Knowing that there were guests from afar coming to visit, Mr. Lo Van Son, Ngoc Chien commune, Son La, took a piece of buffalo skin that had been hanging for many months on the kitchen attic to prepare the salad.
The curled, dry, and dark brown skin makes it hard for the first-time visitor to imagine that this is the ingredient for a dish to treat guests.
According to Mr. Son, in the past, every time the family slaughtered a buffalo on holidays, Tet or major events, the meat was divided among siblings and relatives. The buffalo skin was not discarded but was cleaned, cut into pieces and hung on the kitchen attic.
The daily heat and firewood smoke make the skin gradually dry, creating a characteristic smell and helping to preserve it for a long time. When the family has guests or wants to change dishes, the skin is taken down for processing.
Looking at the dried skin, many people think it cannot be eaten. But if you know how to soak, boil and slice it, this is a dish with its own crispness and chewiness," Mr. Son said.
To prepare the salad, he simmered the skin on the fire and scraped off the soot and the scorched parts on the outside.
The skin is washed many times, then soaked in water to gradually soften. This stage can take many hours, depending on the thickness and storage time.
After soaking, the buffalo skin is put into a boiler to boil. Mr. Son said that cooks must regularly check, because the skin is not cooked enough, it will be hard and difficult to cut; while boiling for too long will lose its crispness.
The required leather piece has a soft outer layer, a slightly transparent color, but still retains its roughness when bitten.
Boiled skin is taken out, cooled and then sliced into very thin strands. This step requires sharp knives and dexterity. The thinner the strands, the easier it is to absorb spices, and at the same time, they do not feel too tough when eaten.
The spices prepared include garlic, chili, herbs, cilantro, roasted peanuts and crushed mắc khén. Instead of just using lemon or vinegar, Mr. Son uses sour bamboo shoot broth to create a mild flavor for the dish.
Bamboo shoot broth is slowly sprinkled on the sliced skin, then mixed with vegetables and spices. The smoky smell still lingering on the skin blends with the sour taste of bamboo shoots, the spicy taste of chili and the light numbness of mắc khén, creating an unmistakable characteristic.
When placed on a plate, the golden buffalo skin fibers interspersed with the green color of herbs and crushed roasted peanuts. The skin is crispy, chewy but not hard; the more you chew, the clearer you feel the buttery taste and the smell of kitchen smoke.
Mr. Son recounted that in the past, buffalo skin salad mainly appeared on occasions when the family had business or welcomed distinguished guests. Because it took a lot of time to soak, boil and slice, the dish was usually prepared early.
While adults are processing, young children sit next to observe, gradually learning how to choose spices and check the softness of the skin.
Now food is richer, but my family still makes this dish during gatherings. It is both a dish and a way for children and grandchildren to learn more about traditional flavors," Mr. Son shared.
