Lẩu mực – a must-try delicacy when in Da Nang

When traveling to Da Nang, everyone wants to savor the fresh and delicious seafood of this coastal city. Lẩu mực (squid hot pot) is one of the tasty dishes in Da Nang that delights many tourists.

From the “world” of hot pot dishes

Currently, hot pot has become a popular dish across the country. There are dozens, hundreds of hot pot varieties with different names: for four-legged animals, we can mention goat hot pot, beef hot pot, rib cartilage hot pot...; various poultry hot pots include rice wine chicken hot pot, duck hot pot with fermented tofu...; and the variety of seafood hot pots is even more diverse with snakehead fish hot pot, catfish hot pot, anchovy hot pot, crab paste hot pot...

Additionally, many types of hot pot have been imported into Vietnam from neighboring countries such as Thai hot pot, Korean barbecue, Singaporean barbecue, Japanese hot pot, and Chinese hot pot, offering a rich and diverse selection.

The broth for hot pot can be bone broth, like chicken, goat, or beef hot pot. In addition, some hot pot dishes have broth made by boiling water with a bit of vinegar, such as snakehead fish hot pot. In general, for hot pot to be delicious, the broth must be simmered with meat and bones, then seasoned to taste. The broth becomes richer with each added ingredient during the meal.

Each type of hot pot uses different vegetables, tubers, and fruits, along with various herbs and spices, all meticulously prepared. Seafood hot pots like catfish hot pot or snakehead fish hot pot are enjoyed with vegetables like coriander, basil, water spinach, corn, bean sprouts, tomatoes, and thinly sliced chili on top.

For beef hot pot, diners will enjoy it with vegetables such as morning glory, cilantro, spring onions, Chinese broccoli, and chrysanthemum leaves. Chicken hot pot, on the other hand, is paired with betel leaves and new mugwort for an authentic touch. Especially when eating fermented fish hot pot, you will be treated to dozens of types of vegetables like pennywort, bitter herbs, sesbania flowers, and water mimosa.

When enjoying hot pot, people in Nha Trang often accompany it with various cereals such as noodles, vermicelli, pho, rice paper, and use fish sauce or soy sauce with added lime and chili (like fish hot pot or beef hot pot), or mix with satay (goat hot pot) for dipping sauce.

Exploring Da Nang's squid hot pot

Running along the coastline of our country, almost every place has squid, especially in the Central region. In recent years, many eateries have introduced squid hot pot – a very appealing dish in Da Nang. The broth for squid hot pot is simmered from pork bones or chicken bones for many hours to make it clear and sweet. Squid used for hot pot can be tube squid or medium-sized ink sac squid, as too large squid tends to become tough.

Fresh squid is stripped of its outer skin, leaving only the tender white meat inside. After being cleaned, the squid is sliced into thin pieces to drain water. Squid hot pot is often accompanied by other meats such as fresh shrimp and beef to make the pot more colorful and rich in both color and ingredients.

Before eating, the dishes are arranged on a large plate, including sour starfruit, green bananas in the middle, surrounded by peeled fresh shrimp, thinly sliced beef, and mainly squid. When enjoying, you just need to dip the ingredients into the boiling broth on the stove placed in the middle of the table and wait for them to cook.

To make dipping sauce for squid hot pot, restaurant owners often use delicious fish sauce mixed with sugar, tamarind juice, ground peanuts, and sesame seeds sautéed with a bit of cooking oil. The sauce should have a harmonious taste of sour, sweet, salty, with an additional rich and creamy flavor, suitable for seafood such as shrimp and squid.

When in Da Nang, tourists should seek out seafood restaurants, order a pot of squid hot pot, savoring the savory flavor of freshly caught seafood, accompanied by delicious fresh vegetables and a flavorful hot broth. This way, you will have an interesting experience with a delicious dish in Da Nang.