(Baonghean.vn) - During Tet, while being "fed up" with high-class dishes, people in the highlands also seek out foods of plant origin, including rock moss.
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Moss usually grows in clear, unpolluted streams and is a favorite ingredient for Thai people in many areas to make moss dishes. In the photo, people from Xop Nam village (Tam Hop - Tuong Duong) are picking moss in the cold water on the last day of the year. |
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This “stream vegetable” looks simple but in the hands of Thai housewives it becomes a delicious dish. In Thai, this dish is pronounced similar to chicken. Many people think that moss is as delicious as stewed chicken. |
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It is believed that in any stream with lots of moss there will be cool fish, the best product of the forest area. Rock moss is also the main food of cool fish. |
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Far from Tam Hop, there are two streams, Cha Lap and Khe Cat, both of which have a lot of moss on the rocks. In the photo, Ms. Luong Thi Thuy and her niece are picking moss under Khe Cat stream. |
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Although it is a delicious dish, processing rock moss is quite a big job. The moss must be picked to remove all stones and other rubbish. |
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Then pound in a mortar and pestle to soften the moss. |
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The next step is to bring it down to the stream to wash it again. |
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Before cooking, the moss is chopped and mixed with spices such as onions, lemongrass, and broken rice. Of course, the mac khen seeds (wild pepper) are indispensable. |
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Making moss dishes often takes up to half a day. However, in return, moss dishes are delicious, suitable for the taste of many diners in the lowlands. In the photo, a tourist is participating in the experience of making moss dishes in Xop Nam village. |
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The product of this elaborate work looks quite simple, like a delicious, unique dish during Tet. It helps to make Tet meals more diverse and easier to absorb. Especially, diners will immediately forget the feeling of being "bored" with fatty meat during Tet. |
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Moss also appears in Thai family meals and from autumn to spring is the time when streams grow a lot of moss. |
Huu Vi - Dao Tho