Deeply rooted in Khmer cuisine, with the same snakehead fish as the fish noodle soup of the Southern region, Chau Doc people have their own secrets in choosing ingredients and skillfully processing, making this dish have a different delicious taste. Cleaned snakehead fish is boiled, cut into bite-sized pieces, then marinated with spices and stir-fried with turmeric, creating a beautiful bright yellow color on each piece of fish, both removing the fishy smell and keeping the sweetness of the fresh fish.
The rich and distinctive flavor of the broth comes from the combination of the fish broth and pork bones, spices such as lemongrass, turmeric, and the unique local fish sauce and shrimp paste. But perhaps the spice that creates the soul of Chau Doc fish noodle soup is the noodle worm - a root smaller than turmeric and only found in the West. The noodle worm has a strong and slightly pungent flavor like the flavor of the countryside. All of these are added in moderation to create an irresistible color and aroma for the broth.
Chau Doc fish noodle soup served with crispy roasted pork and fresh salad
Fish noodle soup is popular in Chau Doc, but a local told us about a delicious restaurant on the sidewalk at the foot of Con Tien bridge, where you can eat while looking out at the windy Chau Doc river. Every morning, diners sit on the sidewalk, the seller quickly picks each noodle, blanches it, and puts raw vegetables including fish mint, bean sprouts, water mimosa, and thinly sliced banana blossom at the bottom of the bowl. On top of the white noodles are several pieces of golden fish, large pieces of roasted pork, and maybe a few pieces of smooth ham, slowly adding the broth, steaming up.
Next to the full and hot bowl of noodles is a bowl of fish sauce with chili, or delicious chili salt. The bowl of noodles has all the flavors of the river region, from the taste of fresh fish to the crispy roasted meat and delicious wild vegetables, making you want to eat more even when you are full. If it is the flood season, diners will eat noodles with wild flowers, and only then can you truly experience the soul of Western cuisine.
Chau Doc is famous as the “fish sauce kingdom” with delicious fish sauces that are famous throughout the Southern region. But if you have the opportunity to visit this border city of An Giang, don’t forget to enjoy the rare and original fish noodle soup.
