VietNamNet Bridge – While heat waves are making life miserable in the country’s south, it is cool in the northwestern upland where temperatures range from 20 to 28 degrees Celsius, so it is a great hideaway for those wanting to escape the hot summer.

A family in the northwest prepares steamed pork from wild boar, one of the most popular dishes in the northwest

Apart from the magnificent landscapes and comfortable weather, the northwestern region which includes Son La, Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces is famous for its specialties that can hardly be found anywhere else in the country.

Dishes are made from homegrown ingredients, so diners from other parts of the country can feel a special taste.

The first dish that should be recommended is wild boar, which is locally called “cap nach” pig (which means “pig can be carried under one’s armpit”) since it weighs seven to ten kilos.

These small pigs feed themselves in the forest for two years before they are slaughtered for meat. The dishes made from this pig, particularly grilled and steamed pork, emit tasteful flavors.

Boiled bamboo sprouts

The second mouthwatering specialty is wild bamboo sprout. These sprouts are brought directly from the forest to the local market by ethnic minority people in the region. They have a slightly bitter taste and are usually boiled to use with soybean jam. Another dish which is processed and served in the same way as bamboo sprout is chayote. Young chayote fruits are picked for boiling and then used with salt and sesame while chayote shoots are fried with garlic.

Tourists to the northwest should not miss the purple stick rice. It is cooked from the best type of rice in the region and has an eye-catching pinky purple color that comes from a type of leaf found in the forest which locals say is good for health.

One more dish that is also famous is stream fish. The fish are as small as two fingers combined and can be deep fried or grilled.

SGT