Two Vietnamese dishes join world's best mushroom creations

Updated: 12:57, 23/08/2024

International culinary magazine TasteAtlas has unveiled its list of the world's top mushroom dishes, with Vietnam's jellied pork and pork rind soup earning 46th and 60th spots.

The ranking is based on nearly 626,000 user ratings on the TasteAtlas website as of Aug. 16, with over 441,000 recognized as legitimate by the system.

A carrot slice is often put in the middle of the jellied pork for decoration.

Ranked 46th, jellied pork (thit dong) is a northern Vietnamese delicacy made by simmering pork, knuckles, skin, carrots, mushrooms and spices. Once cooked, it's cooled until it solidifies into a jelly-like texture.

Thit dong is often enjoyed during the Lunar New Year alongside pickled onions and a bowl of rice. It's also a winter favorite, historically used to preserve food during the colder months.

The dish features a rich, savory flavor, with shiitake and wood ear mushrooms adding their earthy notes. After soaking, cleaning, and finely chopping the mushrooms, they are simmered with the meat, and the dish can be stored for several days in northern Vietnam's chilly winter weather.

A bowl of canh bong often features carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and dried pork skin.

Canh bong, or pork rind soup, which earned the 60th spot, is a mildly sweet, clear soup popular in Hanoi and northern Vietnam, particularly during festivals. The main ingredient is dried pork skin. The pork skin is washed with ginger water and vinegar, then sun-dried and toasted to achieve its dried texture.

The soup's broth is made from pork bones, while carrots, onions, shiitake, wood ear mushrooms and sometimes pork meatballs are added. This dish embodies warmth and family reunion.

At the top of the list is Japan's ramen noodle soup, followed by Kuzu şiş, a Turkish lamb kebab, and Thailand's spicy and sour tom yum soup.