Mi Quang, also known as Quang Noodles, is a traditional dish enjoyed by the people of Quang Nam province and Da Nang City. It is a staple in family meals in eateries throughout the Quang Nam and Da Nang regions.
*QUANG NOODLES
This traditional dish is part of everyday family meals and features special occasions like festivals and parties. Mi Quang can be savored anytime as a light snack or a hearty meal.
**INGREDIENTS**
Quang noodles are crafted from rice flour and formed into delicate white or yellowish noodles. They are typically served with a flavorful broth made from shrimp, fish, chicken, and pork. To enhance the overall dining experience, these noodles are complemented with a variety of fresh herbs and spices.
PREPARATION
The rice is milled and formed into noodles, while the broth is crafted from locally sourced seafood, livestock, and poultry, seasoned with various spices. The excellence of Quang noodles hinges on the broth, which is meticulously prepared from bones or fish stock. Fresh herbs, including homegrown varieties like pennywort, lettuce, mustard greens, and salad, are essential. Unlike other noodle dishes such as bun or pho, Quang noodles are served with abundant fresh herbs, often filling nearly half of the bowl. It is widely believed that without a generous serving of herbs, it cannot be deemed an authentic bowl of Quang noodles.
ENJOYMENT
When enjoying Mi Quang, start by placing the noodles into a bowl over a layer of fresh vegetables such as water spinach, mustard greens, finely sliced banana blossom, mint, basil, Vietnamese coriander, and bean sprouts. Then, add the broth, cooked with meat or shrimp, but only enough to barely cover the noodles, not filling the bowl. Finally, top it off with fresh herbs and garnish with a sprinkling of roughly crushed golden roasted peanuts for an attractive appearance.
The vibrant colors of Mi Quang are the first thing to catch your eye: the yellow noodles, the broth, the chicken, the red of the sautéed shrimp, the white and brown-edged pork slices, and the green of the fresh vegetables. Then, it captivates with its flavors: the hot noodles, the sweet and rich taste of the meat, shrimp, and fish, the nutty flavor of the roasted peanuts, the spiciness of the various seasonings, and the cool freshness of the raw vegetables.
Finally, Mi Quang is a feast for the eyes, the taste buds, and the ears, as it is traditionally enjoyed with crispy rice crackers. Some people crumble the crackers into their bowl of noodles, while others hold the whole cracker in their hand, taking a bite of noodles followed by a bite of the crispy cracker, savoring the “crunch.” They might also bite into a green chili, experiencing the “pop” and the heat. This is the authentic way to enjoy Mi Quang.
DANANG CENTER FOR TOURISM PROMOTION