Each country or ethnic group will have different tastes and eating habits. Therefore, when a dish in one country is imported into another, it will have to change to suit the people there. Vietnam – a country famous for its rich and diverse cuisine also has subtle variations for food originating from other countries of the world.
In this article, let’s learn a bit more about the history of Hu Tieu with Saigon Corners! This is one of the popular dishes in the South of Vietnam and you will definitely “fall in love” when enjoying it.
When mentioning “Hu tieu Nam Vang” or “Phnom Penh Noodle Soup”, people will think it is a pure Vietnamese dish. However, it is actually a dish that originated from Cambodia and was created by Chinese immigrants. “Nam Vang” here is the Vietnamese name of Phnom Penh – the capital of Cambodia.
Basically, the way to cook this dish is still quite similar to the original, the broth is stewed with pork bones for many hours along with some vegetables. The difference here is Vietnamese people have modified the ingredients to change the taste of each region. The popular edition of Hu Tieu Nam Vang comes from Sa Dec and My Tho (the West of Vietnam) with soft chewy noodles and rich broth which bring a memorable impression to anyone who tries it.
Besides, there is also an extremely attractive dry noodle version. The noodles are drizzled with soy sauce, fried garlic oil. When eating, people usually add chili, garlic vinegar, squeeze a piece of lime and mix into the noodles. Dried noodles are always served with a bowl of clear broth.
Hủ Tiếu Gõ – Hu Tieu Go
Back in the old days, when walking along the streets of Saigon at night, you would hear the rattling sounds telling you that the Hu Tieu Go cart was nearby. People would shout “hu tieu!”, then the seller pushed the cart over and sold it to them. Making sound with castanets was considered a very unique way of inviting customers without spending too much effort.
Hu Tieu Go is considered a very interesting culinary culture and only Saigon people know it. No one remembers exactly when Hu Tieu Go started appearing, only a few people of Saigon origin said that noodle cart appeared long ago, before 1975 to serve the demand of Saigonese: “Delicious – Nutritious – Economical”.
Although it is a rustic one, this noodle dish is always loved by many people because of its unique flavor that has been preserved over the years until now. The toppings of Hu Tieu Go includes thin slices of pork, pork liver and intestines. Some places also have attractive pork or beef balls mixed with bean sprouts and chives. Just hearing it is enough to motivate you to plan a trip to Saigon, right?
Sold in many places and widely distributed throughout Saigon, you can easily see trolleys selling Hu Tieu Go on the roadside, sidewalk or crept into alleys, where residents live. Serving a variety of customers from children, students, ordinary workers, office workers to parked cars come and eat familiar bowls of noodle soup. Prices for Hu Tieu in Saigon range from 15,000 VND up to more than 70,000 VND depending on the ingredients.