Nam Pho banh canh
Nam Pho banh canh is one of the familiar street foods in Hue, originating from Nam Pho village (Phu Thuong, Phu Vang, Hue).
The process of making the thick broth of Nam Pho banh canh is very elaborate, more laborious than other types of banh canh that use liquid broth. What creates the unique flavor of this dish is the broth that uses fresh shrimp shells boiled with pork bones, adding fish sauce and shrimp paste to create a unique flavor.
The fatty shrimp meatballs, soft and chewy banh canh made from tapioca flour, combined with the thick, creamy broth, are incredibly flavorful.
Some delicious Nam Pho banh canh restaurants in Hue are located on Ba Trieu Street, Pham Hong Thai Street, Dong Ba Market... Each bowl of banh canh costs from 25,000 to 35,000 VND.
Crab banh canh
Crab banh canh is a variation of traditional banh canh. This dish does not use typical ingredients such as pork, blood... but instead uses crab meat and crab cakes. The crabs must be large, fresh, and firm.
The broth is seasoned to taste, has a natural sweetness, rich from crab fat simmered with bones, irresistible. The banh canh are made from rice flour, cut into small strands so they are chewy and flexible.
In the cool autumn weather, a bowl of crab banh canh makes diners exclaim in admiration. On Pham Hong Thai Street in Hue City, there are several crab banh canh shops, priced from 35,000 - 45,000 VND/bowl.
Snakehead fish banh canh
Snakehead fish banh canh in Hue is prepared a little differently from other regions. The fish meat is marinated with shrimp paste, seasoned to taste, left to soak for about 2 hours before being fried until golden brown.
This dish consists of banh canh made from soft, chewy rice flour. The broth is made from stewed pork bones with the head and bones of snakehead fish, so it has a rich, sweet flavor.
A steaming bowl of snakehead fish banh canh, served with fresh raw vegetables, creates a wonderful flavor.
In Hue, some delicious snakehead fish banh canh restaurants are located on Duong Van An, Dien Bien Phu, Dinh Cong Trang streets... The price of each bowl is from 35,000 - 40,000 VND/bowl.
Mixed flour banh canh
Banh canh bot tron is a simple dish, originating from remote rural areas and only available in Hue. Bot tron is the “leftover” flour in the process of making tapioca flour. However, bot tron is longer, has a more sour taste and a slightly different color than tapioca flour.
It is called “bat troi” because it means a mixture of the pure white color of the final tapioca flour and the black, lumpy color due to not being filtered thoroughly. The “bat troi” is cut into small, bite-sized squares to reduce the toughness.
The broth for the dish is also a bit different from other types of banh canh, which is to use crabs (also known as dam) caught in the fields. When cooked with pork bones and lean meat, the crabs will create a strange, sweet flavor.
Banh canh bot tron is not very popular, not many places sell it. At the entrance to Cong market (Ba Trieu street, Xuan Phu, Hue city) there are 2 small stalls selling banh canh bot tron, priced from only 5,000 VND - 20,000 VND/bowl.
