In Hai Duong city, there is a shop that has been selling porridge for over 35 years. It is so delicious that it is called 'pork porridge'.
Delicious food from the subsidy period
In the small alley 53 Bui Thi Cuc street (Hai Duong city), there is a small porridge shop. No sign, no name, but people often call it Mrs. Nga's porridge because this is the shop of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nga.
At first, many people do not know what porridge is or what ingredients it is made from, but this is actually a dish that has existed for a long time. Mrs. Nga has been selling this dish for over 35 years. Before that, her mother-in-law sold it during the subsidy period.
Chao khoai lam is porridge made from rice flour, eaten with meat, beans, onions, and fat, so it has a rich, fatty, and fragrant taste. This is a delicious dish that not everyone knows about and knows how to cook.
In 1989, Mrs. Nga quit her job as a porter at Cong Cau Port and went back to learn how to cook porridge from her mother-in-law and was taught by her younger siblings to sell. At that time, she carried porridge to sell from Tran Phu Street to the old forest products market (now Le Thanh Nghi Ward People's Committee area) then to Mac Thi Buoi, to Ngan Son, to Bui Thi Cuc, and that was it.
The porridge stall is heavy, Mrs. Nga is tiny but has been with her for many years, supporting her whole family. Later, she found a permanent place to sell to make it less difficult. Currently, she sells near her house, at the beginning of lane 53, Bui Thi Cuc street (Hai Duong city). The lunch boxes containing meat and beans that Mrs. Nga is using are older than her porridge stall because they are all from the subsidy period.
The delicious bowls of porridge, which were first sold for only 5 cents a bowl, now cost 15,000 - 20,000 VND a bowl, which is still a cheap and reasonable price for a delicious dish.
Asked about the origin of the name "khoai porridge", Mrs. Nga happily explained: "This dish is delicious and fun, so it is called khoai porridge".
From children to the elderly all love it
Mrs. Nga's small stall is simple and plain, just like her food, but it is loved by many people because it is easy to eat.
Porridge is made from fine flour so everyone can eat it. It takes more than 3 hours from the time it is cooked until it is done. It is served with mashed green beans, fried onions and crispy pork fat. Some people enjoy it just by eating it, while others order minced meat to go with it.
Ms. Nga said that customers here are of all ages, from children still eating porridge to elderly people in their nineties and one hundred years old, also come to eat or buy take-out. Because of its delicious and unique taste, her food is also popular with young people in Hai Duong, who post clips on social networks to let more people know about it. Last week, two young men even came from Hanoi to eat her porridge because they learned about it through social networks.
Mrs. Nga also has long-time customers who are neighbors in her neighborhood. When asked about an elderly customer who was eating porridge at her stall, he said: "I have been eating porridge here for a long time, from the time her mother-in-law cooked it until now, her cooking is still delicious, with the same full flavor."
In the cold winter weather, sitting in a small alley eating a bowl of hot, smooth, fatty porridge, watching the rhythm of street life on the days before Tet is also an interesting experience.
For many people here, it is also a habit, eating porridge together, telling stories about life, asking about each other's health and work.
SNOW WIND