Calf dishes help put Tây Ninh Province on national culinary map

The southern province of Tây Ninh is not only well known for its sacred Bà Đen Mountain and natural landscapes that lure thousands of visitors a year, but also for its food, particularly veal-like dishes, locally known as bò tơ.

It is cooked from a young calf, so it has less fat, but is enriched with high nutrition that are very good for human health.

The dishes include grilled meat dipped in soy sauce, beef shank wrapped in rice paper, or bò tơ cuốn bánh tráng, calf dipped in vinegar hotpot, locally known as bò nhúng dấm, a special calf salad and many others.

Foodies are most interested in calf wrapped in rice paper, said local cook Thái Thị Chiên.

Calf meat fried with garlic, or bò tơ cháy tỏi, is among Tây Ninh's must-try dishes. — Photo botoquanmoc.com

Chiên said she chooses fresh calf shank, ties it with threads and boiled it for about 30 minutes. By then the meat is well cooked and soft without being tough. It is passionately fragrant. It is cut into slices and arranged it on green banana leaves of a bamboo dish.

Other ingredients to be eaten with the dish include rice noodles and fresh herbs such as coriander, basil, lecture, pineapple and cucumber.

Diners should spread a white rice noodle leaf over the thin rice paper, put herbs and pineapple, carrot and cucumber pieces on it then add one or two pieces of boiled calf in the middle before wrapping it up.

Boiled calf meat arranged on a bamboo dish becomes one of Tây Ninh Province's specialties. — Photo vietnam.vnanet.vn

It is more enjoyable when dipping it in mixed sauce made from vinegar, sugar, salt, fish sauce and fresh chilli or chilli sauce.

The dish is often chosen to be eaten in summer because it brings eaters lots of enjoyment for its cool and healthy taste, said Chiên.

“We will never forget aromatic flavour and tasty great calf dishes in the southern province of Tây Ninh," said Nguyễn Hoàng Hoa from Hà Nội.

Newly wed Hoa and her husband decided to make a honeymoon journey to Tây Ninh to tour the famous Bà Đen sacred mountain, enjoy the natural beauty of the landscapes and enjoy the local specialties, calf dishes cooked by skilled chefs.

Calf meat wrapped in rice noodle and rice paper is among top dishes. — Photo vietnam.vnanet.vn

Regarding the meat, local cook Chiên said a calf aged from five to six months old will provide in terms of quantity between 50-60 kilos per calf.

The calf meat is white soft, tasty with natural sweet compared with ordinary pink or red beef, said Chiên.

Hoa said she has eaten similar dishes in Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng but Tây Ninh calf dishes are different because they are naturally raised so the meat has faintly milk fragrance.

“Calf wrapped in rice paper is my most beloved dish because of its fresh meat eaten with fresh and healthy forest herbs and roots dipped in savoury, hand-made fermented fish sauce," she said.

Hotpot of calf meat and fresh herbs is popular with youngsters and foodies. — Photo botoquanmoc.com

She added that she and her husband also enjoyed calf fried with garlic, or bò tơ cháy tỏi, on a cast iron skillet, which is much enjoyed for its mixed taste, sweet and fragrant from the meat and garlic.

Calf shank salad which was once a specialty to offer to kings, is also favoured for its pure taste, crispy herbs, mixed with sour and sweet sauce topped with ground roasted peanut, said Chiên, noting that calf shank hotpot, with broth cooked from field crab, is also a special dish of Tây Ninh. The dish is unique when the soft and sweet calf meat is dipped in the broth and eaten with organic herbs such as coriander.