| Mì Quảng | |
| Country: | Vietnam |
| Region: | Quảng Nam Province |
| National Cuisine: | Vietnam |
| Course: | Main course |
| Type: | Noodle |
| Served: | Warm |
| Main Ingredient: | Rice noodles, shrimp or pork or chicken (sometimes fish or beef), various herbs |
| Minor Ingredient: | Turmeric, peanuts, toasted sesame rice crackers, chili peppers, lime |
Mì Quảng (also spelled mỳ Quảng), literally "Quảng noodles", is a Vietnamese noodle dish that originated in Quảng Nam Province in central Vietnam. It is one of the region's most popular and well-recognized food items, and is served on various occasions, such as at family parties, death anniversaries, and Tết. It is a common food item in Ðà Nẵng and the surrounding region, where it is eaten at any time of day.[1]
The main ingredients of mì Quảng are rice noodles, meat, and herbs, most commonly served with a small amount of broth, which is generally infused with turmeric. Peanut oil can also be added to make the dish more flavorful.[2] Wide rice noodles are placed atop a bed of fresh herbs in a bowl (or vice versa), and then warm or lukewarm broth and meat are added. The broth is usually strongly flavored and only a small amount of it is used, generally enough to partially cover the vegetables.[3]
Meats used in the dish may include one or more of the following: shrimp (Vietnamese: tôm), pork (Vietnamese: thịt heo), chicken (Vietnamese: gà), or even fish (Vietnamese: cá) or beef (Vietnamese: bò). The broth is made by simmering the meat in water or bone broth for a more intense flavor, seasoned with fish sauce, black pepper, shallot and garlic. Turmeric is often added to the broth, giving it a yellowish color.[4]
As with many Vietnamese dishes, mì Quảng is served with fresh herbs (Vietnamese: rau); commonly used herbs include Thai basil, cilantro (Vietnamese: ngò or Vietnamese: rau mùi), scallions or onion leaves, Vietnamese coriander (Vietnamese: rau răm), sliced banana flower (bắp chuối bào), and lettuce. A variety of other herbs may also be used in mì quảng, including common knotgrass (Vietnamese: rau đắng), water mint (Vietnamese: rau húng lủi), perilla (Vietnamese: rau tía tô), and heartleaf (Vietnamese: rau diếp cá).[5]
Mì Quảng is commonly garnished with peanuts and toasted sesame rice crackers called Vietnamese: [[bánh tráng|bánh tráng mè]], which sets the dish apart from other noodle dishes. Additional ingredients may include hard-boiled quail eggs, steamed pork sausage (Vietnamese: chả), or shredded pork rinds (Vietnamese: tóp mỡ). Lime juice and fresh chili peppers are often used as an added seasoning; other seasonings may include soy sauce or chili sauce.
Mì Quảng can also be served without broth, as a salad (Vietnamese: mì Quảng trộn).[6]
There is a Vietnamese saying about this dish:[7] [8]
This couplet describes a girl from Quảng Nam, a province on Vietnam's South Central Coast, who warmly invites her lover to drink a cup of tea and a bowl of mì Quảng, to show him the depth of her love for him.