A: Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of VOV 24/7’s“Food delight”. We’re A and B. We’re very happy to be on the air with you. 

B: Hello, you guys. If you’re wondering what to eat to change your boring daily routine, let me suggest some super-tasty fermented buffalo skin.
A: Oh, B. I think you’ve got something wrong. Buffalo skin is used to make tipis, clothing, saddles, and water-bags. But buffalo skin can’ be eaten, B. How did you come up with that crazy idea?
B: I didn’t invent the recipe.Actually, it’s a traditional dish of the Thai ethnic minority in Vietnam’s northern mountains. The dish has existed for hundreds of years and has been passed down for generations. I tried some, cooked by a Thai woman, and it was so delicious that I ate the whole plate.
A: That’s unbelievable, B. Buffalo skin is even used to make drums because it is so tough and thick. Thai housewives must be clever to turn it into a culinary specialty.
B: If I hadn’t seen the process first-hand, I would never imagine that such a tender dish could be made from such a hard skin. My family enjoyed it very much.
A: Wow. Making the dish is very complicated, I guess.

Fermented buffalo skin is a traditional dish of the Thai ethnic minority in Vietnam’s northern mountains (Source: dulichmocchau.net)

B: It is, but it’s worth the effort. Mrs. Hoang ThiTheu, who cooked the dish for me, said that it took a month for one batch of fermented buffalo skin. Theuwill explain how to prepare the dish. “The skin should be fresh skin taken from a 6 to 7-year-old male buffalo. The skin is first held over a fire to burn all the hair off. Scrape off the burnt part of the skin pieces until it turns pale yellow and soak it in cold water for an hour. The skin is then boiled for an hour over a medium fire before soaking it in salt water.The boiled skin is then sliced into thin pieces and soaked in warm water mixed with lemon juice to make it soft and fragrant.” 

A: The process seems complicated, B.
B: That’s why fermented buffalo skin is made only when Thai people have special guests or on special occasions like weddings, funerals, and ritual ceremonies. Along with rice in bamboo tube, cone wine, and grilled fish, buffalo skin is one dish you should try if you visit the region.
A: But how about the fermentation? Is this different from other fermented dishes?
B: Of course. Theu will tell us how to ferment this dish. “The slices are marinated with special spices including galangal powder, fresh galangal, garlic, grilled rice powder, salt, chilli, white wine, and Sẻn seed, which is a special seed of the northern region. The mixture is then stored in a sealed pot to ferment for 1 week in summer, or up to 3 weeks in winter. Fermented buffalo skin can be eaten alone or added to other dishes, such as buffalo skin salad.”

Fermented buffalo skin can be eaten alone or added to other dishes, such as buffalo skin salad (Source: dulichmocchau.net)

B: Well, A. Fermentation not only prolongs shelf life, it also enhances the flavor of foods, adding a nice tang and effervescence. Buffalo skin’s crispness and gentle sourness will add a special flavor to any meal. 

A: The Thai cuisine uses ingredients and techniques found nowhere else in the world and this fermented buffalo skin is one of the finest dishes you will ever taste. Have you tried any fermented foods? Share with us your favourites, so we can add them to our list.
B: For more recipes, visit vovworld.vn/ Food-delight, where some great dishes are already waiting. Join us next week for more tips on diversifying your menu. And now, good bye.
A: Bye.