A fighting rooster hot pot served in Dong Thap Province’s Cao Lanh Town

A Mekong Delta town serves up its famous fighting roosters in a tasty tabletop hot pot.

The ga noi (a species of domesticated chicken) males are raised, trained and fed to fight since birth. The roosters that are badly wounded or killed in matches then become the main ingredient in lau ga da, a local hot pot dish.

Though getting your hands on a couple of dead fighting roosters might not be easy, making the dish is not difficult.

First, cut the whole bird into pieces, each with meat, bone and skin. Season the meat with salt, sugar, pepper, monosodium glutamate, rice wine and turmeric.

While the meat marinates, stew a pot of coconut milk with cu cai trang (Chinese radish) and crushed lemon grass. When the radishes are well-done and the lemon grass scent grows strong, add the spiced chicken and peanuts into the broth. Turn off the heat when the chicken becomes medium-done. Pour the soup into a smaller pot and put in on a portable stove or gas-cooker.

A small flame should be maintained while you enjoy the hot pot. The dish should be accompanied by round-cut slices of green luffa, cai be xanh (mustard greens), convolvulus and spring onions. Many people also enjoy the dish with spinach and rape.

The meat from the stew can be dipped in pure fish sauce, or fish sauce with minced lemon grass and chilli, or salt with chilli. The vegetables should be served on the side and dipped in the broth only long enough to make them wet and hot. The sweet chicken and the peanuts create a delicious flavor.

If you ever visit Cao Lanh, don’t miss a chance to try the fighting cock hot pot at Minh Quan Restaurant, located near the foot of Nguyen Van Tre Bridge. Minh Quan is well known for its delicious and cheap hot pots, which cost about VND50,000-70,000 (US$3-4.4) per serving.

Reported by Diem Thu