Cao Lau Noodles: A Treasure of Vietnamese Cuisine
Quang Nam is a famous land that not only attracts tourists by its beautiful natural landscape, but also by its unique culinary culture, bearing the imprint of the region. Among them, Cao Lau Noodle – a famous dish of Hoi An ancient town has long become a symbol when mentioning Quang Nam cuisine. With its unique delicious flavor, Cao Lau noodles have conquered the taste of local people and left an unforgettable impression in the hearts of diners near and far.
Introduction to Cao Lau Noodles – Famous dish in Hoi An, Quang Nam
Cao Lau is one of the most typical and famous dishes of Hoi An, Quang Nam. Appearing since the 17th century when Hoi An port became a bustling trading point under the Nguyen Dynasty, Cao Lau is a delicious dish bearing the historical and cultural imprint of this land. The name “Cao Lau” has a unique origin, originating from the fact that this dish is often served on the upper floors of restaurants in Hoi An ancient town. When coming to enjoy Cao Lau, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy delicious food while admiring the scenery from above, creating a memorable culinary experience.
Cao Lau is not only a noodle dish but also the crystallization of many cultural and historical elements, especially the fusion between Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Since the 17th century, Hoi An has become an important stopover for Japanese and Chinese merchants. Their presence brought economic prosperity and made an important contribution to the development of local cuisine. It is from that influence that Cao Lau gradually took shape and became a culinary symbol of Hoi An ancient town.
One of the factors that makes Cao Lau unique is the noodles. Cao Lau noodles are made from rice flour, but the processing requires elaborateness, especially the water used to soak the rice must be taken from Ba Le well – a famous ancient well in Hoi An. This water is said to create a unique flavor for the noodles. After being soaked, the noodles will be steamed many times instead of boiled, creating a characteristic toughness and light yellow color.
Cao Lau is often served with char siu, shrimp, raw vegetables, bean sprouts and crispy grilled rice paper. The char siu is carefully marinated, creating a rich flavor. The accompanying raw vegetables are often from Tra Que village, famous for its natural herbs, without the use of chemicals.
Cao Lau is not only a dish, but also the crystallization of Hoi An culture, history and cuisine. This dish carries the story of the exchange of cultures during the prosperous trading period and has become the pride of the people here. When coming to Hoi An, enjoying a bowl of Cao Lau is a great way to fully experience the flavor and history of this land.
The main ingredients that make up Cao Lau Noodles
Cao Lau noodles are a harmonious combination of exquisite ingredients. To create the uniqueness of this dish, the main ingredients are carefully selected and meticulously processed, each ingredient brings a distinct flavor and feeling, creating an unforgettable attractive whole.
- Noodles: The most outstanding feature of Cao Lau is the thick, chewy noodles with a characteristic light brown color. Made from rice soaked in Ba Le well water and mixed with ash from Cu Lao Cham island, creating a unique softness and crispness. The noodles have a strange flavor, so enjoy them slowly to fully appreciate their deliciousness.
- Pork: The pork in Cao Lau is usually the soft lean part, grilled or char siu. The fragrant pork is soaked in spices, bringing a rich flavor to the dish. The meat is grilled to perfection, retaining the softness inside and the characteristic aroma of the grilling or char siu process, adding to the appeal of the bowl of noodles.
- Raw vegetables: An indispensable part of Cao Lau is fresh raw vegetables, including green vegetables, herbs, bean sprouts and other typical vegetables of Hoi An. The freshness of raw vegetables helps balance the rich flavor of meat and noodles, while bringing a light, cool feeling to the diner.
- Sauce: Unlike other noodle dishes, Cao Lau only uses just enough sauce to moisten the noodles without making them too soft. The rich sauce, cooked from traditional ingredients, contributes to the flavor of the dish, but still retains the crispiness of the noodles. This is the unique point that makes Cao Lau different and special.
- Pork rind: Pork rind is an added ingredient that helps make Cao Lau different. Crispy, fatty pieces of pork rind bring a rich, crunchy feeling in the mouth. Pork rind will add a fatty taste, creating the richness of the dish.
- Accompanying spices: To complete the flavor, Cao Lau is often served with spices such as soy sauce, fresh chili and lemon. These spices help diners adjust the flavor of the dish to their personal taste, adding more fun to the enjoyment process.
Each ingredient of Cao Lau noodles contribute to the completeness of the dish, from the noodles, pork, raw vegetables to the sauce, pork rinds and spices. All combine to create a dish that is both rich and sophisticated, imbued with the distinct flavor and style of Hoi An.
Instructions on how to make delicious, authentic Cao Lau noodles
To make a delicious, authentic bowl of Cao Lau, you need to prepare special ingredients and follow the meticulous processing procedure. Here are detailed instructions:
1. Prepare ingredients
- Quang Nam Rice: Choose firm, unbroken rice to make noodles. This type of rice helps the noodles to be chewy and crispy.
- Ba Le Well Water: Water from Ba Le Well in Hoi An has special minerals, which help to make the noodles crispy. If not available, you can use clean water, but it will not achieve the same standard as the original dish.
- Ash from Cu Lao Cham Island: This is an important ingredient to help create a light brown color for the noodles.
- Pork: Choose lean shoulder or belly to grill or roast with char siu. This part of the meat is soft and fragrant when processed.
- Raw vegetables: Use herbs, green vegetables, bean sprouts and fresh raw vegetables.
- Pork rinds: To add crunchiness and richness to the dish.
- Spices: Salt, sugar, soy sauce, pepper, cooking oil, five-spice powder.
- Broth: Cooked from pork bones to create richness for the dish.
2. How to make Cao Lau noodles
- Soaking rice: The rice is soaked in Ba Le well water for a few hours, helping the rice absorb water and soften.
- Kneading the dough: After soaking, the rice is ground into a fine flour. Next, mix the rice flour with ash from Cu Lao Cham to create color and crispness for the noodles. The dough needs to be kneaded thoroughly until smooth and supple.
- Rolling and cutting the noodles: After kneading, the dough is rolled thinly, steamed and cut into long strands. Cao Lau noodles are light brown and have a characteristic chewy crunchy texture when eaten.
3. Pork processing
- Marinating the pork: The pork is marinated with salt, sugar, pepper, five-spice powder and a little soy sauce for about 30 minutes to absorb the spices.Β
- Grilling or roasting the meat: After marinating, the meat is grilled or roasted until the outside is crispy, beautifully golden brown, and the inside is tender and juicy. Then, the meat is cut into thin, bite-sized slices.
4. How to make broth
- Cooking the broth: Cao Lau broth is made from pork bones, seasoned with a little salt and sugar to create a natural sweetness. Unlike other noodle dishes, Cao Lau broth is used sparingly, mainly to drizzle lightly over the noodles, not as much water as pho or vermicelli.
5. Presentation and enjoyment
- Arrange the noodles in a bowl: First, the steamed noodles will be placed in a bowl.
- Add raw vegetables: Arrange raw vegetables such as bean sprouts, herbs, and green vegetables on top of the noodles to create freshness.
- Add pork: Place thinly sliced ββgrilled pork on top.
- Drizzle broth: Lightly drizzle a small amount of pork bone broth over the bowl of noodles to create moisture while still maintaining the crispiness of the noodles.
- Add fried pork rinds: Finally, sprinkle crispy fried pork rinds on top to create extra richness and crispiness.
Notes when enjoying: Cao Lau is best eaten with fresh raw vegetables and you can add a little chili sauce if you like spicy taste. The combination of chewy and crispy noodles, soft and fragrant pork, rich broth, fresh raw vegetables and crispy pork fat will bring a unique and attractive flavor to the dish. Enjoy each bite to fully feel the sophistication of Hoi An cuisine.
Read more: Hoi An nigtlife β A hidden beauty that you cannot miss
Some places to enjoy delicious Cao Lau noodles in Hoi An
Cao Lau is a favorite dish of Hoi An people and is widely sold here. Below are some reputable addresses where you can enjoy delicious Cao Lau in Hoi An:
Cao Lau Hoi An Thanh
Address: 26 Thai Phien, Hoi An, Quang Nam
Cao Lau Thanh Restaurant is known as one of the oldest Cao Lau restaurants in Hoi An. The flavor of the dishes here is rich and traditional, making many diners come back after the first time. The restaurant space is clean and tidy but a bit small, often crowded during peak hours. However, the quality of the dishes is always guaranteed, bringing a complete culinary experience to visitors.
Cao Lau Ba Le
Address: 45/3 Tran Hung Dao, Hoi An, Quang Nam
Cao Lau Ba Le is famous for its traditional recipe, creating a unique and unmistakable flavor. The dishes here are carefully prepared from the selection of ingredients to the cooking method. In addition to Cao Lau, the restaurant also serves many other specialties of Hoi An such as Quang noodles and chicken rice, meeting the diverse needs of diners. This is an ideal address for those who want to explore local cuisine.
Cao Lau Co Lien
Address: 21 Thai Phien, Minh An Ward, Hoi An, Quang Nam
With over 30 years of existence, Ms. Lien’s Cao Lau restaurant is a familiar address for locals and tourists. The Cao Lau dish here retains its traditional flavor, with the perfect combination of chewy noodles and delicious char siu pork. The restaurant is quite crowded, so you should come early to avoid running out of dishes.
Ba Be Cao Lau
Address: Hoi An Market Food Court, Tran Phu, Hoi An, Quang Nam
Located in Hoi An market, Cao Lau Ba Be restaurant brings the rustic and simple atmosphere of a traditional restaurant. This is a familiar restaurant for many generations of Hoi An people. With a simple space and affordable prices, the restaurant is an ideal choice for those who want to enjoy the local flavors at the traditional market.
Cao Lau Hoi An Central North
Address: 87 Tran Phu, Hoi An, Quang Nam
Cao Lau Hoi An Trung Bac is over 100 years old, one of the oldest Cao Lau restaurants in Hoi An. The Cao Lau here has a rich ancient flavor, closely associated with the history and culture of Hoi An people. Not only attracting locals, the restaurant is also a favorite stop for many tourists when coming to the old town. The traditional flavor and cozy space make each time enjoying here a memorable experience.
If you have the opportunity to visit Hoi An, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy Cao Lau at the above addresses. Each restaurant brings a unique experience, from the space, flavor to the story behind the dish. In particular, to have the most perfect trip, do not forget to check out the rooms at Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness – a 5-star luxury resort located on Binh Minh beach
