In Danang, the largest snails are found in Nghe Pond in An Ngai Tay 2, Hoa Son Commune of Hoa Vang District. Some may think that small or large size does not decide the flavour of snails.
However, Nghe Pond snails are an exceptional case. For ages, Nam O sauce, Nghe Pond anabas and Phu Thuong parfait have been well-known. Especially, Nghe Pond anabas is considered one of the three specialties of the city's northwest area. The Nghe Pond snails, with their large size and original flavour, are one of the most delicious dishes of Danang. Nghe pond was a 75 ha swamp full of weeds. In 1962, Mr. Huong Thuong planted lotus in the pond.
To improve the pond for production, he built a bank 1.5m wide and 1km long to divide it into two separate parts in An Ngai Tay and Van Duong hamlets, and grew rice. By 1974, the pond was covered with lotus. Until National Independence Day, aquaculture and the exploitation of aqua products in the pond were developed with many kinds of fish.
In recent years, Hoa Son has been known for its specialty, namely "ca can" (small-sized fish living in Nghe pond) cooked with saffron leaves. In dry seasons, Nghe Pond is used for planting rice and in wet seasons it is used for growing lotus or breeding fish. Every morning, at around 4a.m, when the snails emerge, people living around the pond call each other to catch them. The price of one kilo of snails fluctuates from 20,000 to 30,000.
Snails in October and November are not good for eating because this is their reproduction season. The best time to eat snails is January and February.In spite of looking rather normal, when being cooked snails taste very good. The most popular dish is snails cooked with spice and lemon leaves. Sometimes, after being cleaned, the snails are fed with milk before cooking. When taking the flesh out of the shell, diners can see white spirals on the black snail meat.
Hue people cook snails with lemon leaves in a different way. The snails are cooked; their flesh is taken out and wrapped in a lemon leave to each snail shell. The sauce for cooked snails is made from ground chili and garlic, lemon and spices.Central region people often cook snail soup; snails with citronella, chili and saffron; or snails with fresh banana and saffron. Cooked and boiled snail dishes are served with fresh banana, carambola (or star fruit) and vegetables.
Rice wine is often drunk while eating snails. Snails living and growing in a natural environment and home-made rice wine combine to make a simple but popular dish.Not as colourful as conch, not generating sound like horn snails and not having the perfume of sweet snails, Nghe Pond snails have lived from generation to generation in the water rice culture. But rice fields have become narrower and ponds dryer. Once, when sipping with friends, I was surprised to hear that snails and kinds of food made from snails will become rare. As a result, it will be rather difficult to explain folksongs about snails to the young folk.
Source: danang.gov.vn
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