Banh hoi long heo (rice vermicelli served with pig heart, liver and intestine) is a specialty in Quy Nhon City in Binh Dinh Province. Herbs, the dipping sauce and garlic chives sautéed in oil make the dish tastier.
Banh hoi is like thin rice vermicelli woven into intricate bundles. The thin rice vermicelli made from rice flour is popular from central provinces and cities like Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Nha Trang to southern provinces and cities such as Ben Tre and Vung Tau. In the southern region, the thin rice vermicelli is topped with green onions sautéed in oil while in the central region, it is served with garlic chives sautéed in oil.
The dish served with rice vermicelli bundles can be cha lua (Vietnamese pork sausage), boiled pork, roasted pork, etc. However, many local diners are impressed with rice vermicelli eaten with pig heart, liver and intestine, which is a well-known specialty in Quy Nhon. The nice flavor of the dish comes from the softness of rice vermicelli and the crunchy pork organs.
Pork organs must be cleaned carefully to remove their odor. Meanwhile, the dipping sauce, which is dubbed the soul of the dish, is a combination of the best local fish sauce and sugar, lemon juice and minced garlic and chili.
Those who tasted the specialty may not forget the wonderful flavor of thin rice vermicelli, garlic chives and the sweet and sour flavors of the dipping sauce. Moreover, the colorful dish are also attractive with the white of rice vermicelli, the green of herbs and the red of chilies.
By Lam Nhu
