Buzz
The appearance of a rươi might give many the jitters, but once you muster the courage to taste its dishes, you'll nod in agreement to its deliciousness.
Rươi - a delicacy that triggers mixed reactions; much like durian or balut, those who appreciate its flavor sing its praises while others find numerous reasons to avoid it. However, for millions, rươi is an acknowledged delicacy.
Speaking of rươi is inviting a spectrum of opinions. Much like durian or balut, it divides opinions sharply. While some revel in its taste, others find its appearance off-putting.
Well, everyone has their reasons, but one cannot deny that rươi is a delicacy recognized by generations. People enjoy rươi dishes not just for their taste but also because rươi is a seasonal delicacy, available only during specific times of the year.
At first glance, rươi might intimidate many, but once transformed into various dishes, it garners unanimous praise for its deliciousness.
In a year, there are two seasons for rươi: around April, May and September, October in the lunar calendar. However, September and October in the lunar calendar are considered the peak seasons for rươi. Hence, rươi enthusiasts are familiar with the saying 'September twenty, October fifth,' as according to old wisdom, the 20th of September and the 5th of October in the lunar calendar mark the peak of rươi season. During this time, in the fields along the coastal areas of Hai Duong, Hai Phong, and Thai Binh, rươi thrive abundantly. It's also the time when rươi lovers rush to buy them to prepare dishes after months of absence of this specialty.
As a seasonal delicacy, rươi doesn't come cheap, and despite seeming simple to prepare, there are many things to pay attention to. Because if you overlook the seemingly trivial matters that seem overly elaborate, rươi will lose its flavor, become less delicious, and a waste of money.
Firstly, when bringing rươi home, regardless of what you intend to do, you must clean the rươi, including picking up all the debris, removing the wilted rươi (those with a pale color), dead rươi, then placing them in warm water around 30 - 40 degrees Celsius, gently stirring about 2 - 3 times to clean the mud, clean the fur, and you're done. This step requires utmost attention because if done hastily, using old hot water, stirring vigorously, the rươi will burst. After cleaning the fur, rươi can be used to make countless delicious dishes that you will remember forever after just one taste.
Rươi cake
The most traditional and popular dish made from rươi must be the rươi cake. The ingredients for making rươi cake are quite easy to find, including minced pork, chicken eggs, a little scallion, finely chopped dill, and absolutely cannot be without a bit of pungent kumquat peel, chopped young ginger leaves. Thus, the rươi cake emits an irresistibly fragrant aroma, so enticing that you can smell it from afar. The rươi cake is fried in hot oil, it must be fried skillfully so that the cake is well cooked but not dry, and it must be eaten hot to be delicious.
The piping hot piece of cake just scooped out of the pan to drain the oil, just a little pure fish sauce, some cilantro, lettuce to eat with is enough to make it delicious. Or if the delicious piece is not enough to satisfy your palate, eating it with hot rice or noodles is also very satisfying. At that moment, the fear of the greenish, reddish rươi disappears, leaving only the savory, fatty, fragrant taste lingering in the mouth.
In Hanoi, if you don't have the means to make rươi cake yourself, you can buy ready-made ones at some locations such as Hang Beo's rươi cake at 244 Lo Duc or Hung Thinh's rươi cake at 1 Hang Chieu. Many say that store-bought rươi cake can't compare to homemade ones, but if you're craving and don't have the means, this is still a good option.
Rươi spring rolls
In addition to rươi cake, shops specializing in rươi in Hanoi often make another dish, that's rươi spring rolls. In terms of preparation, rươi spring rolls are similar to regular meat spring rolls, with vermicelli, meat, and ordinary wood ear mushrooms, the only difference is that the filling of rươi spring rolls also includes rươi and a little finely chopped kumquat peel for aroma.
Rươi spring rolls are best enjoyed hot and are usually served with fresh vegetables and sweet and sour dipping sauce. Rươi spring rolls have a fragrant, sweet flavor and are less cloying than meat spring rolls. During the rươi season, making a few rươi spring rolls for the family to enjoy together is simply unbeatable.
Clay pot braised rươi
Among the delicious dishes made from rươi, clay pot braised rươi is perhaps the one that best preserves the distinctive flavor of rươi, even considered the most creative dish made from rươi. Clay pot braised rươi combines the refreshing taste of kumquat peel with the spicy heat of chili, sprinkled with some scallions and herbs, and you have an extremely enticing and satisfying dish.
Not only delicious, but clay pot braised rươi is also considered a luxury dish with each pot of braised rươi costing up to a million dong. Simply because rươi is expensive, it can cost up to 500, 600 thousand VND/kg of unprocessed rươi. Despite the high cost, for many people, this dish is considered worth it for its distinctive aroma and delicious taste, making it a must-have and unforgettable experience.
Clay pot braised rươi is a specialty of the Tứ Kỳ region, Hai Duong. During the rươi season, rươi enthusiasts often have their relatives from Tứ Kỳ send them this dish to satisfy their cravings.
There are many dishes made from rươi, such as fermented rươi, rươi hotpot, rươi wrapped in lolot leaves, or salt-roasted rươi. Each dish has its own delicious flavor, impossible to compare. Just seize the opportunity while rươi is still available, buy some and spend a little time preparing delicious dishes for the whole family. As they say, 'what's in season is what you eat,' during the rươi season, if you don't seize the chance to eat rươi, you'll regret it.
According to Afamily
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
TravelGo.comDecember 14, 2017
