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Hanoians have always loved eating snail noodle soup, but slurping up a steaming hot bowl in the midday heat of summer is too much trouble. Perhaps that's why cold snail noodle soup was born. It's difficult to say exactly when cold snail noodle soup first appeared in Hanoi or who invented it. All we know is that for a long time, the stalls selling cold snail noodle soup on street corners and sidewalks have been deeply ingrained in the memories of Hanoians. Even those who have left their hometowns to work elsewhere, upon returning to Hanoi, first seek out and enjoy a simple bowl of snail noodle soup with dipping sauce.
Cold snail noodle soup is simple and unpretentious, yet refined, just like the way of life of the people of Hanoi in the past. This snack is simple in ingredients but sophisticated in preparation and enjoyment. Not just any snail can be used to make cold snail noodle soup. The snails must be those that feed on algae clinging to rocks; only then will the meat not be fishy and will have a crispy, rich flavor when eaten.
The snails, once purchased, must be thoroughly cleaned of slime and dirt before being steamed with fermented rice vinegar to preserve their sweetness. The exquisite flavor of this rustic dish lies in the fermented rice vinegar made from the glutinous rice of Van village, the plump, white snails, and the fine, white rice noodles from Phu Do village.
The unique feature of this dish is its sweet and refreshing snail broth, with the fragrant aroma of ginger, but especially the subtle sourness of fermented vinegar. Tomatoes should absolutely not be added to the broth as it would spoil the flavor. A rather special detail is that the broth for cold snail noodle soup is not made from simmering bones to sweeten it, but only from a few sea worms. Each vendor has their own secret family recipe for the broth to keep customers coming back.
When eating, pick up a handful of vermicelli and dip it into the lightly sour, cooled broth, accompanied by some fresh vegetables or a slice of chili. The succulent, crunchy snails blend perfectly with the sour and spicy broth, the refreshing vermicelli, and the fresh vegetables. All of this seems to dispel the oppressive heat of Hanoi's summer.
Cold snail noodle soup isn't meant to be eaten to fill you up, nor is it a choice to satisfy hunger. Each serving consists of just a few noodles and a small bowl of broth—that's all it takes to leave you longing for more. Each season brings its own delicacies; Hanoi's cuisine, already diverse, is even richer than many other places because of the clear seasonal nature of its dishes.
Nowadays, to enjoy cold snail noodle soup, one can visit Co Xuan's snail noodle shop in O Quan Chuong, or the snail noodle stall at the intersection of Bui Thi Xuan and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets, or the famous Co Giang snail noodle stall on Luong Ngoc Quyen street. All the stalls are equally delicious. The price per bowl usually ranges from 30,000 to 40,000 VND.
In his book "Delicious Dishes of Hanoi," writer Vu Bang once wrote about snail noodle soup: "It is a dish that reaches the pinnacle of culinary art for the people of Hanoi." On a sweltering afternoon, treat yourself to a few moments of slow living with a bowl of cold snail noodle soup in Hanoi. This simple, rustic dish has left a lasting impression on generations of Hanoians with its unique and exquisite culinary artistry.
