Every autumn, when the cool breezes begin to creep through every street corner, it is also the time when street vendors in Hanoi carry the special gift of the season - pickled ripe apricots. Autumn in Hanoi is associated with many delicious dishes, but pickled ripe apricots have a unique and fleeting feature, because the season of ripe apricots only lasts for a few short weeks.
Ms. Lan, a street vendor who has been attached to the old town for more than 20 years, shares about the pickled ripe apricot dish that she often sells every fall: “There is only one season of ripe apricots a year, so you have to be quick to get them. When the apricots are still green, people often pickle them in fish sauce or cook them in sour soup.
But when ripe, it has a very unique flavor, both sour and sweet, with a light aroma. Children love to eat ripe star fruit mixed with salt and chili, just shake it a few times to get a delicious dish.
When the apricots are ripe, the street vendors are bustling all over the streets. Just passing a small corner, people can easily see the silhouettes of bamboo baskets full of ripe, fragrant apricots. The apricots are golden yellow, mixed with a bit of brown from the rustic tan marks.
Pickled ripe star fruit is an extremely simple dish. Just a little ripe star fruit, a little salt, sugar, chili and a few minutes of shaking, and you have a dish full of flavor. The sour and sweet taste of star fruit combined with a little spicy chili and salty salt, all blend together to create an unforgettable flavor.
For many Hanoians, pickled sour plum is not only a popular snack but also a whole sky of memories. Ms. Thu, a native Hanoian, shared: “When I was little, when autumn came, I was excited to receive money from my mother to buy pickled sour plum. That flavor has been with me since I was young, every time I eat pickled sour plum, I remember that time.”
Unlike other specialties that can be enjoyed all year round, ripe apricots only appear in early autumn, and the ripening time is also very short, only about a few weeks. Therefore, pickled ripe apricots are also called “a flash food”. Those who love this dish often take advantage of every day, every week to buy it.
The season of ripe apricots passes quickly, just like the cool breezes of autumn, carrying with them a fleeting yet regretful feeling. Street vendors full of ripe apricots are still present on every street, bringing to the people of the capital and visitors a typical culinary experience of autumn in Hanoi.
