Unique "cu lao" - cooking utensils for the famous Cu Lao hotpot dish of the Western region
In the West, "cu lao" is not only a name for strip-shaped lands surrounded by rivers such as Thoi An islet, Thoi Son islet, An Binh islet... It is also the name of a special dish, cooked in a strange pot that looks like a candlestick, but larger, combined with a cylindrical aluminum basin with a hollow chimney in the middle to hold coal.
The island hotpot has become a symbol in the cuisine of the Southwest region, often appearing in important occasions such as weddings, death anniversaries and Tet holidays. Perhaps because the shape of the island pot resembles a piece of land emerging in the middle of the river, from which this strange name was born. This dish shows the creativity of the people, forming an unmistakable mark of indigenous culture.
The aluminum tube in the middle of the hot pot reminds people of the floating islands in the middle of the river in the West surrounded by water.
The round pot with a handle, with an empty aluminum tube in the middle, reminds us of the floating islands in the middle of the Western water. The heat from the charcoal in the aluminum tube will heat the broth in the pot without using a gas stove or alcohol stove on the bottom of the pot. Chefs say that the difference between the island hotpot and hotpots cooked in pots is not only in the recipe. The island hotpot is always a charcoal hotpot. And to cook it best, it must be cooked with mangrove charcoal. Because mangrove charcoal burns evenly, retains heat, retains heat for a long time, and has little ash and dust...
"At family parties, the women often gather in advance to plan the menu and assign cooking tasks. Each person chooses dishes according to their own preferences and talents, from lotus root chicken salad, rice vermicelli, roast pork to jelly dessert. And the hot pot is always given to those with cooking experience and good skills, because cooking this dish requires meticulousness and dexterity, not only delicious in taste but also beautiful in appearance, demonstrating the skill of the cook and the meticulous preparation of the host", Mai Huong (Soc Trang) shared.
Simple hot pot but contains the quintessence of the land and sky of the West.
Hot pot dishes usually do not require too many complicated steps in the preparation process. Instead of using many spices, this dish relies on broth steamed from marrow bones, combined with dried shrimp or squid and then cooked with natural cassava roots that have a sweet taste, making the broth clearer.
Depending on the region and the conditions of each family, the ingredients for the hot pot can change. Usually, the hot pot will have typical ingredients such as dried pork skin, boiled pork, heart, liver, chicken or duck gizzard, pig stomach, egg rolls, cabbage rolls and other meatballs. There is no side dish of vegetables like other hot pot dishes, instead, all the ingredients are arranged inside the hot pot, including cabbage, carrots and cauliflower carved into delicate flower shapes, along with cilantro for added aroma.
Delicious and attractive hot pot of Western cuisine.
Mai Huong said: "Whether the hotpot is eye-catching and colorful or not depends on the person who carefully trims the flowers and leaves to decorate. The trimmed flowers are soaked in ice water to keep them fresh and bloom beautifully."
People in the West often eat hotpot with vermicelli. Nowadays, many restaurants serving this dish will have additional vegetables and other hotpot ingredients if customers request them. Hotpot is not only a unique local dish, but also a symbol of the rich cuisine of the people in the West. This is an indispensable dish in important occasions, especially in weddings. In the old days of Southern people's parties, hotpot was often the representative dish, brought out after the appetizers, occupying the central position.
Before the hot pot is brought to the table to serve the diners, the hot pot is lit with hot coals that have caught fire in the aluminum tube in the middle of the stove. After placing the hot pot on the table, the waiter will pour the broth into the pot and cover it to ensure the dish boils quickly. At this time, the table is also decorated with fresh noodles and a bowl of spicy, salty fish sauce for diners to dip the ingredients in the hot pot.
Depending on the taste and conditions of the homeowner, the hot pot dish can be rich or not.
As a true Westerner, while watching the hot pot boil, Mai Huong explained: "When the hot pot boils, diners often pick up a piece of vermicelli in a bowl, then pour in the hot broth, inhaling the gentle aroma of onions and cilantro. Then, they will put other ingredients such as meat and sausages into the bowl and slowly enjoy. The soft vermicelli noodles blend with the hot, sweet broth, eaten with crispy fish cakes, soft and fragrant cabbage rolls, crispy and delicious chicken gizzards dipped in a bowl of spicy fish sauce, creating a combination of savory and unique flavors that diners from near and far will be fascinated by."
Nowadays, hot pot has many variations suitable for modern life. However, the sweet taste of the broth is still the thing that makes people remember the most when enjoying hot pot. Because it is like the character of Western people, honest, simple but also very generous.
