Because not going to eat baked goods in winter, you lose half of the enjoyment of life.

A row of baked goods on Quan Thanh Street is already full at 8pm.

On days when the temperature is low, the spirit of the people living in Hanoi increases. Not only morning gifts, afternoon gifts anymore, now people eat all night gifts. If in the past, going to dinner at night, most of them had to work late shifts, stopped by the side of the street to eat to avoid hunger, now it is a hobby of all genders, all ages and different classes.

The elderly, after going running, practicing at night, making beer together, eating hot porridge bowls. Young people, bored to go out to play, they drop into a toad shop, a corner of the street, rubbing their hands slightly because of the cold, while making a bowl of pho, a dish of mannequins and chattering. Sister association after taking care of family, forming a guild to go to the street while having snacks and confiding, sniffing drama … Just like that, eating at night is not only a story about satisfying the screaming stomach, but also an excuse for dating. , to open up together, to enjoy the cold of the North’s winter days.

Night gifts have enough dishes, enough restaurants, this is hot pot, snail, pho, salad, rolls, is porridge, duck … But the most popular, most suitable for the weather, stimulates everything. senses, must be baked. The smoky smoke likes the eyes, the fragrant aroma that hits the nose brings the “protest” in the stomach, the crispy, crunchy or semen of barbecue meat spreads in the mouth … makes anyone There, even after eating a full dinner, it is hard to resist.

Hot grilled pans with beef, mai street, squid … are always an interesting choice for winter.

Talking about baking, the shops in Hanoi offer all kinds of baked goods. About 4-5 years ago, the sapa grill style was the most popular. Strips of meat, throat cartilage, heart stem, imported fatty beef, pork belly, ribs … and vegetables are marinated with spices and cooking oil, grilled on charcoal grill. The person who eats both grill and talks must focus on the grill in any way, because a little bit of oil, a little excess embers are a fire, and the meat would be smacked immediately.

Then a little bit more, people eat grilled meat in restaurants that smell like Korean. It is also the grilled meat on the charcoal grill, but with a list of side dishes, someone who can help grill it, the clean space makes these barbecue stalls also become a favorite destination for many people. And then the grilled food on skewers, Chinese marinade. Whatever skewers can be baked, people bring skewers to the best, freely choose according to taste, whoever likes what they want to eat, avoid each other without much discussion about the menu.

Back then, the baked goods in cast iron pans also appeared, but until this year it really “exploded”. People living in Hanoi suddenly “ecstatic” because of the cast iron pan, to the point that if we step into the street, splash into a street selling food at night, we will smell the characteristic garlic butter. with gray smoke, mixed with juicy faces of conversation.

Barbecue in Hanoi is increasingly rich in menus for diners to choose from.

“The capital” of this barbecue is probably Gam Cau street, along Pho Duc Chinh, Quan Thanh, Hang Than, a little further away, Bach Mai, Le Thanh Nghi, Doc Tam Da, Nguyen Thai Hoc street … On the evening of Tet almost today, but “lost” here, you will see the bustling scene like a festival.

The signs of bright lights grow close together, motorbikes spread out in a crowded layer, young men and women, all young families huddled together to eat happily in the yellow light, mixed with spicy smoke. But passersby sore noses… Those fun can last past midnight, pan after pan, plate after plate, and seemingly endless stories.

The hot factor is the main reason why baking dish becomes “hot” in winter rather than in summer.

The dishes that can be baked in a cast iron pan are generally quite plentiful, usually beef, pork, cartilage ribs, lumen, young chicken eggs, heart, liver, stomach, pork heart, fresh beef … Common vegetables Served with a grilled plate are garlic, tomato, onion, eggplant, okra, mushroom … Usually each shop will have a different marinade secret, but basically, the pickles will be washed through vinegar, wine ginger to reduce odors, then marinate strong spices such as ginger, lemongrass, satay, soy sauce, oyster oil, pepper … like other animal ingredients; And the vegetables will be sliced ​​thin, sprinkled with oil.

It is also very difficult for the shops to change the types of sauces, sauces and sauces with diverse flavors of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet, creating a different flavor compared to roasting at home.

One of the interesting features of this cast iron pan is that the person can eat the food themselves on a cast iron pan (usually lined with foil) to have margarine and garlic available. A cast-iron pan placed on a charcoal stove or an alcohol stove will cook food but still retain the succulence and sweetness of the food, not crunchy, almost like grilled, combined with the scent of garlic so it has a very fragrant flavor. full of invitations.

There are more than 20 ingredients used in iron pan grills, but roasted meat, strip meat and beef are preferred. It is also very difficult for the shops to change the types of sauces, sauces and sauces with diverse flavors of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet, creating a different flavor compared to roasting at home. Plus a diverse menu of side dishes such as papaya salad, mango salad, french fries, shrimp puff, avocado bread, cucumber, and bean curd … make the shops not only captivate young people, but also please families. .

Barbecue is a great choice for a large family when it is possible to please all ages.

For fastidious people, picky taste, this dish seems a bit “messy” when there are too many ingredients in the meal, but the same way of marinating and processing, the scent of margarine also dominates the characteristic. own food. But people who are easier to pamper like the variety of cast-iron saucepan dishes, easy to choose from according to taste, but the baking and eating at the outdoor table also makes the nighttime meal more interesting. Food “flooded”, spoiled for sitting, the price is also acceptable, that’s enough!

If you like the crowded scene, a little crowded on the old town, sometimes you can hear the train sizzling through like a “side” for the juicy story, you must go to Gam Cau Street. In the Pho Duc Chinh area, in addition to delicious food, there are also beautiful views to take pictures of “virtual life” like in the movies. The Bach Mai and Le Thanh Nghi areas are popular with students and offices because the price is quite soft, the barbecue dishes are also varied. The area of ​​Tam Da and Nguyen Thai Hoc is enjoyed by the drinkers because of the menu of many dishes, there are more choices of dishes than just baking a cast iron pan …

Sidewalk grilling still brings a different feeling for those who love cafes in Hanoi.

Perhaps, Hanoians pull each other out to the street to eat and bake cast iron pan not only because this dish is delicious or the price is good, but also because of the young, youthful atmosphere, by the joy of wandering the streets, sipping the atmosphere. It is more true that it is cold outside, inside the warmth around the stoves. Even in the sophisticated and sophisticated form of cuisine, you can still go with someone to bake a cast iron pan, as a culinary experience at night, to love Hanoi, love winter is fine. !

Phong Linh/Theo Trí thuc trẻ