The delicious specialties of Sa Nam...

(Baonghean)Visiting Nam Dan at this time of year is like being immersed in the sacred atmosphere of the May lotus season, listening to the melodious folk songs of the weaving guild and the deeply heartfelt boatman's songs of Nghe An province... And surely, no visitor from afar wouldn't want to linger to enjoy the delicious, authentic local dishes, leaving behind lasting memories even after departure...

Many pilgrims visiting Nam Dan, a place rich in historical sites and scenic spots, have said that what is truly precious and leaves a lasting impression and joy on them is the genuine warmth and open, simple cultural demeanor of the people in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown. Therefore, visitors always feel comfortable and at ease, as if they were in their own home.

Preparing Cau Don goat dish - a specialty of Nam Dan.

One of the most impressive and unforgettable things is the food prepared by the hands of the local people; such as the rice cake (bánh đúc) at Sa Nam market, located along National Highway 46 in Nam Dan town. Folk songs say: "Sa Nam, with its boats on the river and rice cakes in rows, is heavenly" or "Rice cakes with braised fish, selling the cow to pay off debts," which speaks volumes about how appealing the rice cakes at Sa Nam market are. The rice cakes at Sa Nam market are smooth, made from locally grown rice flour, and shaped into round, white molds that are instantly appealing. The rice flour is cooked, poured into the molds, and sprinkled with a few roasted peanuts or sesame seeds for a fragrant aroma. Sa Nam market rice cakes can be eaten with shrimp paste, dipped in garlic and chili fish sauce, or, for a more authentic taste, dipped in Nam Dan's specialty soy sauce – a treat that leaves you wanting more. It's a way to rediscover the flavors of the past. Nowadays, Sa Nam rice cakes are "transformed" and served with many other equally delicious dishes, such as beef stew, chicken stew, and Lam River clam dishes... Not only do visitors from all over the world fall in love with Sa Nam market's rice cakes when they come to Nam Dan, but even those from Nam Dan who have been away from home for a long time and have a comfortable life still feel happy when relatives from their hometown visit and bring a dozen rice cakes. Every year, in January, people from Nam Dan living in the South, the North, and even in the West never forget to go to Sa Nam market to buy rice cakes - a simple, rustic treat that carries with it the memories of the past years…

Beef sold at the old Sa Nam market was already famous. The beef here is mainly sourced from the Nam Nghia, Nam Hung, and Nam Thai areas (Nam Dan district). These cattle graze on grass on Dun Son mountain, sugarcane leaves, corn, and sweet potato vines along the banks of the Lam River, resulting in meat that is always fragrant, delicious, and sweet. The once bustling Sa Nam wharf now boasts famous beef noodle soup stalls, primarily known for their sweet bone broth, fragrant with pepper and onions, and subtly flavored with pure Cua Lo fish sauce. The meat is selected from cattle that are fattened weekly using the restaurant's own methods. The best cuts are chosen, sliced ​​thinly, and blanched in the broth using a secret recipe to ensure the meat is tender but not mushy, retaining its fresh sweetness while being perfectly cooked, and most importantly, still absorbing the flavors of the spices. A steaming, generous bowl of noodle soup is a treat that keeps customers coming back year-round, often until they sweat from the effort.

Besides Sa Nam beef noodle soup, other specialties like Nam Nghia tamarind and Cau Don goat have become famous brands. Nam Nghia tamarind can be used to make simple yet delicious dishes thanks to the local grass and soil used in its farming and preparation methods. For more elaborate dishes, Cau Don goat is a prime example. A group of poor people in the mountainous Nam Dan region along National Highway 15A have become prosperous by raising goats and opening restaurants specializing in goat dishes. These restaurants offer a wide variety of attractive goat dishes: grilled goat, stir-fried goat breast, raw goat soup, steamed goat with lemongrass, goat stir-fried with satay sauce, mixed stir-fried goat, goat testicles stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, steamed goat, goat salad, honey-marinated goat ribs grilled over charcoal, five-spice grilled goat ribs, grilled goat udder, roasted goat, goat and mung bean porridge... The preparation, for instance, of raw goat meat, is quite elaborate: the goat meat is sliced ​​and dipped in boiling water until rare, then sliced ​​thinly and evenly. Roasted sesame seeds are then crushed; Finely chop lime leaves, ginger, chili peppers, minced lemongrass, MSG, and lime juice, then add them to the sliced ​​goat meat and mix thoroughly by hand to create a delicious, nutritious, and refreshing raw goat meat dish! This dish is served with fig leaves, green bananas, starfruit leaves, and of course, the indispensable dipping sauce, the specialty soy sauce of Nam Dan.

Clams are also a bountiful gift from nature to Nam Dan, readily available year-round from the Lam River. They are best eaten in the summer, being both plump and delicious. Although small, the clam meat is very dense and white-green. When boiled, they emit a refreshing and alluring aroma. Once you taste Lam River clams, you'll never forget them. The broth from boiling Lam River clams is white and thick like milk; the clam meat stir-fried with shallots, seasoned with coriander and finely chopped fresh chili, is an unforgettable delicacy. To truly appreciate the taste of stir-fried clams here, you must do it in a rustic way – that is, using your hands to break off pieces of rice crackers and scoop the clams into your mouth without needing a spoon or bowl. In the summer, clams are used to make clam soup or clam porridge; in the winter, they are stir-fried or braised in a savory sauce to eat with rice. Nowadays, any market, large or small, in Nam Dan sells live or boiled clams, with the largest selection still found at Sa Nam market.

...All those delicious local specialties represent the affection and longing of those who have left and those who remain; contributing to this sentiment in Nam Dan is also the recognition from those who have enjoyed them from all over!

Thu Huong