Cao lầu facts for kids
A bowl of cao lầu
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| Type | Noodle |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Vietnam |
| Region or state | Hội An |
| Main ingredients | Noodles, pork, and greens |
Cao lầu is a special noodle dish from Vietnam. It comes from a beautiful old city called Hội An in central Vietnam. This dish is famous for its unique noodles. It usually has pork, fresh greens, and special rice noodles. These noodles are soaked in a unique kind of water, which makes them chewy and gives them a special color. This makes cao lầu different from other Vietnamese noodle dishes.
Contents
What's in Cao lầu?
The main things in a bowl of cao lầu are noodles, meat, fresh greens, bean sprouts, and herbs. It's often served with a small amount of tasty broth. The meat is usually pork. This pork can be shredded or sliced, like a special kind of roasted pork called char siu. Sometimes, shrimp can also be used instead of pork.
The Special Noodles
The rice noodles in cao lầu are very unique. They are made from rice that has been soaked in a special kind of water called lye water. This soaking makes the noodles chewy and springy. It also gives them a grayish-brown or yellowish color.
There's a local story about these noodles. People say the lye water should be made from the ashes of certain plants. These plants grow on the nearby Chàm Islands. Also, the water used to soak the rice and boil the noodles should come from an old well in Hội An. This well is called the Bá Lễ well. Because of these special ingredients, the legend says cao lầu is rarely found outside of Hội An.
After soaking in the lye water, the rice is made into noodles. These noodles are at least 10 centimeters long and about half a centimeter wide. They are then soaked in water for several hours, washed, and boiled. Some of the raw noodles are also cut into squares. These squares are deep-fried until they are crispy. These crispy pieces are used as a topping for the dish when it's served.
The Pork and Broth
The pork used in cao lầu is usually marinated. This means it's soaked in a mix of five-spice powder, sugar, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and soy sauce. This gives the pork a flavor similar to char siu pork.
To make the broth, pork bones are boiled. Onions or shallots are often added to the boiling bones. This helps to create a rich and flavorful soup base.
Fresh Herbs and Greens
Cao lầu is served with fresh lettuce and bean sprouts. It also has many fresh herbs. Some common herbs include mint, chives, perilla (called rau tía tô), lemon basil (rau húng quế), Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), cilantro (ngò or rau mùi), and water mint (rau húng lủi). Other herbs like mustard greens and chrysanthemum greens can also be used.
How to Serve Cao lầu
A bowl of cao lầu is put together carefully. First, the noodles are placed on a bed of fresh greens, bean sprouts, and herbs. The marinated char siu pork is cooked until it's tender. Then, it's cooled down and cut into thin slices. Sometimes, it's shredded instead. These pork slices are placed on top of the noodles.
Next, a small amount of broth is poured over everything. There's just enough broth to wet the noodles. Finally, the bowl is topped with the crispy fried noodle squares and more fresh herbs. It's often served with a slice of lime and some chili. You can add these to your taste. The dish is served at room temperature. Before eating, all the ingredients in the bowl are mixed together.
See also
In Spanish: Cao lầu para niños
