Unique Nam O porridge

Among many explanations, many people believe that chao cho has noodles made of rice flour, wheat flour, and the broth is thick like "porridge". The "waiting" is because only when ordering, the cook leisurely puts noodles into the pot.

A bowl of steaming Nam O porridge, served with tangerine fish sauce and hot fried breadsticks

Curious dish

Although it is a rustic dish, Nam O porridge still makes people "miss" because of its sweet fish broth. Unlike other porridge dishes, people in Nam O choose to add mackerel to make the broth, creating a light, strange and attractive taste. In addition, after separating the fish to braise, the fish bones will be kept to simmer in the broth to increase the sweetness and aroma.

However, many regular customers of Nam O porridge when arriving always ask the owner to sell them an extra portion of fish. Because dried mackerel is the soul of the porridge. The fish is seasoned well, braised until it is dry and crispy. Take a bite of the fish and "suck it in", enjoy the sweetness of the fish spreading out, filling your mouth.

Braised fish - the "soul" of Nam O porridge

Braising this fish dish is also very complicated. According to the elders, to braise mackerel well, it must be carefully selected. The fish must have red gills, be fresh, have tightly closed gills, have no strange smell, and the fish's mouth must still be tightly closed.

The fish eyes are still bright and elastic. The fish scales are bright, shiny and tightly attached to the body. Experienced buyers often use their hands to press the fish flesh, if the fish is firm and elastic, it is considered good enough to buy to cook porridge.

"The fish is made from 4am to 11am. The fish processing goes through many steps such as cleaning, separating the fish, braising, simmering the broth... very hard work. Many customers want to buy more fish to eat but I have to give up" - a porridge shop owner on Ngo Xuan Thu street (Lien Chieu district) shared.

Nam O fish sauce is indispensable.

Although they definitely have to wait, the people of Nam O usually wait their turn without being told. It is rare for people to be impatient because no one can resist the broth with a light aroma of pork bones and fish bones, accompanied by crispy, sweet dried mackerel, along with a bit of quail eggs, fried breadsticks, etc.

Nam O porridge is especially delicious when mixed with a little traditional Nam O fish sauce (photo: people are filtering fish sauce in the traditional way)

The porridge is best eaten hot, because if it cools down, the flour will become soft. The broth will no longer have the natural sweetness of the fish. Hot crispy fried breadsticks dipped in the rich broth will make diners remember them. These combinations create a colorful and flavorful meal, reflecting the culinary characteristics of Da Nang.

In particular, to get the right taste, Nam O fish sauce is indispensable. For a long time, Nam O fish sauce village has been famous far and wide in Quang - Da land. The drops of fish sauce are distilled by hand, rich in flavor, helping to enhance the salty quality of the porridge.

Many people believe that Nam O porridge is not only a dish, but also a unique feature of the Nam O - Da Nang region that is rarely found anywhere else.

Porridge can be eaten all year round. But in the slightly chilly weather of late winter and early spring, sitting and chatting with friends and patiently waiting for a bowl of steaming porridge with the fragrant salty taste of the sea is still a poetic experience worth tasting.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/doc-dao-chao-cho-nam-o-196240207213653729.htm