The noodle dish that you eat while covering your nose and eating is only available in Gia Lai, it looks creepy but try it once again…addicted

If you have the opportunity to travel to Gia Lai and happen to smell an unpleasant smell when passing a restaurant, you will have to stop to see where that scent is coming from and what it is. The Gia Lai specialty that gives off a scent that makes diners “run away” is none other than rotten crab noodles.

Stepping into a rotten crab noodle shop, you will have to wince when you see pots of black broth with a thick layer of crab bricks, emitting a strong, “characteristic” scent. What makes this “smelly” dish become a dish that you will definitely have to taste when traveling to the Central Highlands?

Rotten crab noodle (or crab noodle soup) is a dish originating from the Binh Dinh people who migrated to this land. However, when in Gia Lai, rotten crab noodles became famous and became a unique feature of mountain town cuisine.

This noodle dish has such a unique scent due to the fermentation process for sour fermented crab juice. When bought, the crabs are washed, dipped in boiling water to faint (not to die) so that the crabs are not caught in the hands, the workers easily peel off the shells. The filtered meat is pureed and incubated for 1-2 days until the smell is brought out to cook.

The pot of crab-brick broth will be seasoned so that it is slightly spicy and saltier than usual to reduce the fishyness. The fermented crab juice is cooked with stir-fried pork belly with a special ingredient, thinly sliced ​​bamboo shoots. The longer the crab paste is cooked, the stronger the flavor and aroma will be.

Because of such a special way of processing, rotten crab noodles have such a strong smell that even if you are a few houses away from the store, you can easily smell it. This is also the most challenging dish when visitors come to this land, if not suitable you will have to throw away the whole bowl of vermicelli, but if you are lucky, you may become addicted to the unpleasant smell but strong flavor. momentum of this dish.

And also because of such picky eaters, for first-timers, each bowl used is a small bowl, just as big as a fist. Crab fish sauce is used in a very small amount (like the amount of water used for Quang noodles).

When brought out, a bowl of rotten crab noodles is simply a small handful of vermicelli, a few bamboo shoots, filled with crab broth, then added with fried onion fat and dried pork skin. Served with vermicelli will be raw vegetables and braised duck eggs in a pot of broth if you have a need. In addition, the shop owner also often serves more rolls, rolls, and spring rolls so that diners can eat more. Eat rotten crab vermicelli with chili, lemon and mix raw vegetables to enjoy. If you eat a lot of raw vegetables and find it pale, you can add seasoning sauce that is always available on the table.

Rotten crab noodles have a very strong smell, especially when smelled up close. Even after eating, the smell of crab still lingers in the mouth. So rotten crab noodles are a controversial dish, people who can’t stand the smell will find it difficult to eat. But if you can eat it, you will feel its own rich, spicy taste. Even that strong, rich broth has become addictive for many people.

Many people believe that rotten crab noodles should be enjoyed in the rainy season. The reason is because at this time the crab meat will be firmer and more fragrant. In addition, because of the long rainy season in Gia Lai, every afternoon it turns cold, enjoying a rich and spicy bowl of vermicelli has become a habit of many Gia Lai people who love the special taste of crab noodle soup.