In the spring, if you are tired of meat, fish, spring rolls, then you should try the simple yet unique dish of the mountain people. The impression of this unique dish is the sweet taste of the broth, fresh noodles, the spiciness of crushed chili salt and the sweetness of the water used to boil fresh noodles. This rustic, elegant dish warms the heart, very suitable for cold early mornings.
 |
| Kon Tum noodle soup |
Bun nuoc - simple as its name, it does not have the fragrant and attractive taste of Hanoi Bun cha, is not a big, fatty bowl like Hue Bun bo, nor does it have the rich appearance of Southern Bun mam. Kon Tum Bun nuoc originated from Binh Dinh Bun tom, perhaps in the process of reclaiming the land of the Northern Central Highlands, the people of the land of martial arts brought their unique dish, but it was modified to suit the taste and source of ingredients in the mountain town. Many people who eat it for the first time do not enjoy this noodle dish because the broth is made from the water used to boil the noodles, has a slightly flat taste, not as sweet and fatty as the broth of Bun gio, Bun bo, Bun rieu, ... But that creates a very unique flavor, the light sweetness creates a simple, gentle look, a "hidden charm" of Bun nuoc that makes many people "befriend" it without realizing it. Kon Tum vermicelli soup has a very unique appearance, attracting diners with its uniqueness, the sweet taste in each fresh vermicelli strand, from the light, clear broth, from a little shrimp, a little minced meat, seasoned just right. Especially when you come back from a long journey or when you feel tired and have difficulty eating, a bowl of light vermicelli soup will make you feel better, adding a little perilla to relieve a cold.
The first special thing that diners can recognize is that the vermicelli soup uses fresh vermicelli, just out of the oven and still hot, not the mass-produced vermicelli, bought ready-made. Recently, information about vermicelli soaked in chemicals to make it white, chewy and stored for a long time has flooded the market, causing many people to worry. When enjoying vermicelli soup, you will witness the vermicelli making process as soon as you enter the restaurant, so you can be more assured of the quality of your breakfast. The seller must choose good rice, soak it for a certain amount of time so that the rice is soft enough, when ground into flour, it is both white and smooth. Each noodle shop has its own noodle making machine, the owner will start pouring in the rice flour after the goods are set out, the flour is pressed into noodles, dropped into the pot of boiling water below, waiting for the rice noodles to change from opaque white to clear white, then it is cooked. They use a sieve to scoop the noodles, shake them briefly in cold water, the noodles are very small, soft and clear, still retaining their fresh flavor.
Noodle soup cannot lack some crushed shrimp, it must be fresh shrimp, still crackling to create a natural, attractive sweetness. Clean the shrimp, cut off the head and tail, marinate with spices and a little shallot, add a few eggs to the mixture, then put in a stone mortar and grind until the shrimp meat is smooth like flour, chewy. The taste of the noodle soup is light and sweet, slightly flat, not the rich sweetness of the marrow bone or fish meat. When a customer arrives, the bowl of noodles is prepared very quickly, scoop a spoonful of crushed shrimp into the bowl, arrange a few peeled shrimp, add a few slices of minced beef, then scoop the boiling noodle broth into the bowl, stir well, sprinkle a few sprigs of green onions, fresh bean sprouts, a little pepper powder. The owner skillfully arranges a plate of fresh, hot mud, and brings it out with the bowl of soup. When eating, depending on the taste of the customer, squeeze fresh lemon, add salt and chili for flavor, add a few purple perilla leaves, then pick up the noodles and dip them in to eat. Looking at the steaming bowl of vermicelli soup, one absolutely cannot see the rich, fatty yellow of the broth but only the opaque white color with light green onion. A delicious bowl of vermicelli soup has the sweet taste of minced fresh shrimp, hot fresh vermicelli, the characteristic aroma of perilla leaves, the spicy taste of green chili, the sour taste of lemon, all creating a very unique flavor. Enjoy each strand of fresh vermicelli, chewy, soft, still sweet from the rice, along with each piece of delicious peeled shrimp. I think there is no other type of vermicelli that can guarantee the purity and freshness like Kon Tum vermicelli soup.
The best way to eat Kon Tum noodle soup is in the early morning when the weather is still cold, the fog covers the new streets, sitting and waiting for the seller to make fresh noodles, then exclaiming because of the spiciness to feel the unique deliciousness. Many people do not like it the first time they eat it, but after eating it a few times, they are addicted without realizing it. Addicted to the light milky white color of the noodle soup, to the fragrant smell of onions and also addicted to the pleasure of sitting and watching the seller make fresh noodles right in front of you./.