Flavor from memory
In mid-July, I had the opportunity to visit the family of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Be Ba (Long Tuyen ward, Can Tho city). The small house is peacefully located by the river, now bustling with laughter from outside the yard to the kitchen because of the preparation for the grandchild's birthday party. Among the delicious dishes, the smoky duck curry bowl is "ostentatious" in the central position, like a "messager" connecting all generations in the family.
Looking at Mrs. Be Ba's children eagerly holding a piece of bread dipped in curry, I seemed to see myself again from the old days. At my grandfather's death anniversary in the past, my family also often gathered around the duck curry pot. The day I received the university admission notice, the good news shone brightly, making my mother also go to the garden to catch a Siamese duck to cook a very big pot to celebrate. Even in the new school year opening ceremonies, the most expensive and anticipated gift of my sisters and I was just a fatty bowl of duck curry served with fresh vermicelli.
Come eat, auntie and uncle, this duck curry is very fatty, you'll be addicted to it right away" - Mrs. Ba laughed heartily.
In fact, curry originated from India, but when it was introduced to this alluvial land, it was miraculously "softened" by the people of the Mekong Delta. While quickly scooping it for us, Mrs. Be Ba shared about the secret to cooking.
Ducks must choose Siamese ducks or free-range grass ducks, the meat will be firm, not mushy or greasy. Chopped lemongrass chili is stir-fried to make it really fragrant with marinated meat. To make a delicious pot of curry without crushing potatoes, sweet potatoes and taro must be pre-peeled, fried briefly in oil until the surface is firm and then put in to simmer. But the soul of this dish is coconut milk. When the water is thin, we simmer the meat to make it sweet, until we intend to turn off the heat, then sift out the most concentrated coconut milk. Doing so will make the sauce smooth, fragrant and not greasy" - Ms. Ba added.
Seeing it as elaborate, we wondered why people don't choose other dishes that are easy to cook, such as grilled meat, fried chicken... Mrs. Ba laughed: "Those Western dishes are not as good as our Western dishes. The kids get bored after eating a few meals, and canola curry can be eaten forever".
According to Mrs. Ba, a pot of duck curry when cooked is usually very large, enough for the whole family or neighbors to enjoy together. It is this generosity and reunion that has made duck curry associated with every rhythm of life, becoming a symbol of warmth in every riverside house.
Superior variation
Over time, along with the development of cuisine and modern lifestyles, Western duck curry has put on many new "coats". No longer constrained by traditional cooking methods when only using sweet potatoes or taro, grandmothers, mothers and even young chefs today have created many interesting variations. People can combine duck meat with fresh lotus seeds or mushrooms to create a light sweetness, reduce greasiness and increase nutritional value.
Besides, the processing of ingredients is also more sophisticated. If in the old days ducks were often chopped into large pieces and stewed until soft in a large pot, now many places choose to pan-fry the duck skin to make it crispy, removing some fat before cooking with curry sauce.
The broth is no longer completely dependent on pure coconut milk to avoid the feeling of being too greasy for modern diners. Instead, the combination of unsweetened fresh milk, fresh coconut water and a sufficient amount of coconut milk has created a perfect balance - both maintaining the characteristic fat and being light and easy to eat.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tai (Ms. Ba's son, a worker in Can Tho City) confided: "Now in the city, people sell curry to eat with noodles, butter fried bread, etc. Gen Z now likes those modern styles very much! But strangely, wherever they go to eat, on holidays, birthdays, parties in the house, the whole family still demands to go home to eat the traditional flavor of their mother's cooking".
Thus, being innovated in processing or presentation, the core principle of the dish is still maintained. That flexible variation does not lose its identity, but on the contrary, helps this traditional dish continue to be lively and accompany the new rhythm of life.
Start the stories
Enjoying so many high-class delicacies in the world, the child of the Mekong Delta far from home still always carries in his heart a deep longing for duck curry. That longing sometimes suddenly returns on a cold rainy afternoon far from home, when the nose suddenly stings because of craving the warm atmosphere around the home fire.
Mekong Delta duck curry captivates people to the point of being fascinating thanks to its own rich and buttery taste. The richness is not greasy but deep, the mist of garden coconut milk deeply penetrates each piece of soft and sweet duck meat. The butteriness and chewiness of the golden squash sweet potato, melts right on the tip of the tongue, mixed with a slight spiciness of chili and the strong aroma of crushed lemongrass. When eating, scoop a bowl of hot curry, tear a crispy piece of bread and dip it in a thick sauce or eat it with a bowl of fresh vermicelli and a plate of cool raw vegetables, all senses seem to be awakened.
We ate duck curry and listened to Mrs. Ba's family talk about their new plans. On this birthday, Mrs. Ba's grandson entered 2nd grade and had to study hard to help his parents. Mr. Tai strives to work to celebrate Tet at the end of the year. According to the plan, the small family wants to welcome a new member next year for full crying and laughter.
Uncle Hai, come eat duck curry!" - Mr. Tai's wife called the neighbor who had just passed by the house.
