Culinary flavors of the land of Nau

Compared to the carefully packaged industrial rice paper, the Phu Yen rice paper is simple and genuine in appearance. The rice paper is big, thick, dried and tied with white nylon string. Holding a stack of only 20 rice paper is firm, still fragrant with the smell of flour, mixed with the smell of sun, wind and dew. Just smelling it makes you want to run to the market to buy a piece of pork belly, add some herbs, mix a bowl of fish sauce with garlic and chili. Dipped in water, the Phu Yen rice paper is not sticky but soft, chewy, the more you chew, the more delicious it is. A large rice paper, broken into 5-7 parts, can be rolled up in 5-7 parts.

The first time I went to Tuy Hoa was more than ten years ago when a colleague at work invited me to visit my home. The 3-day trip was truly a " culinary tour" of the land of Nau (referring to the former Binh Dinh and Phu Yen regions). Because I was a local, my friend took me to all the quality restaurants. There were some very famous places that everyone had to visit. That was Tuyet Nhung chicken rice restaurant with its golden rice grains and the accompanying sauce that made me so fascinated that when I returned, I insisted on convincing the restaurant owner to sell me a bottle.

Because it was a unique recipe, the owner saw that the customers loved it so much that he gave it away, telling the restaurant over and over again that it wouldn't sell it. Or the banh beo chen shop at the foot of Nhan Tower, which startled me when the owner brought out a whole tray for each person, including 10 cups. The white, chewy and elastic dough was served with shredded pork, pork rinds, and of course, spicy fish sauce and chives fat. I also remember clearly, in the morning, walking right next to the bus station gate, eating banh can on the street for only a few thousand, I felt full. Walking around Tuy Hoa market was like getting lost in the world of snacks.

What I love most is sticky rice with all the colors of white, green, purple, yellow, and purple; between the layers of sticky rice is a layer of soft green beans, just thinking about it makes it melt in your mouth. Or, the pink cakes, just touching them with your hand, make you feel as cuddly as a baby's cheeks, a bite is soft, chewy, and sweet.

To fully appreciate the flavor of each dish, you have to eat the cuisine of the land of Nau. It is the love imbued with the sun, the sea breeze and the accent. I remember the first time I heard the locals pronounce the letter a as e, ê as ơ, it took me a while to figure it out. That dialect and the unique tone are also fascinating. I remember, one time I was craving chicken rice so much that I went to the branch in Ho Chi Minh City but still couldn't find the old flavor. Or there were times when my friend sent me a bag of sticky rice or pink cakes of all kinds, still at the familiar shop in Tuy Hoa market but the taste this time was very different. My friend said, to find the old flavor, you have to go to Tuy Hoa city to eat it to feel it.

How can I tell all the culinary specialties of the land of Nau because there are still ocean tuna eyes, chives noodle soup, monitor lizard sausage, grilled spring rolls, jackfruit sweet soup... Those are endless memories that sometimes when I crave them, even if I just look them up in my head, I still feel nostalgic. I tell myself that I will have to go back to the land of Nau to eat to satisfy my memories and cravings.

HAI DUY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/huong-vi-am-thuc-xu-nau-post808775.html