Tradition

Located at 4 Phan Boi Chau Street, adjacent to Ben Thanh Market, the food stall was well known as the stomping ground of many foreign visitors, overseas Vietnamese and artists prior to the pandemic. Unlike other versions of crab noodle soup, or bun rieu , the dish here consists of a big chunk of fried tofu, congealed duck blood, a slice of tomato and its huge, signature crab meatball instead of the typically lumpy crab meat with small bite-size pieces on top. It would seem the cook aims to preserve all original flavors pertaining to this dish, allowing guests to enjoy the rich and soft tofu, chewy blood jelly and firm, tasty crab meatball and thin rice vermicelli. The dish is served with a plate of special fish sauce, chili, shrimp paste and tamarind dipping and a plate of fresh split morning glory, mung bean sprouts, thin strips of banana blossom, cilantro and basil leaves. A bowl of noodle soup at "Bun Rieu Ganh" in Saigon. Photo by VnExpress/Huynh Nhi. Mai … [Read more...] about Noodle soup with signature crab meatball in Saigon

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Bac Lieu (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu has adopted a wide range of measures to raise awareness and legal understanding among local fishermen about preventing and fighting illegal fishing . The provincial fisheries industry has witnessed strong development over recent years, contributing significantly to increasing incomes for fishermen. But legal violations in fishing activities remain common. According to Tran Xi Khuol, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Fisheries, fishing has been considered a key economic sector of Bac Lieu for many years. But problems linger, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, especially fishing without permits, a lack of safety equipment on fishing vessels, and fishing reports not being submitted in line with regulations. Though patrols have been carried out regularly, violations have not been handled thoroughly, Khuol said. The main cause of the situation is … [Read more...] about Bac Lieu working hard to fight illegal fishing

The Hanoitimes - Effective implementation of the OCOP program helps localities realize their potential in economic development and promote tourism, said a local official. To date, Hanoi has set up nine showrooms across the city to promote and sell products under the national’s One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, with a view to honoring prominent craft villages’ goods. The showrooms not only help bring high quality products to local customers, but also contribute to economic development in rural areas. Hanoi's leaders visit an OCOP showroom. Photo: Hoang Quyet. Under the instruction of the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the municipal Department of Industry and Trade has identified multiple locations to set up OCOP showrooms in Hanoi during the 2019 – 2020 period. In October, the Department in collaboration with Gia Lam district People’s Committee launched an OCOP showroom to boost sales of local products and promote … [Read more...] about OCOP program breathes life into Hanoi rural economy

The famous Kim Long Ginger Jam in Hue has a distinct, spicy flavor. The ginger can neither be too old (as the final product will then lack smooth texture), nor can it be too young, because it will not have its characteristic pungency. First, the ginger is peeled and sliced. Thin ginger slices are soaked in cold water with squeezed lemon juice for about 30 minutes in order to clean them, then mixed with sugar. The ginger is then cooked in sugar syrup on wood fires for about an hour until the slices become more firm and the sugar is neatly wrapped around each slice. To make this happen, the mixture has to be continuously stirred with chopsticks, so that it does not get burnt. The ginger jam is then placed on a tray where it is cooled. Here, the jam-maker uses thin bamboo sticks to separate the ginger slices as they can easily stick together when hot. What makes the Kim Long ginger jam special is that every step is done by hand, and it has no other ingredient except ginger and … [Read more...] about Ginger jam: A spicy-sweet delicacy of Hue city

The Mong in Ha Giang celebrate their Gau Tao spring festival from the 3rd to the 6th day of the lunar New Year to thank the Jade Emperor and other deities for blessing them with health, happiness, prosperity, and bumper crops. Couples who cannot get pregnant attend the festival to pray for having children. “In the past the Gau Tao festival was hosted by married people who couldn’t have children. If they subsequently had children, they would organize another ceremony to thank the Jade Emperor and other deities and invite all the villagers to come share their happiness, and pray for the happiness of all people,” says Vang Chan Giao, a Mong man in Thanh Van commune. One week ahead of the festival, people erect a Neu pole in the middle of the village. The Neu pole, a tall bamboo pole decorated with red paper, is believed to chase away evils. “First, we choose a person to host the festival. Second, we pick a bamboo tree which is about 7 m tall. We plant the Neu pole in an open space … [Read more...] about Gau Tao Festival of the Mong