Nam Dan Soy Sauce Specialty

(Baonghean) -Since ancient times, there has been a saying: "Thanh Chuong pickled mustard greens, Nam Dan soy sauce". Even though Nghe An people live far away, they always remember their homeland, remember the rich flavor of soy sauce distilled from beans on the beloved land of Nam Dan.

To get that unforgettable taste, the people who make soy sauce in Nam Dan must be very diligent and careful throughout the processing. Right from the initial stage, the raw soybeans must be round and plump. If there are any damaged or moldy beans left, the finished product will have a foul smell after a while. The beans are thoroughly kneaded, roasted until fragrant, crushed and cooked for 9-10 hours. The sticky rice is kneaded and soaked in clean water for 4-5 hours so that when it rises, it will be sticky and fermented for 7 days, then dried and ground to produce a sweet, fragrant mold. The salted ingredients are dried, carefully picked and mixed with the original water and mold. The water source for cooking must be clean, preferably filtered rainwater. During 1 month, to have a delicious, sweet and fragrant jar of soy sauce, the soy sauce must be regularly dried in the sun, stirred every morning, avoiding dirty objects or any other substances that will affect the taste and color of the product. The process of making Nam Dan soy sauce requires purity of ingredients, carefulness in the processing and especially if additives or any other substances are added, after a short time the soy sauce will have an unusual taste and color.

Nam Dan soy sauce has been known to many people not only through idioms but also has been present in every family every day. Every time visiting Uncle Ho's hometown, people almost never forget to buy this specialty as a gift for their relatives. It is not only a product for cuisine but also carries the taste of a countryside, conveying in it a rustic and warm love.

Pham Thi Thu Hien