Snail vermicelli soup
In the cool winter months, Hanoians love to eat snail vermicelli soup. This dish is especially popular for breakfast. In the mornings, it’s cold on most street corners. The most striking feature of this soup is its mix of bright colors, which result from red tomatoes, yellow fried tofu, white snail meat and vermicelli noodles, and green herb. The broth should be clear and not too oily, salty, sweet or sour. It is a delicate balance. Eating snail vermicelli soup on a cold morning is a typically Hanoian pleasure.
Vietnamese snails wrapped in piper lolot leaves
This is a traditional Hanoi specialty. People grind pork meat and finely chop fresh snails. The minced meat and snails are mixed, along with chopped mushrooms and wood-ear fungus. This mixture is wrapped in piper lolot leaves and grilled. Piper lolot leaves are said to be warming and add crunch. This dish is popular as an appetizer.
Boiled snails
This dish looks very simple to make. People boil small or big snails in water with lemongrass. This dish is served with a sauce that consists of fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass, chili, and kumquat. Be sure to drink some of the tasty broth after eating snails.
