1Hue’s rainy season bronze specialty
Field frogs are considered a rural specialty in the rainy season of Hue people because when it rains, frogs will jump onto the shore and move to high places to make loud noises. The people of Hue have given the copper frog an extremely familiar name, the flying arrow, because its body when mature is only as small as a thumb, and on its forehead there is an arrow-shaped streak of green skin.
The field frog is a species that lives in fields, reproduces and thrives in the spring. Because imitation meat is delicious, nutritious and can be processed into many unique dishes. We can mention a few outstanding Hue delicacies made from copper imitations such as: imitation porridge, crispy fried imitations, imitation rolls… Delicious, juicy pieces of imitation meat, crispy imitation bones that melt right in the eater’s mouth.
Every afternoon, when the vast fields are plunged into darkness and the whole space sings a melodious, melancholy harmony, it is also the time when farmers prepare to hunt for frogs every night.
With a “specialized” lamp worn on the forehead, a long-handled skewer in the hand, and a oi (basket) woven from bamboo worn on the side to remove frogs. People often look for frogs at night because at this time they will jump out of their burrows to pair up and find prey. Copperheads often react very slowly when light shines on them. The person looking for frogs only needs to hear the sound, accurately determine the prey’s location, then turn on the flashlight and quickly capture the frog, which still has its mouth wide open. Just like that, they were busy “hunting frogs” in the fields until late at night before returning home and the result was a basket of plump, smooth frogs. People only need a few hours to catch a few dozen fish.
Crispy fried rice noodles served with chili sauce or fish sauce are very delicious
After being caught, the field frogs will be washed and slaughtered to avoid the fishy smell. Making imitation meat also requires a lot of experience so it is not for anyone who is doing it for the first time. People often use bamboo leaves or ash close to the stem of the imitation so that the imitation will lie still and be easier to slaughter and at the same time remove the slime. Then use a knife to gently peel off the skin, cut open the abdomen, remove all parts, leaving only the thighs and body. Large frogs can take the intestines.
2Delicious dishes from copper imitation
There are many delicious dishes made from frogs, but one of the most delicious dishes is crispy fried copper frogs. Hue people often use a humorous name: “fake wearing a life jacket” to call this dish. With this dish, Hue people will marinate the imitation meat with salt, pepper, onions, garlic, and chili to absorb the spices, then roll it through a layer of fried flour to create a crispy crust on the outside. The way to fry the frogs is quite simple, just put the marinated frogs in a pan of hot oil with a little butter and mix well until the dough is golden and fragrant and you can enjoy it.
For the best fried imitation, Vietnamtravelio recommends that you eat it while it’s still hot. Crispy crust, dipped in chili sauce or spicy chili sauce from Hue, is sure to cost a lot of rice. In addition to being used as a common dish, deep-fried copper imitation is also an indispensable Hue specialty on the drinking tables of the ancient capital. There’s nothing better than taking a bite of copper imitation and adding a sip of white sticky rice wine.
It is also used for spicy stir-fry and eaten with hot rice
See more: Stir-fried tail knob with turmeric and fish with bamboo shoots – Hue specialties in the rainy season
If you are a gourmet, you certainly cannot miss the famous delicious imitation porridge. For a good pot of imitation porridge, the rice used to cook the porridge must be lightly roasted so that when cooked, the porridge will not be sticky. While waiting for the porridge to cook, put the pan on the stove, add oil, garlic, and onions, then add the marinated meat and stir-fry. As soon as the porridge is cooked, pour out all the meat, mix well, wait until the porridge boils, then put down.
To enjoy the porridge, you just need to scoop it into each bowl, add chopped green onions, sprinkle a little pepper, and spicy chili sauce before eating to get a spicy feeling. The imitation copper porridge dish must be eaten hot and the correct way to eat it is to sandwich it with grilled rice paper for a truly “standard” taste.
Imitation meat after marinating with spices
A bowl of hot imitation porridge, squeeze a little lemon and add a little chili sauce for the perfect Hue taste
After the frog has been processed, the chef will mince the meat, add a few purple onions and ground pepper. Mince the meat until the meat and bones blend into one and become smooth, then add spices such as salt, cooking oil and then pour in the imitation meat mixture. The simplest step is to roll the imitation meat into bite-sized round pieces, put an oil pan on the stove and fry.
Fried fried pork patties will taste better when eaten with Hue’s standard sweet and sour fish sauce. The way to prepare sweet and sour dipping sauce is also quite sophisticated and delicate: Crush a fresh chili with a few cloves of garlic, squeeze a little lemon into the garlic and chili mixture, add a little sugar, MSG and delicious fish sauce. The finished product is a delicious dipping sauce with a rich and attractive sweet and sour taste.
In addition, when eating fake rolls, Hue people also eat them with fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs. Looking at the plate of fake spring rolls, it looks very eye-catching with the green color of cucumbers, herbs, the brown color of fried rolls, and the red color of tomatoes and chili peppers. Enjoying the fake patties, you will feel the very characteristic sweet taste of fake meat mixed with the warm and spicy flavor of garlic and chili, which is extremely special.
Not only suitable for cozy family reunion meals, but also suitable for luxurious parties in restaurants because of its special deliciousness. This is a rural, wild product that is only hunted seasonally in small quantities, so it is quite rare and the price is quite high. If you have the opportunity to come to Hue in the spring, you can visit specialty restaurants to enjoy imitation pork rolls, which will certainly be an unforgettable experience.
Crispy and chewy imitation pork rolls are not boring to eat because they have tomatoes and cucumbers
Perhaps among the dishes made from imitation meat, this is the delicious dish that few people know about and also has the most complicated way to prepare it. Whether this dish is delicious or not depends a lot on the processing stage, especially following a certain process. To make fake pork patties rolled in lolot leaves, the processor only takes the thighs and meat, then washes them with clean water and takes them out into a basket to drain.
Additions for this dish include garlic, onions, pepper, chili, lime leaves, chives, lemongrass, fish sauce, salt, and MSG mixed well. Next, people put the cloves on a chopping board and chop them as small as possible, then mix well with the spices mentioned above and leave for about 20 minutes to infuse. Rice vermicelli fibers are also soaked in water until soft and then cut into pieces.
The lolot leaves used to make rolls must also be large, roll the minced imitation meat with a few vermicelli strands and then gently place each piece on a pan of boiling fat. When frying, skillful people will know how to adjust the low heat so that the imitation meat cooks slowly and the lolot leaves turn yellow-black rather than burning.
After being reheated, the dish still retains the green color of the lolot leaves, the aroma of spices blends with the typical sweetness of the imitation meat.
Maybe you have enjoyed many delicious dishes made from copper imitation meat, but enjoying the meticulously prepared copper imitation meat in Hue will only make you fully understand the favors of nature with the people here. Dong Nai is not only a famous specialty but also a childhood memory of many generations of Hue people. If you have the opportunity to explore Hue, don’t forget to enjoy this dish in your itinerary to explore Hue.
