(VOVworld) Local food can tell tourists about culture and customs of the place they visit. We now explore traditional food of black Thai ethnic people in the northern province of Dien Bien.

Barbecue dishes are indispensable for the black Thai people (Photo: mocchautourism.vn)

Black Thai ethnic cuisine is famous for barbecue dishes, especially fish and pork. The barbecue is wrapped up in banana leaves with various herbal spices. Lo Thi Luong says the barbecue is a must for any festival banquet: “It’s easier to take dry food during holidays. Fridges help us store fresh meat for the barbecue anytime.”

Fish barbecue is famous for black Thai people. Fish is cleaned and added with chilli, forest pepper and other spices. Ms Luong says stream alga is another unique food, which requires skillful cooks: “The alga is cleaned up and washed carefully, then squeezed up to make it dry. Additive spices include garlic leaves, ginger, and forest pepper. All is wrapped in banana leaves before grill. Dried alga could be stored for later use in chicken soup.”

Black Thai ethnic cuisine is famous for barbecue dishes, especially fish and pork. The barbecue is wrapped up in banana leaves with various herbal spices. Lo Thi Luong says the barbecue is a must for any festival banquet: “Fish barbecue is famous for black Thai people. Fish is cleaned and added with chilli, forest pepper and other spices. Ms Luong says stream alga is another unique food, which requires skillful cooks: “The alga is cleaned up and washed carefully, then squeezed up to make it dry. Additive spices include garlic leaves, ginger, and forest pepper. All is wrapped in banana leaves before grill. Dried alga could be stored for later use in chicken soup.”

Dried alga can be used in various dishes such as salad, barbecue and mixed food. Ms Luong says stream alga is good for blood pressure stabilization and rehabilitation: “Stream alga is available in winter only, especially from October to December. They become wither and dry in other time of the year and not good for cooking. Fresh alga is best while dried alga is just for makeshift and fragrance.”

Black Thai is also good at cooking chicken dishes. Ca Van Dinh from Easter Dien Bien district: “We select chicken with soft meat and mix up with various spices so that the food is spicy, bitter and sour. It’s good for body digestion and metabolism. We could work the whole day without much sweat.”

Sticky rice is another famous food of Black Thai. The food is cook with steam and then pressed in moulds for all day use. Black Thai people’s creative cooking techniques are well established. They could make the best from materials available in any time of the year.

 Lan Anh