Diners often think that mountain beef is made from beef raised in the mountains, but it turns out that is not the case.
“My friend and I drove from Ho Chi Minh City to Tan Chau (An Giang), when it was raining heavily, we stopped at a restaurant on the street and ordered climbing cows. I thought it was beef raised for jogging, but no. right,” said Mr. Gia Nghia, a customer, about the first time enjoying An Giang specialties.
Climbing beef is a dish originating from Cambodia, learned and modified by the people of Tan Chau land according to its own recipe. The main ingredients of the dish include thickly sliced beef, then marinated with traditional spices. Diners can eat seasonal vegetables and indispensable chicken eggs. Fresh chicken eggs are beaten in the middle of the meat plate, when eating, guests stir to soften the beef, and increase the greasy taste.
The dish becomes a specialty, attracting visitors with its unique way of processing. Beef is arranged in turn on a cast iron grill, in the middle of the design protruding like a mountain. Before eating, a thick piece of lard is placed on top of the blister. The heat of the charcoal stove makes the pork fat melt evenly and penetrate the beef.
This grill is placed inside a pot containing hot pot broth made from beef bones. While waiting for the meat to cook, guests can dip vegetables and other foods into the hot pot. Locals call this a way of processing “Nhat see Song pepper” (two in one), on the grill under the hot pot.
Each portion of climbing beef costs from 100,000 to 200,000 VND depending on the amount of beef, for two to four people to eat. This dish is sold with rice paper, raw vegetables, and dipping sauce, each restaurant’s own recipe. Many places are often dotted with Bo Hoc fish sauce (Prahok), a typical fish sauce of the Khmer and Cambodia.
Enjoying climbing beef will be best when the meat is still hot, eating, and blowing. My Nhung, the owner of a barbecue restaurant in Tay Giang town, said that this is also the reason why customers come to her restaurant often in the evening, or when it rains.
In the peak season from June to October every year, every evening, Ms. Nhung’s shop consumes nearly 100 servings of climbing cows. Diners mainly come from Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Dong Thap… Local people also love this dish because of its cheap price, suitable for drinking and drinking.
Currently, in addition to Tan Chau (An Giang), climbing beef is also sold a lot in Sa Dec and Cao Lanh (Dong Thap).