Those who have loved the natural scenery of Ha Giang, and the hospitable people here are often fascinated with the popular rustic food of this land.
Ha Giang is a land of special attraction to many people who love exploring. Some people go to Ha Giang a few times a year just to see the land at different times in the year: beautiful, fascinating and endless charm.
In Hanoi food tasting tours, the new specialty restaurant of Ha Giang called “Dong Van stone plateau” was opened. The restaurant is not hard to find, small but quite clean and the food here has the flavor of the plateau as its name. It seems that the owner is quite determined to keep the pure savor of Ha Giang in their restaurant and their food, but not for the taste changed by plain people.
Banh cuon
Banh cuon is one of Hanoi traditional food, however, banh cuon in Ha Giang also has the unique taste, the taste of a rocky plateau. Banh cuon (rice noodle rolls) in Ha Giang is soft and tough, bowls of broth have the sweet of stewed bone. The way to eat banh cuon of Ha Giang people is different from that of Hanoians. They do not dip the rolls with fish sauce but eat with broth from the stewed bone. The spices adding into the broth is dependent on the consumers’ taste. Rolls are cut out, directly put into the bowl of broth. Normally, a bowl of broth has also a piece of spring roll. Most of the people who come to the restaurant have known this dish, they are very fond of this dish that they “just like eating on Ha Giang”.
In addition to ordinary rolls, the restaurant also has egg rolls that are very soft and aromatic. Flour is stirred with a little bit of bone broth, eggs are steamed up, soft sweet. Kids love this kind of banh cuon.
Au tau porridge
Especially, tourists of food walking tour can hardly ignore Au Tau porridge. Even in Ha Giang, there are not many shops selling this type of porridge. Porridge is cooked with Au Tau, light brown colour, slightly bitter at first but sweet gradually. Many people who love the bitter taste so much that whenever going to Ha Giang they also have to find this food. Au Tau is difficult to be process, only people who know how to make it dare cook it. When processed properly, this is the kind of “remedy” to treat the problems of the tendons, relieve muscle pain, recovery vitality. Ha Giang people almost like this porridge.
The way to cook porridge is very meticulous. Au tau after thoroughly soaked in rice water for one night is stewed for 4 hours. Glutinous rice mixed with ordinary rice is cooked in broth from stewed bones and pork leg. This porridge is often added a little chopped lean meat and a little bit species. Porridge, when eaten, is bitter so many people called it bitter porridge. The ingredients are very simple but when they are processed by the hand of the people here, they have become unique and delicious food.
In the cold winter night, sitting in the cozy space of the restaurant and enjoying the au tau porridge is a delight for those who love to discover new things. Enjoy a bowl of porridge with all the flavors of taste such as the bitter taste of au tau, the spicy of pepper, the fragrance of onion and perilla has brought customers the unforgettable emotions.