Phở gan cháy (noodle with charred liver) is a well-known breakfast in Bắc Ninh Province. — Photo dienmayxanh.vn

Thanh Hà

I never eat a dish that doesn’t look appealing, because if it isn’t appetising to the eye, I feel it probably won’t taste good either. It may be a peculiar habit, but I’ve found it true for years and have no desire to change it.

My college friend had to persuade me for hours to try phở gan cháy (noodles with charred liver), a breakfast specialty that has won the hearts of local people and visitors from other areas when coming to Bắc Ninh Province.

She insisted its appearance didn’t reflect its taste.

“Try just one bite and spit it out if you don’t like it; you will have to pay for our 10 breakfasts next time in my hometown,” she said.

We then moved to Vinh Sương, one of the best-known phở gan cháy spots in the area.

It was 7am, but the restaurant was nearly full, while staff bustled back and forth to serve the customers.

Many people love phở with charred livers because of its delicious and unique flavour. — Photo dantri.com.vn

After about 10 minutes of waiting, two bowls of phở were placed in front of us. At first, they didn’t catch my eye because of their unusual appearance and flavour compared with the beef and chicken noodles I usually enjoyed.

Only the white phở strands were familiar; the other ingredients were completely different, with pork offal as the main topping.

There were two to three pieces of liver cooked until blackened, slices of stir-fried kidney and pork tenderloin. The dish was topped with bean sprouts and green onions before the golden-coloured broth was poured over it.

Adding some chilli sauce and garlic vinegar to my bowl, I took a cautious, sceptical bite.

“Oh, it seems nice,” I thought. I took another bite and sipped the broth. Actually, it was really good. My friend watched me and laughed, saying: “You see! This bowl of phở definitely changes your mind and habit!"

The noodles were firm yet soft, perfectly complementing the sweet broth, while the liver looked burnt on the outside but was tender and delicious inside. The kidney and pork added extra flavour to the bowl.

A basket of bean sprouts, sliced onions and mint was placed by the entrance for customers to help themselves. People usually mix them with garlic vinegar, chilli and fish sauce to make a salad to enjoy with their phở.

In most northern phở shops, no vegetables beyond green onions are added, as many believe other greens change the flavour.

Here, however, the salad made the phở with charred liver taste fresher and even more delicious.

Hoàng Xuân Vinh stir-fries topping for his phở gan cháy to serve about 200 customers per morning. — Photo dantri.com.vn

Speaking with the owner, he said cooking this phở was not very complicated, but it required meticulous attention to detail from the selection to the preparation of ingredients.

“The pork, liver and kidney are thoroughly cleaned after purchase to remove any unpleasant odour before being marinated. Fresh liver should be chosen for its deep red colour, firm texture and elasticity to ensure freshness and quality in this dish,” he said.

“The meat and kidneys are stir-fried with tomatoes to add richness to the phở. The liver is cut into large pieces so that it retains its tenderness and moisture inside when fried, allowing you to clearly taste the rich, spongy texture and aroma of the liver, even though it is pan-fried until slightly charred.

“The broth for liver phở is simmered from beef bones for many hours using a special recipe. When a customer orders, we briefly heat the broth in the pan used for stir-frying the meat to add richness, and then pour it into the bowl.”

Phở gan cháy has been a brand name in Bắc Ninh with its golden both and black liver. — Photo dantri.com.vn

He said it had taken him six years to perfect his recipe and create the delicious phở served today. Many other shops opened following his success, but he was proud that his phở remained the best in town, selling more than 200 bowls each morning and even more at the weekends.

While many customers were locals, he gradually attracted visitors from other cities and provinces eager to discover this unique Bắc Ninh dish and try the much-talked-about “controversial” phở, priced from just VNĐ30,000 (US$1.2).

After finishing the phở, my friend and I enjoyed a cup of tea before setting off on our one-day tour of Bắc Ninh. Naturally, I paid for breakfast, already pleased at the thought of returning for the next nine times and covering the cost myself. — VNS