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| Baby taro porridge. |
Au tau is a tuber that grows naturally in the high mountains. At first glance, it looks like taro, but it is highly toxic. Folklore calls it “sleepy tuber”, because if eaten raw or processed incorrectly, it will cause numbness in the tongue, dizziness, and even endanger life. However, through the skillful hands of the highlanders, Au tau becomes a precious ingredient to cook into a delicious and nutritious porridge.
To cook au tau porridge, first soak the root in rice water for about 10 hours, then simmer for 4-6 hours to remove all toxins. When cooked, the root is soft, mushy, light yellow in color and has a characteristic bitter taste. The rice used to cook the porridge is usually yellow sticky rice mixed with regular rice, simmered with bone broth to create a thick, creamy texture. Minced meat, chicken eggs, green onions, perilla, etc. are added at the end, creating a harmonious aroma between the smell of Chinese medicine and the smell of traditional porridge.
The first impression when eating is the bitter taste on the tip of the tongue, but then the sweet, fatty taste spreads in the throat. That bitter taste does not make people uncomfortable, but is addictive, especially in the cold of the highland night. Highlanders eat au tau porridge to keep warm, sleep well, and fight fatigue. Tourists eat porridge to remember a flavor that cannot be found anywhere else.
Nowadays, au tau porridge has become a famous specialty, sold in many small shops and highland communes. It is a dish that is both popular and unique, both a culinary quintessence and a local knowledge crystallized through many generations.
Hoang Anh
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/am-thuc/202507/chao-au-tau-vung-cao-nguyen-da-5ef1be3/
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