The Red River Delta province of Thai Binh is home to many traditional specialities such as the popular dish bún bung hoa chuối (rice vermicelli soup with pork ribs and banana flowers) that is a favourite of locals and visitors. Thai Binh native Nguyen Thi Ut, 64, who has been selling the dish for 30 years, said different from other bun bung soup in the north with main ingredients such as doc mung (Indian taro), the dish in Thai Binh has hoa chuoi ( banana flowers ) that have made it beloved. Bun bung hoa chuoi (rice vermicelli soup with pork ribs and banana flowers), a traditional dish that has been existed in Thai Binh Province for a hundred of years. — Photo zingnews.vn Ut said the main ingredients of bun bung hoa chuoi include rice vermicelli, pig’s trotters, pig ribs or marrowbone, la lot (wild betel leaf), minced pork and banana flowers. The minced pork is soaked with fish sauce, onions and several spices before being wrapped in the la lot and boiled in the broth pot for a while then taken out to be eaten with the soup. “To have a good broth pot, I have to simmer the pig’s ribs or its marrowbone for almost two hours while boiling the pig’s trotters for half an hour to ensure the meat is soft but still crispy,” said Ut. Many people in and out of Thai Binh become addict of the bun bung hoa chuoi dish. — Photo zingnews.vn The banana flowers should be cut into pieces and soaked in rice water for about 20 minutes to reduce the resin and tartness before being put in the broth pot to boil for 10 minutes, she said, adding that she has her own secrets to ensure the broth remains pure but still sweet and fragrant. Ut said she often sells between 25-30kg of rice vermicelli a day. Banana flowers are cut into pieces and soak in water for 20 minutes before cooking. — Photo giadinh.net.vn Eater Ha Van Mung and his wife have been Ut’s regular customers for years. They said they are addicted to Ut’s bún bung hoa chuối as …
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