From weddings to Lunar New Year, lau cu lao brings together families with flavor and flair.
This dish is a staple at holiday feasts, weddings, and ancestral ceremonies across Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Not only is it flavorful, but it’s also a visual delight.
Lau cu lao, a traditional dish in Delta feasts. Photo: Ky Anh Nguyen
Lau cu lao – also known as lau tho (breathing hotpot) or lau than (charcoal hotpot) – is a familiar sight at festive gatherings in the southern region. Served at the center of the table, this special hotpot is both delicious and artfully presented.
Its name comes from the shape of the pot. Locals in the Delta use a uniquely designed aluminum pot with a central chimney to hold burning charcoal. This chimney, rising from the middle of the pot, is reminiscent of the small islets – or “cu lao” – that dot the Mekong’s rivers. Around the chimney, a vibrant array of ingredients like shrimp, fish, pork, and vegetables reflect the abundance of the region.
With this design, the heat from the burning charcoal warms the broth without needing gas, alcohol, or electricity. Locals prefer tree charcoal for its steady, long-lasting burn and minimal ash.
“There was a time when people favored alcohol burners, gas, or electric pots for convenience and cleanliness, so lau cu lao became rare at wedding feasts or memorial meals,” said Huynh Tri Hung, a caterer in Hau Giang.
“But in recent years, it has reappeared as a regional specialty, especially when welcoming guests from afar.”
This Delta hotpot now features on restaurant menus. Photo: Lau cu lao eateryLau cu lao ingredients are diverse and colorful. Photo: Minh Nhat
Today, lau cu lao has been elevated to a culinary symbol of the region and is now featured on restaurant and hotel menus for visitors.
The broth may not be complicated but must be skillfully prepared to achieve clarity and a rich, fragrant sweetness. Pork bones (or chicken or duck bones) are simmered with vegetables like cabbage, jicama, sponge gourd, and daikon radish. Those who can afford it may also add dried squid or dried shrimp, carefully prepared to avoid a fishy smell.
Each province contributes its own twist to the dish. In An Giang, Dong Thap, and Hau Giang, fish and fish paste are staples. In Ca Mau and Bac Lieu, fresh shrimp and squid are often added.
Hau Giang is famous for snakehead fish paste. Locals pound it until it reaches the perfect chewy texture, season it with salt, sugar, ground pepper, and sautéed garlic, then shape it into bite-sized balls and steam them before adding them to the pot.
In An Giang, pig skin is a featured ingredient. It’s soaked in warm water and fresh ginger to eliminate odors, then cut into squares and sautéed with garlic, or sometimes deep-fried to serve as a crispy accompaniment.
Nguyen Ngoc Tra crafts a beautifully plated egg roll. Photo: NCVVA wide range of ingredients come together to form this complex dish. Photo: NVCC
Nguyen Ngoc Tra, 33, from Ho Chi Minh City, first encountered lau cu lao at Delta weddings and was so impressed by its delicate, vibrant presentation that he learned to make it himself.
According to Tra, crafting a visually and gastronomically satisfying lau cu lao takes time. The broth must be filtered multiple times to ensure clarity. Vegetables like carrots and radishes are carved into flower shapes and soaked in ice water to retain freshness and bloom beautifully.
The dish becomes even more intricate with the inclusion of egg rolls and cabbage rolls. “Eggs are fried thin and evenly golden on both sides. Pork paste must be kept cold to remain elastic when beaten,” Tra explained.
Cabbage rolls are made by blanching cabbage leaves and wrapping them around minced meat or pork paste, then tying them with blanched scallion leaves.
A lau cu lao pot can contain up to 20 different ingredients. Most are pre-cooked and carefully arranged before the hot broth is poured in. The glowing red charcoal in the center not only heats the broth but also enhances the aroma of the dish.
After a few minutes, once the broth begins to boil, diners lift the lid to a wave of fragrant steam that whets every appetite.
Lau cu lao is typically served with rice noodles or egg noodles, chrysanthemum greens, fried tofu, and crispy fried breadsticks.
“Lau cu lao is not just food,” said Tra, “it’s a rich part of the culinary culture of southern Vietnam – a dish that reflects local creativity and regional identity.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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