SOC TRANG'S VERMICELLI NOODLE SOUP
It is said that Soc Trang noodle soup is a dish of unity because it is a combination of the culinary quintessence of the Khmer - Kinh - Chinese people. Due to the coexistence of Khmer, Kinh, Hoa ethnic groups and the interference of culinary cultures, vermicelli noodles have become a common dish of all ethnic groups with the process of processing, taste, and enjoyment. are almost the same.
To make a complete and complete bowl of vermicelli soup, the necessary ingredients include fish sauce (fish sauce with spirit, fish sauce with a choke or beef sauce, etc., according to the tradition, "pro-hoc" sauce of the Khmer people), vermicelli, fresh coconut water, water, roasted pork (of the Chinese), snakehead fish (of the Kinh), ground shrimp or black tiger shrimp, fish sauce, sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, chili, vinegar, lemongrass, lemon, wormwood vermicelli (a tuber that resembles turmeric but has a slightly darker color than turmeric), basil, coriander, bean sprouts, shallots, bananas, water spinach or morning glory. Each individual dish is a specialty of each ethnic group, but it is harmoniously and delicately combined by Soc Trang people to create a very unique dish that every visitor must enjoy. every time I have the opportunity to pass through the land of Soc Trang.
The taste of noodle soup in Soc Trang is different from other places, because of the harmonious combination of ingredients and the way of processing of local people. The soul of this dish is soup - a soup made from a blend of fish sauce, lemongrass, and wormwood noodles. Accordingly, lemongrass and wormwood vermicelli will be added to remove the fishy smell to create a fragrance. The fish sauce is thawed in water, pounded lemongrass tubers are added, minced chili peppers for flavor, vermicelli noodles are used to remove the fishy smell of the fish sauce and seasoned with sugar and monosodium glutamate to taste. You can use Siamese coconut water, even add a little extra coconut milk to the broth to replace sugar. In some places, bones, pork ribs, white shrimp are simmered in water and skimmed to get the clear sweet broth. Then add more fish sauce by adding fish sauce to the sieve, turn in the water to let the fish dissolve into the water, and remove the fish body to make the broth clearer.
The vermicelli eaten together must also be vermicelli made from sticky rice, the best is seasonal rice, soaked overnight and then ground in a stone mortar into powder. The dough after grinding will be thoroughly kneaded until the dough is very flexible and can be grasped into lumps. The dough maker will put the dough into the vermicelli mold and perform the process of twisting the dough to form vermicelli. The noodles will fall into the boiling water and be cooked. The vermicelli maker will take the vermicelli out of the pot of water and put it in a pot of really clear water, make it warm, then make it into vermicelli and put it in a basket lined with banana leaves.
The accompanying vegetables for the "round" bowl of vermicelli soup must also be carefully prepared, the vegetables must be clean, fresh, and delicious when served. The usual accompanying vegetables include bean sprouts, chives, grated morning glory, grated banana, laksa leaves, cinnamon, ... with a little more herbs for a distinctive flavor.
As for the main ingredients to be served, there must be three main things: boiled snakehead fish, remove bones, and remove lean meat; Peeled boiled shrimp and chopped roasted pork. In order to make the best bowl of vermicelli soup, the snakehead fish is selected as the live snakehead fish, the shrimp must be ground shrimp, still fresh, and the roast pork must be the third part, the delicious kind. Currently, many noodle shops also add fried fish cakes to their side dishes.
In addition to the unique ingredients, the presentation of a bowl of vermicelli soup can also increase the appetite when eating. When making a bowl of vermicelli noodle soup, people will take a sufficient amount of vermicelli to put it in a racket, quickly pour it into a pot of boiling broth to make the vermicelli hot enough, then put it in a bowl and then scoop the broth into it. Next, we will put snakehead fish, roasted pork, shrimp, fish cakes, ... on top. Serve on the table with a plate of fresh green vegetables with all kinds of vegetables. Finally, add lemon, chili vinegar, and fish sauce (if not just eaten) and enjoy while still hot.
Many people tell each other that, if you come to Soc Trang without eating noodle soup, you have not come to Soc Trang. Particularly for Soc Trang people, no matter where they go, they cannot forget the taste of this noodle soup.
Currently, in Soc Trang province, there are many shops selling noodle soup on many roads. There are a number of shops that sell from early morning to late evening so that they can serve tourists from far away who want to enjoy this unique dish at any time.