Hoàng Lan

Artichoke stew with pork trotter has become one of the most popular dishes in Đà Lạt, resident Tô Minh Huệ said, noting that it is also a top choice for anyone visiting the city.

Artichoke, originating from the Mediterranean, was brought to Đà Lạt by the French more than a century ago because the locality has temperate climate that is cool all year round, Huệ said.

Artichoke stew with pork totter is a top dish in Đà Lạt. Photo sohatravel.vn

The artichoke flowers and leaves are often used in cooking and in medicines. Locals pick the leaves when the tree is just blossoming. They cook the leaves and flowers with pork bones or pig liver, but the most popular dish is artichoke stew with pig's feet, he said, adding that this dish was named in the top 50 specialties of Việt Nam in 2012 by the Asia Book of Records

Ingredients to cook the dish include pork trotters, artichoke flowers, carrot, fresh onion, coriander, dried purple onion, salt, pepper, and  pork broth.

Huệ told Việt Nam News that to cook the dish, first you clean the pork trotters and cut them into pieces. Then parboil it, before letting them cool and marinating them with minced dried onion, salt, pepper, sugar and broth for half an hour.

Artichoke flowers with pork ribs is another popular meal. Photo letuanminhhotel.com

Carrots are cut into cubes, while the artichoke should be cleaned with light salt water and then under running water. It should be cut into two or four parts (depending on the size of the flowers) while its stems are sliced.

The marinated pork trotters are put in boiling water and cooked until they become soft with a fragrant aroma. The carrots, artichoke flowers and stems are put in the pot and cooked over a medium heat for ten minutes before the spice is added, Huệ said.

“The dish is seasoned with fresh onions, coriander, and pepper,” he said, noting that diners enjoy the savoury taste of pork trotter and bone, carrots, and particularly the aromatic flavour of artichoke.

Ingredients to cook the dish include pork trotters and artichoke flowers. Photo travelmag.vn

Huệ said the dish should be served with hot chili mixed with quality fish sauce. 

A visitor from Hà Nội, Đoàn Việt Hưng, said he likes the dish very much. It is particularly suitable for winter because it helps to warm up your body and give you strength.

“It’s also great if you eat the dish in summer, it will help to cool down the heat,” he said, noting that when visiting Đà Lạt he often went to a restaurant at 199 Phù Đổng Thiên Vương Street in Ward 8, or Thiên Hương Restaurant at 3F Bùi Thị Xuân, Ward 2, to savour the dish.

Hưng said he often buys fresh artichoke flowers for his wife to cook the dish and dried ones for his mother to make artichoke tea.

Green artichoke flowers and young leaves are nutritious.They also help treat many ailments. Photo travelmag.vn

According to nutritionists from the National Institute of Nutrition, artichoke is very good for health. It has many nutritional properties.

The use of artichoke helps with liver ailments, gall stones and high cholesterol, the nutritionists said.

Đà Lạt herbalist Trần Văn Nam said he often uses dried artichoke flowers to help patients with snakebites, osteoarthritis and diuretics. Artichoke tea can also help with sleep problems.

“The artichoke leaves and flowers are particularly good for the skin,” Nam said. VNS