Hoàng Lan

HÀ NỘI A centuries-old culinary craft from Hà Nội’s famed Bát Tràng Village has been officially dished up as the latest addition to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Bát Tràng cooking knowledge of a traditional party dish was recently recognised as the latest National Intangible Cultural Heritage (NICH) by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Ways of cooking Thanh Trì steamed rolls and Lã Vọng grilled fish were also included in the list, said an official from the ministry.

Located to the southeast of Hà Nội, around 10km from the city centre, the Bát Tràng traditional pottery village has long been known not only for its centuries-old ceramic craftsmanship but also for its remarkable cuisine.

A tray of Bát Tràng special traditional dishes that have pleased foodies so much. Photo vinwonders.com

Local culinary expert Nguyễn Thị Lâm said the dishes are not only rich in nutrition, aromatic flavour and great taste but also reflecting rich culture and community inherited customs.

There are several party structures and recipes. But despite all, it still reflects spirit of respecting propriety and righteousness and high sense of aesthetics of locals, said Lâm.

There are many dishes in a Bát Tràng food tray but most popular are canh măng mực (dried squid bamboo soup), xu hào xào mực khô (grated kohlrabi stir-fried with dried squid shreds), chả tôm nướng lá lốt (grilled shrimp nugget wrapped in wild betel leaf), fried pigeon spring rolls, canh bóng thả (pork rind soup), and others, Lâm said.

A Bát Tràng culinary expert displays her tasty dishes for a party. Photo vinwonders.com

Asked a way to cook tasty squid bamboo soup, Lâm said she often bought dried bamboo shoots from the north-western province of Yên Bái, soaked them in water and cleaned them several times before stewing them until they became soft, while dried squid bought from the central province of Thanh Hóa was cleaned with a mixture of ginger and white wine to release its fishing smell, torn into threads and stir-fried.

All of these ingredients were then put into a broth stewed from pig and chicken bones plus dried shrimp, creating a light savoury flavour.

It is followed by kohlrabi fried with dried squid shreds. The kohlrabi is cut into threads, given a quick parboiling to keep its firmness, then mixed with grilled squid shreds, fried chicken cut into threads, pork paste and shiitake mushroom cut into threads too.

“It is of both simple and sophisticated dish, attracting foodies with light savoury flavour and special fragrant,” Lâm said.

Thanh Trì steamed rice rolls eaten with fried pork paste, a popular dish among Hanoians and guests. Photo banhcuonthanhtri.vn

The next main dish is known as chả tôm nướng lá lốt, which brings guests a special aromatic flavour: minced shrimp meat mixed with pork paste, wrapped in wild betel leaf, grilled over charcoal and dipped in roasted sesame sauce or sour and sweet fish sauce.

Different from other places where cooks make spring rolls from minced pork or minced seafood, Bát Tràng cooks make another main dish from minced pigeon meat mixed with shiitake mushroom, wood ears and some other ingredients, said Lâm. The rolls have been fried two times to ensure its covers crispy.

The continued main dish is canh bóng thả. Ingredients include dried pork skin soaked in water for half an hour, cleaned well with white wine and cut into 2cm by 3cm pieces, then put into a pure broth stewed from pig and chicken bones.

“Special characteristics of the soup is a good combination between pork paste balls, mushroom, carrot, kohlrabi which is carefully trimmed in flower shapes, green peas and several others, creating a colourful tasty soup,” Lâm said.

Lã Vọng grilled fish, a specialty of Hà Nội, attracts not only locals but also visitors to the capital city. Photo nhandan.vn

Other dishes in the Bát Tràng party food menu include boiled chicken topped with lemon leaf threads, xôi gấc (steamed momordica glutinous rice) or xôi vò (mung bean sticky rice), roasted cinnamon pork paste or banana-leaf-wrapped pork sausage, and others.

“All the dishes are displayed on Bát Tràng ceramic bowls and plates to express the village’s hundred-year-old pottery while making the party imbued with deep culture and art,” said Lâm.

The pottery village of Bát Tràng receives thousands of local and foreign visitors and travellers annually. Most of them enjoy Bát Tràng’s special traditional culinary. VNS