'Bún xào cần' has been a specialty of the Cổ Loa area for 2,000 years, and is known for its unique and delicious flavour. — Photo thanhcoloa.vn

Thanh Hà

HÀ NỘI — Sometimes mistakes can be wonderful. The traditional dish bún xào cần (stir-fried rice vermicelli and water dropwort) is one such example which, according to legend, was created by accident thousands of years ago in a village in the suburbs of Hà Nội.

I had heard about the dish for years, but its name was not memorable enough to leave a lasting impression. However, a recent visit to Cổ Loa Festival in Đông Anh Commune, about 15km from central city, changed my mind. 

Seeing many people leaving the event with bún (rice vermicelli) and bunches of water dropwort sparked my curiosity. So I also bought both, and asked the noodle seller about it.

"Bún xào cần is our specialty," she said. "Most people who come to our village never fail to taste the dish in local restaurants or buy ingredients to cook it at home. I have sold hundreds of kilograms of rice vermicelli in the last three days." 

Thanks to its simple ingredients, 'bún xào cần' has endured as a Hà Nội speciality. — Photo tuoitrethudo.vn

Taking a seat next to her, I was told the story of the dish, which she said is easy to cook but has a flavour that has long captivated thousands.

Legend has it that around 2,000 years ago, An Dương Vương, the founding king and the only ruler of the kingdom of Âu Lạc (the second state in Vietnamese history), held a lavish feast to celebrate the betrothal of Princess Mỵ Châu.

One royal chef accidentally spilled rice dough into a basket placed in a pot of boiling water. When he frantically lifted it out, the dough had formed into long, white strands. Regretting the waste and not knowing what to do with the strands, the chef, who had some water dropwort on hand, stir-fried it to include as a side dish at the feast.

The king, upon seeing a unique dish with elegant colours and a fragrant, rustic aroma, immediately tasted it and shared it with his courtiers, who all praised it.

It later became a signature specialty of the Cổ Loa region, traditionally featured at ceremonial feast tables during festivals and often enjoyed as a daily meal for local residents.

When visitors come to Cổ Loa, they are often treated to this specialty, helping to spread the dish more widely throughout the community.

A man standing next to me, who later introduced himself as Lê Hoàng Minh, ordered 5kg of the vermicelli after buying a big basket of water dropwort in a nearby shop.

“I'm buying for my neighbours too. They ordered from me after they found out that I would take part in the Cổ Loa Festival. Our neighbourhood will all have the same bún xào cần for our dinner tonight,” he said with laugh.

"Eating this dish in Cổ Loa is said to be the best, but cooking it at home is also great," he added. 

"This dish doesn't require much skill, but experience. The vermicelli strands are firm and long, not mushy. The vegetables are cooked to remain tender and green and smell good. It's better to serve it hot, allowing diners to eat while blowing on it to cool it down."

Minh, who owns a small restaurant, said that eating a plain dish with only vermicelli and vegetables can be delicious, but would be even more so with other toppings like beef, shrimp or sliced pork sausage.

However, he noted that although the noodles can be stir-fried with a variety of vegetables, water dropwort is somehow the perfect match thanks to its crisp texture and delicate fragrance. 

Water dropwort can be bought anywhere, but only rice vermicelli from Mạch Tràng Village in Cổ Loa will make the best dish. Also, to make a delicious, rich and flavourful meal, it's essential to stir-fry everything with pork fat.

A Mạch Tràng villager makes rice vermicelli. — Photo jackfruitadventure.com

The vermicelli seller told me that her villagers have a secret to making the vermicelli that creates a totally different product from vermicelli in other localities.

Due to a complicated production process, Mạch Tràng vermicelli is not bright white, but has a distinctive ivory colour. The vermicelli strands are also longer and chewier than others.

"The unique colour and delicious taste of our vermicelli come from the soaking, fermentation and ageing process of the flour, as well as the spring water of Cổ Loa.

“Simply dipping our bún in fish sauce with lime juice and chili is already very delicious. Our product is sold in many markets and served as an ingredient in bún chả (grilled pork with vermicelli), bún đậu (grilled tofu with vermicelli) and all kinds of other rice vermicelli dishes," she said.

That evening, I stir-fried vermicelli, water dropwort with beef for my large family. Afterwards my family members discussed switching from normal vermicelli to Mạch Tràng vermicelli, while also saying that it needs to be a regular dish in our future meals. — VNS