A Brief Introduction of The Chicken congee (Cháo Gà)

Chicken congee (Cháo Gà) is a flavorful dish that combines aroma of rice, sapidness of chicken, spiciness of onions, ginger and pepper. In cold days, enjoying a bowl of chicken congee is such a great thing

Chicken congee is a flavorful dish that combines aroma of rice, sapidness of chicken, spiciness of onions, ginger and pepper. In cold days, enjoying a bowl of chicken congee is such a great thing.

Chicken congee (Cháo Gà) is often cooked with mung beans. Walking-chicken is normally selected as one of the main ingredients thanks to its tender and flavorful meat. Chicken is washed carefully, and leave to drain. We boil the chicken in water with an appropriate amount of salt. When the chicken is cooked, let it cool down in some minutes then debone and shred the meat into fibers. We prepare bone-broth by simmering the thighs bones at a low heat. Rice and whole-skin mung beans are rinsed, pour into a pot with chicken broth, and thoroughly simmered until it is all soft and smooth. Congee is ladled into bowls with shredded chicken and chopped spring onions sprinkled on the top. This stunning dish is served hot with a little pepper and some cut fried breadsticks.

A hot bowl of chicken congee presents sufficient nutrition and wonderful taste.

A Brief Introduction of The Mussel congee (Cháo Trai)

Mussel congee (Cháo Trai) is rustic, inexpensive yet very healthy and nutritious. Mussel congee is considered as a traditional dish of the Hanoian, a nutritious food for all classes in society, from the old to the young, from labourers to intellectuals. Mussel porridge is prefered not only because of its wonderful taste but also its medicinal effect.

The main ingredient that makes this dish is mussels, living naturally in the field. Mussels used in processing should be fresh and carefully selected. Mussels are thoroughly soaked, washed and boiled in water. Mussel broth is kept to cook congee. Mussel meat is picked out of the shells, chopped, and stir-fried with dried shallots, pepper and chilli powder. The cook must be skillful to keep the meat lightly savoury, greasy and tender. Mussel broth is used to cook congee so that pleasant smell of the mussel and rice will be harmoniously combined. Steaming hot mussel congee is ladled into bowls, mixed with some chopped Vietnamese coriander, sprinkled a little pepper, chilli powder, and served with some fried breaksticks.

Mussel congee (Cháo Trai) is so simple, rustic and idyllic that it becomes preferable for almost all ages. The charm of mussel congee lies in the harmony of flavors: sapidness of congee, imbuement of mussels, spiciness of pepper, chilli powder and exceptional aroma of Vietnamese coriander.

A Brief Introduction of The Eel congee (Cháo Lươn)

Many delicious dishes such as stir-fried eel with chilli and lemongrass, braised eel with green banana, eel hot pot; however, the most stunning one is eel congee or eel cellophane noodle soup – a familiar dish with the rural area.

To cook Eel congee (Cháo Lươn) perfectly, we choose non-nourished eels (living in natural environment), having two yellow strips along the belly and one black along the back. We wash eels in water, then apply salt on the body of the eels until it is no longer viscous. Wash again under cold water before opening the eels to remove all bowels. After that, we poach them, then let cool down. To separate meat from bones, we use tip of fingers, scraping along the body. We season eel meat with salt and pepper, let it infuse and then stir-fry with fried shallot. Head and bone of the eels are chopped, put into a pot and thoroughly simmered.The broth used in eel congee must be cooked from eel bone, which creates lightly sapid and ungreasy taste for the dish. The cook aslo choose the best rice for the dish, and keep whole grains in processing. Congee must be well cooked and look smooth with proper viscosity. Rice grains are tender but not mushy. When serving, chopped spring onions, coriander, cilantro are put in the bottom of a bowl, ladled congee over and finally scatter eel meat on the top. A perfect cooked eel congee must be smooth, aromatic with rice scent, flavorful with the taste of eel meat and slightly spicy.

Cold winter days is such a great occasion to enjoy a steaming hot bowl of eel congee. After the meal, enjoying one more bowl of fresh green tea, brewed in bamboo basket and covered with felt cloth is just enough to let people forget the chill of winter.

A Brief Introduction of The Van Dinh duck congee (Cháo vịt Vân Đình)

Van Dinh duck congee (Cháo vịt Vân Đình) is a specialty of Van Dinh Commune, Ung Hoa district, Ha Noi. Once passing by Van Dinh Commune, people often stop in a small roadside restaurant to enjoy a hot bowl of duck porridge.

Duck used in processing is Van Dinh duck whose tender and flavorful meat. They boil the duck then chop the bird into pieces, and keep the broth to cook congee. Rice to cook congee must be the best glutinous rice, mixed with some rice and mung bean . The cook roast the rice until it turns light brown, then thoroughly simmer in duck broth. Well-cooked congee is smooth, slightly thick and aromatic. The slices of duck meat are arranged at the bottom of a bowl before sprinkling a little fish sauce then ladling congee over and finally sprinkling some fried shallots and chopped coriander, spring onions on the top.

Once the steaming hot bowl of duck congee is laid out, the diners will mix all the ingredients together. The aromas of meat, congee, fish sauce and herbs all blend harmoniously, make an unforgettable taste. Congee is sometimes served with stir-fried duck gizzard, and clot blood to enhance the taste.

Van Dinh duck congee (Cháo vịt Vân Đình) is such a nutritious and appetizing dish. With the softness of rice, savouriness of duck meat and buttery taste of mung bean, a bowl of duck congee never becomes boring with diners.