Ha Giang attracts tourists not only for its majestic natural landscape and honest ethnic people but also for its bold, regional specialties that cannot be found anywhere else. Among them, sour pho (pho chua) is a unique dish that diners should try when visiting Ha Giang.
The main ingredient to make the dish is pho. The texture of pho must be tougher than normal pho so it does not get crushed when mixed. Before serving, pho is soaked in warm water, so the dish is not cool.
There are various ingredients to make sour pho, but the main ones include char siu, roast duck, crushed peanuts, and sausages. The accompanying vegetables are basil, grated papaya and cucumber.
Instead of using a hot broth, sour pho is served with a sweet and sour sauce. Sour pho in Ha Giang has a special flavor as the cook uses sour fruit vinegar mixed with sweet bone broth and adds seasonings.
The cook then boils the sauce on the stove, adds tapioca flour and stirs the mixture evenly. The sauce has a cool and mild sour taste.
When there is an order from a customer, the cook spreads the pho evenly on the plate, layers it with some slices of char xiu, sausages, golden roasted duck meats and accompanying vegetables and then sprinkles the crushed peanuts on the top. Finally, the sauce is poured into the plate, creating a delicious dish for diners.
