Travelers to Huế often feel amazed when seeing the way Huế people eat. They eat a lot of chili, “Ớt” in Vietnamese. If they call that is real Hue food, they do mean spicy food. Why? You may ask.
Why do Hue people like eating spicy food?
The territory of the nowadays Huế used to belong to the realm of Champa, where Cham people lived. Since 14th century, the Việt from the North came here more and more. They recognized that to avoid physical illness due to climate changes, they must learn to eat like the Cham people. That means using a lot of spice and chili.
It is true that this region is affected by monsoon, very cold and humid in the winter. Easy to get sick. Thus eating hot and spicy helps to balance the Ying and Yang. The warm features of chili keep Huế people healthy in severe conditions.
But others say that because of the poverty, we use chili to wake up all the taste buds to have a fake perception that all the food is delicious.
How much spicy is spicy? The infamous Tiên Nộn chili
There are several varieties of chilli in Huế. “Ớt Xanh” green chili is not very spicy, preferred by “amateur”, like the “la vache qui rit” cheese. “Ớt hiểm” tough and striking chili, or “ớt chỉ thiên” skying pointing chili are the most temptating. However, Huế people like the most is the chili from Tien Nộn village, with it light green yellow color, with special flavor and tasty. This village is endowed by the alluvial soil after the year flood from the Perfume River thus the farming products have good taste and quality.
Want to explore Tien Non chili plantation? Check out!
5 hours, boat and bike immersive tour to the countryside.
In a Huế garden, chili is planted nearby the kitchen for cooking purpose but also decorating this area more lively and appealing. Chili is eaten in various ways. Biting a whole fresh chili, sliced and dipped in fish sauce, making dried chili powder or satay, mixed in fermented fishes, shrimp.
As a matter of fact, Huế food is very spicy. One of the survival Vietnamese phrases that we teach our guests joining the Evening Foodie and Cyclo Tour is “Làm ơn, không CAY!”. If you don’t want to be knocked down by Huế’s spice, do learn by heart and practice when possible “Làm ơn, không CAY!” meaning “No SPICY, please!”.
