5 Hearty Hanoi Porridge Delights: Street Food Treats Best Enjoyed with Chopsticks

Pork rib porridge never goes out of style.

This humble dish stands out among the myriad of street foods in the capital, enticing diners with its subtle and delicate flavors. A bowl of pork rib porridge typically costs between 15,000 and 20,000 VND, and some places even offer smaller bowls for just 10,000 VND, making it affordable for people of all ages.

The porridge is made with a combination of glutinous rice and regular rice, simmered for hours until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. The pork ribs are left whole, thoroughly cleaned, and then cooked together with the porridge to enhance its natural sweetness. The secret lies in the lengthy cooking process, ensuring that the porridge becomes thick and creamy, absorbing the sweet and savory flavors from the bones without overcooking the meat.

The porridge is best enjoyed with deep-fried dough sticks (“quẩy”) for a truly satisfying meal.

Clam Porridge

Clam porridge is another humble yet beloved dish among Hanoi locals, especially as an afternoon or late-night snack. The smooth and creamy porridge, combined with stir-fried clams, makes for a delicious and satisfying meal any time of day.

Clam porridge is a true Hanoi specialty.

The porridge is cooked with pork bones and clam broth, while the clams are stir-fried until fully cooked and then added to the porridge. Each bowl of clam porridge has a subtle sweetness and a smooth, creamy texture. Diners can enhance the flavor by adding chili paste, black pepper, Vietnamese coriander, or fried shallots to taste.

In Hanoi, the most famous clam porridge stalls are often not found in fancy restaurants but rather in simple stalls located in small alleys and streets, easily accessible to all.

Offal Porridge

While offal porridge is available throughout Vietnam, Hanoi’s version has a unique flavor that sets it apart. A complete bowl of offal porridge includes a variety of ingredients such as liver, heart, blood, stuffed intestine, and sliced meat, all for the affordable price of just 25,000 VND.

Don’t forget to try the delicious offal porridge.

The porridge has a distinctively savory and slightly sweet flavor, cooked to a consistency that is neither too thick nor too thin. The rice grains are soft and bloomed, infused with the aroma of toasted rice, shallots, and ginger. The offal porridge is typically served with herbs, soy sauce, or a chili fish sauce dip, creating an irresistible combination of flavors.

Bean and Pickled Vegetable Porridge

Bean and pickled vegetable porridge is a nostalgic dish for many Hanoians, evoking childhood memories. This light and refreshing dish consists of soft porridge made from mung beans or black beans and regular rice, accompanied by golden-fried beans coated in scallions and crispy pickled vegetables. Some places even add pickled turnips (“ca la thầu”) or salted duck eggs for an extra twist.

Bean and pickled vegetable porridge is perfect for the summer heat.

When served, the fried beans and scallions are added to the bowl of porridge, creating a unique blend of flavors and textures. The smooth and creamy porridge, the crispy and savory fried beans, and the salty and crunchy pickled vegetables come together in perfect harmony. This dish is especially popular during the hot summer months, providing a refreshing and nourishing meal.

You can find this delicious porridge at various locations, including the sidewalk stalls at 51 Đào Duy Từ, 5 Hàng Vôi, alley 192 Kim Mã, or alley 252 Tây Sơn, with prices ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 VND per bowl.

Se Porridge

Se porridge is a unique variation of the traditional rice porridge, made by grinding regular rice into a fine powder and then forming it into long strands. At first glance, this porridge may resemble the bánh canh (rice noodle soup) of southern Vietnam, but the key difference lies in the handmade rice strands, which give it a softer and more delicate texture.

Se porridge is a special treat.

The porridge is topped with meat, sesame seeds, and various seasonings to taste. The preparation, presentation, and even the way it is eaten differ from other types of porridge. Se porridge is best enjoyed with chopsticks due to the long, noodle-like strands.

To sample this unique dish, you can visit the village of Hạ Mỗ, where numerous local eateries serve this specialty. Alternatively, you can find it at several restaurants in Thái Hà and Chùa Láng, with prices starting at just 35,000 VND per bowl.