Anyone who has ever been to Tho Ha will remember that, in addition to rice paper rolls , this ancient village also has many unique dishes that are difficult to find in other localities. These dishes are not found in fancy shops or restaurants but usually only appear in small shops in the Tho Ha rural market that opens every early morning.
Cat ear cake
Called "cat ear banh khuc", however, this cake at Tho Ha rural market uses gai leaves (or luffa leaves) and not log leaves to prepare like banh khuc in Diem village (Bac Ninh). In Tho Ha, this is a very popular breakfast dish, loved by people.
The process of making cat ear banh khuc is extremely sophisticated. The crust must be made of plain rice so that the cake is chewy and does not fall apart. Rice is ground into water powder and filtered dry. Then take the dry flour, mix it and repeat it three times to get a batch of dough to make cakes. There are two types of filling: meat filling (added onions and wood ear mushrooms) and salty bean filling (added fat).
For only 10,000 VND, visitors can carry in their hands a beautiful small plate of cat's ears, with a flexible, chewy crust, speckled with leaf crumbs. Cat ear banh khuc is served with garlic vinegar fish sauce, sprinkled with sliced chili. Bite into a piece of cake and you will immediately feel the aroma of rice, along with the rich, fragrant filling.
Porridge and noodle soup
In Tho Ha, noodle soup is the most popular breakfast dish. The small porridge shops in the market are full of people every morning to eat or buy to take home. This is a delicious and cheap dish. For only 5,000 VND, visitors can immediately have a bowl of hot, fragrant porridge.
Banh Canh porridge is simmered from pork bones, adding crushed shrimp or shredded meat. When tasting, diners will immediately see the deliciousness and sweetness of the simmered bone broth, combined with the chewy and soft noodle soup, creating a very enjoyable experience.
Crispy stir-fried spring rolls
This can be considered a snack only found in the Tho Ha countryside. "Nem spring rolls" is the name of the leftover pieces of cake when people cut spring rolls into square or round shapes. Instead of throwing it away, they use the spring rolls to put them in the pan, add a little garlic, satay and stir-fry until crispy to have an interesting snack.
The stir-fried spring rolls are very crispy, and when eaten, they have a distinct smell of fried garlic and a spicy taste on the tip of the tongue. Each bag of stir-fried spring rolls costs only 5,000 VND, visitors can easily buy them at Tho Ha market or at the rice paper makers here.
Coconut rice cake
Also a snack like stir-fried spring rolls, Tho Ha coconut rice paper has long been a hometown gift that everyone who passes by must stop by to buy a pair or three as a gift. The main ingredient of this specialty is pure rice flour. The cake has to go through two rounds of coating: one round is plain, the other is coated with ingredients such as sesame, peanuts, and pre-processed coconut.
After the rice paper is finished, it is dried and then grilled over a red charcoal stove. Tho Ha coconut rice cakes are golden and crispy. When eaten, they have the aroma of sesame, peanuts, and the greasiness of grated coconut, creating a flavor that everyone who tastes loves it.
