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 an insect that lives in young bamboo trees, its body is similar to that of silkworms but smaller. This "specialty" is favored by many gourmet diners because of its delicious and nutritious properties.

When the bamboo shoots are old, the highlanders of Nghe An 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 "hunt" 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.

Once purchased, if long-term preservation is needed, the worms can be kept in a tightly sealed bamboo tube. This type of worm can be kept 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 shoot worms are popular because of their fatty aroma, very nutritious and clean.

Dao Tho