Among them, the green dragonfly (also known as “flying shrimp”) has been exploited as a food source for a long time and has gradually become famous in many provinces and cities, promoted as a rare specialty, with customers eagerly seeking to buy them.
Green dragonflies
Ms. Duong Thanh Mai, owner of a specialty shop serving the three regions of Hanoi, said that green dragonflies mainly appear during the rice season, divided into two periods: from late April to the end of July and from early August to the end of September.
These are also the times when dragonflies are considered to be of the best quality, with fatty and fragrant meat. Depending on the locality, the rice season may be earlier or later, so the time for dragonfly exploitation also varies.
According to Ms. Mai, green dragonflies are found in many northern provinces, especially in the Northwest due to the large rice-growing area. However, her shop mainly buys dragonflies from some provinces such as Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa.
Green dragonflies are considered a rare specialty
Usually, green dragonflies are priced between 600,000 and 800,000 VND per kg, depending on the time. At peak times, when the number of dragonflies exploited is not large, the price can go up to millions of VND per catty.
Among them, live dragonflies are more expensive than frozen dragonflies by 150,000 – 200,000 VND/kg. Ms. Mai shared, “Dragonflies are expensive because they are quite rare, and currently cannot be farmed, only caught in nature.”
Catching them is not simple either; each person, with a net, can catch at most only a few taels or a few pounds. Therefore, I often have to collect them from many households over many days to have enough to supply to customers.”
Green dragonflies
Dragonflies are simply processed; when cooking, minimal seasoning is needed to retain their natural fatty and delicious taste.
Despite their high price, equivalent to that of lobsters, green dragonflies are still sought after by many diners, who are willing to spend money to enjoy this specialty that evokes childhood memories.
“Every year, as the dragonfly season approaches, I have to order in advance for a month to be able to buy a little. When there are a lot, I buy 1-2 kg to freeze and eat gradually.”
“This year, due to floods, the rice fell a lot, and people in some places had to harvest early, so the number of dragonflies was also smaller,” said Ms. Thanh Nga, from Hoang Mai, Hanoi.
According to Ms. Nga, dragonflies can be made into some delicious dishes such as grilled, fried, and stir-fried with lemon leaves,…
Dragonfly dish with lemon leaves
After buying dragonflies, cut off their wings, antennae, and legs so that they are not tough when eaten. Before cooking, just rinse and process them, seasoning as desired.
Since dragonflies remain alive even after removing their wings, antennae, and legs, freezing them right away will ensure freshness and preserve their creamy, fatty taste.
Diners who have enjoyed dragonflies commented that this dish is fattier and more aromatic than grasshoppers. Especially the crispy fried dragonflies, sprinkled with finely chopped lemon leaves, are considered a favorite beer snack for men.
Live dragonflies are immediately frozen to prolong shelf life and facilitate transportation to distant provinces and cities
However, like many other insects, dragonflies can also cause allergies or, more seriously, food poisoning. Therefore, diners should be cautious when consuming and processing them into food to ensure health and food hygiene and safety.
