Hanoi snail vermicelli is a soupy dish characterized by the rich flavor, chewy and crispy texture of snail meat combined with the sweet taste of the broth, served with various fresh herbs. Today, on the Cooking page, TasteVN will introduce 2 delicious ways to make snail vermicelli at home!
1. Cold snail vermicelli
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Preparation
25 minutes
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Cooking
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Cold Snail Vermicelli For 4 people
Stuffed snails 1 kg (big snails) Hến vermicelli 1 kg (coin vermicelli) Pork fat 90 gr Chopped shallots 1 tablespoon Tomatoes 200 gr (chopped) Chili powder 100 gr Sticky rice vinegar 220 ml Broth 1 liter Cooking oil 4 tablespoons Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Common spices A little (salt/ seasoning powder/ monosodium glutamate)
Ingredient image
How to prepare Cold Snail Noodles
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Wash and boil the snails
Penny snails purchased should be soaked in rice water (or diluted vinegar) to release all the mud, then wash them clean and place them in a basket to drain.
Add the snails and 2 liters of water into a pot along with 1 tablespoon of salt, cover the lid and boil on high heat. When the water boils vigorously and the snails have opened up, reduce the water to about 1.5 liters and turn off the heat, then immediately take the snails out. Retain the snail boiling water and let it sit to settle the residue.
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Extract the snail meat
The boiled snails should be taken out and allowed to cool slightly, then hold the snail and shake it vigorously to release the meat.
For snails that do not release meat when shaken, place them on a cutting board, block a small part at the tail of the snail and use a toothpick to extract the snail meat.
Remove the tail and intestines of the snail, keeping only the firm meat, and place it in a large bowl.
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Make the dipping sauce for noodles
You place a pan on the stove over high heat to heat the pan, when the pan is hot, add 90g of pork fat, melt it, and mix it evenly with 4 tablespoons of cooking oil.
When the mixture boils vigorously, add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped shallots and fry until fragrant. When the shallots turn golden and emit a scent, add 200g of finely chopped tomatoes and stir continuously.
When the tomato mixture is cooked down and thickened, reducing the water, add 100g of chili powder and stir well, seasoning the sauce with 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder.
Reduce the heat and stir continuously until the mixture reduces in water, thickens, and becomes slightly sticky, then turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a bowl.
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Making the broth
Place a large pot on high heat, mix 1.5 liters of snail broth with 1 liter of broth. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface (if any).
Add 2 tablespoons of seasoning, 1 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, and 3 tablespoons of fish sauce to the pot, stirring well to dissolve the seasonings.
Add 220ml of fermented rice vinegar to the broth, stir well, and bring the mixture to a vigorous boil, then skim off the foam again and season to taste. Turn off the heat and leave the lid off to let the broth cool completely.
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Completion
When serving, place a few snails in a bowl, pour the cold snail broth over them until it just covers the surface.
Arrange fresh noodles on a plate according to the serving size and ladle some colored broth onto a small plate.
And so the delicious cold snail noodles are ready for you to enjoy.
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Final Product
True to its name “Cold Snail Vermicelli”, as when served, all ingredients are cooled down, but this does not diminish its delicious flavor; rather, this is an appealing characteristic of this dish.
When eating, you take a bit of vermicelli, dip it into the cooled broth, then add a piece of snail to enjoy. You can also have it with a bit of fresh herbs or a few slices of fresh chili to enhance the delightful flavors.
The rich and chewy snail combines with the tangy taste of tomatoes, the spiciness of the beautiful-colored broth, and the coolness of the soup, all blending together to chase away the sweltering summer heat.
2. Hot Snail Vermicelli
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Hot Snail Noodles Serves 4 people
Stuffed snails 2 kg (giant snails) Tomatoes 300 gr (2 – 3 pieces) Broth 1 liter Green onions 4 stalks (chopped) Perilla leaves 2 stalks (julienned) Fresh herbs 100 gr (for garnish) Minced shallots 1 tablespoon Fried shallots 1 tablespoon Fermented rice vinegar 230 ml Pork fat 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Common seasoning a little (salt/ seasoning powder/ monosodium glutamate)
Ingredient Images
How to Prepare Hot Snail Noodles
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Soak and Clean the Snails
After purchasing, soak the snails in rice wash water (or in diluted salt water) with a few slices of fresh chili to remove all the dirt for at least 3 hours.
After soaking, once the snails have released all impurities, take them out, scrub the shells clean, and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Then drain the snails in a basket to remove excess water.
Cooking the broth
Place a large pot on the stove with 1.5 liters of water to boil the snails and 1 liter of broth. Use a sieve to filter the finely chopped tomatoes that have been stir-fried into the pot. Add the wedged tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat.
Season with 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of stock powder, 1 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, and 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, stirring well to dissolve all the seasonings.
Next, add 230ml of vinegar, stir well, and bring to a boil again. Then taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking before turning off the heat.
Completion
When eating, you put the amount of noodles you want into boiling water to heat them up.
Next, add the blanched noodles to a bowl with a bit of chopped scallion and perilla, add the snails, and then pour hot broth over the top.
Top with a few slices of tomato and sprinkle a little fried shallots on top to complete a delicious bowl of hot snail noodles.
Snail noodles are served with various types of chopped fresh herbs, dipped in satay sauce, which is very tasty.
Final Product
A steaming, beautiful bowl of hot snail noodles is presented, releasing enticing steam. The broth is light pink, clear, with a tangy taste from the tomatoes and vinegar. The snails are plump, firm, and delicious when dipped in a bit of spicy satay.
The dish is even more balanced and flavorful when served with fresh herbs. This is a simple, easy-to-make dish at home that is very unique, adding novelty and richness to family meals.
How to choose fresh and delicious snails
- When choosing, touch the mouth of the snail; if the snail retracts deep inside, it is alive and very fresh, so buy it.
- Fat snails have their mantle close to the mouth, while skinny snails have that mantle retracted inside.
- Do not choose snails that emit a strong odor when picked up, and observe the hard mantle of the snail retracted deep inside; this certainly means the snail is dead. When dropped into a basin of water, dead snails will float belly up with their mouths facing down.
How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
- You should choose tomatoes that have a bright red outer skin, evenly colored. The outer skin should be intact, without scratches, and plump, indicating fresh tomatoes.
- Naturally ripened tomatoes often have a mild fragrance, which can be easily noticed when sniffed.
- You should choose tomatoes that still have the stem on the fruit, with the stem still fresh and not wilted. Naturally ripened tomatoes often have stems tightly attached to the top of the fruit, so when buying, you can gently pull to see if the stem comes off easily. If not, then you can choose to buy them.
See details: How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
Where to buy fermented rice vinegar?
- Fermented rice vinegar is a popular condiment in the North, loved by many for its sour taste, naturally fermented from rice residue.
- Due to its ability to easily overpower the fishy smell of various seafood and poultry, fermented rice vinegar is often used for preliminary processing or combined with chicken, ducks, seafood, etc.
- You can find fermented rice vinegar at large markets, specialty stores selling Northern products, small grocery stalls in local markets, in supermarkets, or order through online shopping channels.
How to clean snails from mud and odor
- To clean the slime and mud in snails, soak them in rice water for about 2 hours to let them release all the mud.
- To eliminate the fishy smell, you can add a little chili powder or crushed fresh chili into the soaking water for the snails.
- Using vinegar mixed with the soaking water is also a way to help clean them.
- Using rice water to soak snails bought from the market for about 1 – 2 hours, the mud inside the snails will automatically release and clump into slimy chunks, then you just need to rinse them with clean water and prepare as usual.
See more:
The above is a guide on how to make bun oc with 2 delicious versions, cold and hot, at home, rich in flavor, authentic to Hanoi. Wishing you success with these 2 Hanoi bun oc recipes!
*Images and recipes referenced from the YouTube channel BẾP NHÀ CHÁU
