake. The ingredients include glutinous rice and sugar. Glutinous rice must be of good quality, dried thoroughly, then ground into flour. Glutinous rice flour and sugar are meticulously mixed, removing all impurities, then adding a bit of fresh ginger juice to enhance the flavor. Then the dough is put into a mold made of bamboo slats resembling a cylinder with a diameter of about 10 - 15 cm, lined with dried banana leaves. The cake is wrapped and sealed tightly with bamboo sticks. Each cake weighs about 500 grams.

The 'tow' cake is steamed until cooked, then allowed to cool before storing in a cool place. Depending on the quality of the flour and sugar used, the cake may have different colors, from opaque white to ivory or light brown, and the prices may vary slightly. When eating, some people prefer to slice the 'tow' cake and eat it right away. Others like to grill it over charcoal until soft before eating. However, the most preferred method for many is slicing it into pieces and frying it with peanut oil.

Le Mountain Chicken

This is one of the famous specialties of Quang Nam province. To truly enjoy Le Mountain Chicken, you must visit Le Mountain (near Nguoc Mat stream - Que Son district, Quang Nam province) because, as the locals say, the delicious and renowned Le Mountain Chicken is attributed to being cooked with the cool fresh water from the Nguoc Mat stream (a famous tourist destination of Que Son).

Le Mountain Chicken is a type of young chicken, completely free-range, each weighing about 0.6 - 0.8 kg. There are various chicken dishes such as grilled, steamed with onions, and roasted... but the most common is boiled because this dish is quick and simple to prepare. Regardless of the dish, the chicken here is always served whole with a captivating fairy wing shape. The boiled Le Mountain Chicken is served with crushed purple onions, and when presented to guests, it is never without Vietnamese coriander, finely chopped lime leaves... and a nylon glove to allow guests to cut the chicken themselves. Although it may not be served...to the teeth, cutting or tearing the chicken into pieces, mixing it with coriander, and dipping it in salt and pepper will undoubtedly enhance the flavor of the chicken.

Mong Bridge Grilled Beef

Cau Mong – a place in Dien Phuong commune (Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province), renowned everywhere for its signature dish… grilled beef.

The key elements determining the deliciousness of Cau Mong grilled beef are the dipping sauce and fresh vegetables. The dipping sauce must be made from top-quality fish sauce extracted from anchovies and mackerel caught along the central coastal region. After pressing and filtering the anchovy fish sauce, fresh garlic, chili, ground ginger, toasted sesame seeds, lime… are added to create a perfect blend.

Fresh vegetables from the countryside along the rivers and streams, rolled in thin rice paper dipped in fresh anchovy fish sauce, is the authentic way to enjoy it. For added diversity, diners can choose from tenderloin, brisket, rump, skin… according to their preference. Taking a piece of thin rice paper, wrapping it with fresh vegetables, adding slices of bitter banana, papaya, placing a piece of grilled beef, then folding some grilled rice paper… rolling it all up, dipping it into the fish sauce bowl, the delightful flavor spreads from the tip of the tongue to the back of the throat, unbelievably delicious.

According to Young Intellectuals

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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook