Unveiling the Renowned River Countryside Delicacy: Kitchen Snails

Snail dishes are beloved by many people. However, there is a special snail dish, exclusive to the West of the river, known as the kitchen snail dish. Let’s explore this dish with Bach Hoa XANH through the following article!

First What is a kitchen snail?

The kitchen snail dish is a specialty dish from the Dong Thap region, renowned for its unique and distinctive flavor that leaves everyone who tries it addicted. The main ingredient of this dish is the Lac snail. This type of snail is similar to the yellow apple snail with its large body and yellow shell, but what sets it apart is its sweet and crispy flesh, which is more firm compared to the soft texture of apple snail meat.

The Lac snail species is also an important source of income for the people of Dong Thap, making it a prominent raw material for this dish. To create the kitchen snail dish, the cook carefully selects large, intact snails, cleans the mud from their shells, and places them in a bamboo basket lined with rice husk.

Kitchen snail dish is a specialty dish of Dong Thap region

Subsequently, the snails are hung on the kitchen rig in the house. As the household cooks rice, the kitchen smoke rises and smokes the basket. The snails are left to smoke in the wind for 4-5 months until they meet the desired criteria. They are then taken down, placed in a basket, and processed into various dishes.

In the highlands, the meat of the kitchen snails will shrivel, dry, and roast after being marinated and smoked for a period of time. In contrast, in the river region like Dong Thap, which faces year-round flooding, the snails remain plump and alive despite being “steamed” for 4-5 months. The meat of these snails is clean and free from the fishy smell or moss commonly found in other snail species.

At this stage, the plump snails are transformed into a variety of dishes, becoming a delicacy that anyone visiting Dong Thap desires to taste.

Snails will be smoked for 4-5 months in the wind and still live healthy, the meat is better

2 How to enjoy kitchen snails

The people of Dong Thap often cook kitchen snail dishes to treat guests during Tet or special occasions. These dishes can also be given as gifts. Typically, the snails are steamed with lemongrass to preserve their original freshness and flavor.

Let the kitchen snail suck milk or eggs

Firstly, a pot containing 4-5 ripe fruits or blended fruits is prepared. The snails are then added to the pot to satisfy their hunger after months of steaming. This process takes approximately 20 minutes.

Next, the pot is placed on the stove with a liner underneath. A little water is added, and the snails are placed on the stove and covered with a lid. They are then steamed for 10 minutes until fully cooked. At this point, the kitchen snail dish is ready to be enjoyed. The snails can be rotated a few times to enhance their readiness.

Steamed with lemongrass, dipped in ginger fish sauce is delicious

Finally, the snails are removed from the pot and allowed to cool in a basket. When enjoying the dish, a toothpick is used to extract the snail meat, which can be dipped in sauces or eaten plain. The meat of these large snails is clean, sweet, crispy, crunchy, and chewy, offering a delicious combination of savory, spicy, sour, and greasy flavors.

Above is the information about the delicious kitchen snail dish, which will surely win the hearts of anyone who tastes it. We hope that through this article, you have discovered a new specialty dish from the West and gained interesting knowledge.