Hunting for 'magic charms' to bring to the dining table in Western Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - Every October, people in the highlands of Nghe An begin to go into the forest to 'hunt' for bamboo worms. This is a species of insect that lives in young bamboo trees, with a body similar to that of silkworms but smaller. This "specialty" is favored by many gourmet diners because of its delicious, nutritious properties.

When the bamboo shoots are old, the people of Nghe An highlands go into the forest to find and catch worms living in them for food.

In fact, catching this type of worm is not easy, only experienced and sharp-eyed people can detect it. People who go 'hunting' for worms in Tay Son commune (Ky Son) "revealed" that looking at bamboo shoots with many short segments, they can guess that there are worms inside.

When people discover that a tree has worms, they cut down the bamboo shoots. However, the amount of worms depends on "luck".

According to folk legend, this bamboo shoot worm is also called 'worm', and in the past people used it as a charm to make others obey them. In the photo are worms wriggling in an old bamboo shoot.

This "magic" specialty is sold a lot by highlanders in Muong Xen town (Ky Son).

The price from the beginning of the season until now is 250 thousand/kg. According to traders, they buy a large amount of bamboo worms every day but still cannot supply enough for consumers.

After purchasing, if you need to preserve it for a long time, you can put the worms in a tightly sealed bamboo tube. This type of worm can be left like that for dozens of days without any effects.

When cooking, just dip deeply in hot boiling water and then stir-fry quickly for 1-2 minutes.

Add a little lemon leaves or turmeric leaves to make the dish more attractive. Bamboo worms are popular because of their fatty aroma, very nutritious and clean.

Dao Tho