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Along with the rich culinary culture of the ethnic groups in Ha Giang, corn pho, with its eye-catching appearance and delicious flavor, has truly captured the hearts of many tourists visiting the Ha Giang Stone Plateau.
Corn is the staple food of the Mong ethnic group in the rocky plateau of Ha Giang. Using corn as an ingredient, the local people have prepared many different dishes such as corn rice, corn sticky rice, and corn pho.
The creativity of the people of the rocky plateau.
Corn pho is a fusion of the distinctive culinary traditions of the Mong ethnic group and pho broth, a dish considered the national treasure of Vietnam. The combination of lowland pho cooking methods with ingredients from the rocky highlands helped Ha Giang corn pho make it onto the list of 121 typical Vietnamese dishes in 2022. In the list selected by VCCA, Ha Giang also has two other dishes: Bong fish and Au Tau porridge.
Unique new dishes attract tourists when visiting Ha Giang.
Corn pho uses local ingredients combined with a broth recipe from the lowlands, but with some modifications to create a harmonious blend. Corn in the rocky highlands of Ha Giang is grown entirely in rocky crevices, thriving in harsh climatic conditions, which is why the corn here has a rich flavor and distinctive aroma. The corn flavor in each noodle strand blends with the flavors of the Northwest mountains, creating a unique and memorable pho experience for visitors.
The golden-yellow rice noodles, made from corn kernels, are served with pho broth, creating a unique and distinctive dish of the Ha Giang highlands.
The rice noodles, after being steamed, have an attractive deep yellow color.
Making corn pho is a very complex process. The corn must be selected carefully, choosing small, short cobs that are rich in starch and have a pleasant, sweet aroma. To create the golden-yellow pho noodles, the corn kernels are separated from the cob, dried, coarsely ground, washed, and soaked for at least 8 hours to allow them to swell and easily grind into flour, then mixed with water. To make the finished pho noodles, the cook uses a ladle to pour the batter onto a steamer, then waits 2-3 minutes until the batter is evenly cooked before removing them.
Corn noodles are hand-made like traditional rice noodles, but corn has less binding properties than rice, so it requires more skill. When cooked, the noodles turn a deep yellow color.
Cut the rice noodles into bite-sized pieces.
Once the rice noodles have cooled, they are folded into rectangular pieces and then sliced into thin strips, ensuring the noodles don't break or crumble. The "soul" of pho lies in its broth. The broth is simmered with beef for many hours, along with a few vegetables from the rocky highlands, and flavored with cinnamon and star anise. This unique blend creates a memorable taste experience for diners, a truly special dish.
Currently, Ha Giang does not have any official establishments selling corn pho. Visitors can enjoy free corn pho for breakfast at resorts in Trang Kim village, famous for its handmade pho in Dong Ha commune, Quan Ba district.
Rich in the flavors of the rocky plateau
Corn pho brings a new color and flavor to the collection of Vietnamese pho. Making corn pho also helps increase the value of corn, contributing to increased income for people in mountainous areas.
