Tho O sauce (also known as Thua O sauce, rotten sauce) is a unique specialty of the Black Thai people in Son La , most popular in Chieng Sung commune (old Mai Son district).
In Thai, “thua” means bean, “o” means to ferment. “Thua o” is boiled soybeans that are fermented and then pounded with some spices, creating a thick, viscous dipping sauce, commonly used in the daily meals of the Black Thai people in Son La.
The raw sauce has an attractive orange color.
Ms. Lo Thi Luu - owner of a facility making raw soy sauce in Chieng Den village (Chieng Sung commune, Son La province) said that to make delicious soy sauce, you must choose beans that have been dried thoroughly and have an ivory color.
The selected beans must be firm, shiny, round and not moldy, cracked or wilted to avoid affecting the quality and taste of the dish. “Quality input materials will make the soy sauce even more delicious,” she said.
Soybeans are carefully selected, boiled, fermented and pounded with some local spices such as salt, chili...
According to this woman, after being carefully selected, the soybeans are washed and stewed for 10-12 hours. Then, they are taken out and drained.
Next, ferment the soybeans with banana leaves, put them in ventilated containers such as baskets, sieves or crates... then place them on the kitchen shelf or near the kitchen to ferment the beans.
Under the influence of heat from the stove, soybeans begin to change to a salty, rich taste and give off a characteristic strong aroma. At that time, people will take out the beans, mash them with some familiar spices such as garlic, chili powder, salt...
“The incubation time for soybeans to be pounded is about 3-4 days (depending on weather conditions). In summer, the incubation time is shorter than in winter.
This is also the most difficult step, requiring experience from the maker. Because if the fermentation is not done for enough days or too long, or if it is not covered properly, the soy sauce can become spoiled, moldy, and must be thrown away,” Ms. Luu shared.
After pounding, you can eat it immediately or leave it for another 7-10 days to let the spices blend.
After grinding the soybeans with spices, people will pour the finished product into a large basin. At this stage, people can mix a little wine into the soy sauce to remove the smell and add boiled water to cool the mixture to prevent it from drying out.
Next, they divide the soy sauce into bottles, jars or pots and then cover them tightly to preserve and use gradually. “After pounding and mixing, the soy sauce can be eaten immediately, but it is best to leave it for about another week so that the spices blend together and develop a characteristic aroma.
Because it is processed through a fermentation process like some other dipping sauces, the raw soy sauce also has a light musty smell. Those who are not used to it may find it unpleasant to smell, but once they get used to it, they will praise it," the woman in Son La added.
After pounding and mixing the spices, people can shape the sauce into small pieces the size of leaves to preserve dry or add cooled boiled water, stir well into a thick mixture and then leave it to ferment in a wet form.
For convenience, especially when traveling far away, the Black Thai people also shape the raw soy sauce into small pieces like leaves, dry them until they become hard, and then store them in the kitchen.
When going to work in the fields, they will roast the dried soy sauce and bring it with them, eating it with sticky rice or hot rice is both delicious.
In Son La, the raw fish sauce is commonly used and is a dipping sauce that regularly appears in the daily meals of local people.
When eating, people add a little MSG or sugar, herbs to reduce the saltiness of the sauce and harmonize the flavor.
Raw soy sauce combined with boiled wild vegetables is delicious.
This type of sauce can be combined with boiled dishes such as boiled vegetables, boiled bamboo shoots, boiled eggplant, boiled meat or used as a spice to marinate grilled meat, mix with eggs and then steam... all delicious.
Raw soy sauce should be stored in a cool, dry place to avoid flies. The longer the soy sauce is stored, the better it tastes.
“This sauce is like a versatile Thai dipping sauce, delicious when eaten with wild vegetables or tofu,” said Ms. Luu.
Photo: Thuy Vigo
Vietnamnet.vn
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dac-san-nang-mui-o-son-la-khong-phai-ai-cung-dam-thu-an-kem-rau-rung-rat-ngon-2426170.html
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