Buzz
Grilled field mice with salt and chili stand out as a prominent specialty in the Mekong Delta, often prepared by locals after the harvest season.
When the rice fields are bare, field mice are at their fattest and most meaty. Proper preparation is crucial to make delicious mouse meat. After catching or buying the mice, they are cleaned thoroughly. To remove any gamey smell, chefs wash the meat with salt and ginger. After draining, the meat is marinated with lemongrass, chili, and garlic for about 20 - 30 minutes.
Then, the meat is grilled over charcoal for about 30 minutes until it turns golden and emits a fragrant aroma. During grilling, the salt evenly permeates, creating a rich flavor of mouse meat. Food enthusiasts consider grilled field mice a delicious, nutritious, and affordable specialty found only in this region.
Depending on the preference, the mouse meat can be chopped small or served whole. When guests are treated to mouse meat at home, hosts often serve it whole so guests can nibble while enjoying a few glasses of wine. The meat inside is white with a slightly chicken-like flavor. Freshly grilled, mouse meat is tender and sweet, with a crisp crunch of bones when eaten. Simple seasoning with salt, pepper, and lime chili is enough to bring out the distinctive flavor of grilled mouse.
Whether prepared at home or served in restaurants, grilled field mice with salt and chili evoke the vastness of the Mekong Delta for diners. The price for a plate of grilled field mice with salt and chili is around 70,000 - 80,000 VND. You can enjoy this dish in many restaurants in Can Tho, Long Xuyen, and other provinces in the Mekong Delta.
According to Vnexpress.net
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourApril 5, 2016
