Cold snail noodle soup - a delicate gift of Hanoi people

Cold vermicelli with snails or vermicelli with snails is a dish that is closely associated with the lives of many Hanoians. Sometimes when traveling far away, they just want to rush home to have a bowl.

Hanoians love to eat vermicelli with snails, but slurping up steaming hot vermicelli with snails in the middle of a summer afternoon is too much. Perhaps that is why cold vermicelli with snails was born. When cold vermicelli with snails appeared in Hanoi or who came up with this dish, few people can answer. All we know is that for a long time, cold vermicelli with snails stalls on street corners and sidewalks have been deeply ingrained in the subconscious of Hanoians. Even people who work far away from home, when they return to Hanoi, the first thing they do is to find and enjoy a bowl of vermicelli with snails.

The cold vermicelli and snail stalls in the alleys and small lanes seem to be deeply imprinted in the subconscious of the ancient Hanoians.

Cold snail noodle soup is simple, plain but sophisticated like the way of life of the old Hanoians. This snack is simple in ingredients but sophisticated in the way of choosing and processing. Not all types of snails can be used to make cold snail noodle soup. Snails that are fishy and smelly when eaten cold are extremely difficult to eat. Snails must be the type that eats moss and moss that clings to the rocks so that the meat is not fishy and smelly, giving a crispy, fatty taste when enjoyed. Snails must be cleaned of dirt and slime, then steamed with vinegar distilled from Van village sticky rice to retain the sweetness and fat of the snails. The special and sophisticated thing about this rustic dish lies in the Van village vinegar, the fat, white snails and the small, white vermicelli noodles from Phu Do village.

When eating, pick up a piece of vermicelli and dip it in the cooled slightly sour broth, served with some raw vegetables or fresh chili slices, very delicious. The fatty and crispy snail pieces blend with the sour and spicy taste of the broth, the refreshing taste of vermicelli and raw vegetables, as if to dispel the hot summer heat of Hanoi.

The snail broth is contained in a ceramic jar and served with a wooden ladle. Photo: emdep

Nowadays, to enjoy cold vermicelli with snails, people can go to Ms. Xuan's vermicelli with snails shop in O Quan Chuong, or the vermicelli with snails stall at the beginning of Bui Thi Xuan intersection, or the famous vermicelli with snails stall of Ms. Giang on Luong Ngoc Quyen street. All the stalls are equally delicious. The price of each bowl is usually from 30,000 to 40,000 VND.

Cold vermicelli with snails at O ​​Quan Chuong has long been famous. The small and simple shop is always crowded with customers because of its delicious dipping sauce, crispy white snails, and is associated with the childhood of many generations who were born and raised in Hanoi's Old Quarter. The vermicelli with snails at the intersection of Bui Thi Xuan and Tran Nhan Tong, although only having a few chairs and a stall, attracts customers because of its fatty snails. Many people like to come here because of the meticulousness and uniformity of the owner when choosing bowls, jars, and ladles, which look very attractive and delicious. The vermicelli with snails at Luong Ngoc Quyen Street is lost in the middle of a bustling street with bars and pubs, giving people the feeling of reminiscing about the soul and sophistication of Hanoi's Old Quarter amidst the hustle and bustle of today.

According to VNE