Thai Nguyen specialty covered in white powder, strange aroma, can be kept for several months without spoiling

In Ba Be, Thai Nguyen, there is a special fruit with a fragrant aroma that reminds many people of the scent of young rice, yellow sticky rice or pandan leaves. This fruit can be processed into many attractive and delicious dishes.

When exploring Ba Be Lake - one of the 20 special freshwater lakes in the world located in Thai Nguyen, in addition to the experience of floating on a boat to see the lake, visiting Pac Ngoi village, Hua Ma cave, Dau Dang waterfall,... visitors can also enjoy the attractive cuisine of the local people.

The meals served to guests here often include roast pork, sticky rice with Chinese plums, braised pork, crispy fried stream fish, stir-fried shrimp with lemon leaves... and dishes made from the specialty green squash.

Ba Be fragrant green squash has been grown by Thai Nguyen people (old Bac Kan area) for a long time, especially in the communes of Thuong Minh, Cho Ra, Ba Be... With cool climate and suitable soil conditions, this squash variety grows well, has a characteristic aroma and flavor.

Ba Be fragrant green squash is commonly sold by people in markets, tourist attractions, accommodation places, roadside...

Unlike regular green squash, Ba Be fragrant green squash has a fragrant stem, leaves, flowers, and fruit, with two types: green squash and powdery squash. Powdery squash will have a white powdery layer on the outside of the skin, when touched, the powder sticks to your hand.

Both types have very hard, thick shells so they can be stored for up to 3 months without worrying about rotting and without the need for preservatives. In the past, people often used fragrant green squash as a reserve food during the winter when vegetables were scarce or during the rainy season.

The fragrant green squash has an oval shape like a watermelon. Each fruit weighs from 1.5-4kg. Photo: Yen Duong Cooperative

The aroma of this squash is very strange, making many people think of the smell of yellow sticky rice, young rice or pandan leaves. Not only fragrant, Ba Be fragrant green squash is also very delicious, rich in nutrients, so it is developed into a specialty squash variety.

Ms. Quynh Mai, owner of a homestay in Bo Lu, on the shore of Ba Be Lake, said that from April to October, the special meal to entertain guests often cannot lack 1-2 dishes made from fragrant green squash such as: boiled, soup, steamed meat rolls or salad.

"When boiled, the fragrant green squash will give off a very distinctive aroma that surprises many visitors, thinking that the chef added some other spices when boiling it. The green squash pieces are soft, chewy, sweet, and not sour. Just add a little sesame to make it more flavorful," said Ms. Mai.

Green squash stewed with bones or cooked with meat has a very attractive aroma, different from regular squash.

Fragrant green squash, even though simply prepared, still has an attractive flavor. Photo: Quynh Mai Homestay

One of the dishes that tourists love the most in Ba Be is the fragrant green pumpkin salad. According to Ms. Mai, the green pumpkin is peeled, washed and shredded. The pumpkin fibers are soaked in diluted salt water and then squeezed to remove the pungent smell of the pumpkin when it is still raw.

The dressing is made from salt, vinegar, sugar, pepper and chili. The sweet and sour zucchini salad, with a little coriander and crushed roasted peanuts, becomes an attractive anti-nausea dish on the feast table.

Attractive pumpkin salad on the tray of food to welcome tourists in Ba Be

In recent years, many businesses and cooperatives in Thai Nguyen have invested in researching and processing fragrant green squash into clean products such as fragrant green squash tea, sliced ​​squash, squash powder, squash jam... Many products meet OCOP standards and are popular in the market.

Fragrant green pumpkin jam is a favorite among many diners to buy as a gift. Photo: Yen Duong Cooperative

In Ba Be, visitors can also visit the fragrant green pumpkin gardens to experience caring for and harvesting with the locals. The lush green pumpkin garden with fruits hanging from bamboo trellises becomes a quite interesting check-in scene.

Specialties 'black gold, mountain snails' on the feast tray in a special village in Thai Nguyen Located about 70km from Hanoi, Thai Hai village in Thai Nguyen attracts domestic and foreign tourists with its unique culture and cuisine. The feast tray in the village has many delicious and unique specialties, prepared from ingredients grown and raised by the locals.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dac-san-thai-nguyen-phu-phan-trang-xoa-mui-thom-la-de-vai-thang-khong-hong-2444120.html