The northern province of Nam Dinh, located about 100km east of Hanoi, has long been famous for its delicious beef noodle soup. It always has a special flavour as noodles in “Phở Nam Định” which are unique for being both small and soft.
Spices used for cooking Phở, including star anise and cinnamon, must be taken from the northwest region while fish sauce and salt are typically chosen from some places around the province.
The careful selection of ingredients, spices, and traditional cooking recipes therefore makes the noodle soup in Nam Dinh different from Phở in other areas.
Among new national intangible cultural heritages is “Mì Quảng” (Quang noodles) in the central province of Quang Nam.
“Mì Quảng” has been served in Quang Nam since the 14th century. The noodle dish is a harmonious combination of fresh ingredients, including toasted Vietnamese sesame rice crackers, fried shallots and herbs such as rau răm (fragrant knotweed), coriander, perilla, and lettuce.
The dish is delicious and features a distinctive aftertaste which helps to express the culinary style of people who reside in the central region.
Others listed among the newly-recognised heritages include “Phở Hà Nội” (Hanoi noodle soup), “Áo Dài Huế” (traditional long dress), and Lễ hội đền Tiên La (Tien La temple festival).
