For nearly a century, people and tourists in Hoi An have been no stranger to the claim of the old man selling toilet named Ngo Thieu. Now at the age of 104, the soul keeper of Hoai Street, although he has stopped selling his work to his children, but the image of an old man on the side of a legendary street vendor with popular food is associated with childhood, so many people in Hoi street still intact over the years.
“Xi Ma” processing profession is one of the traditional handicrafts associated with the formation and development of Hoi An commercial port urban area. Although originating from China, along with the popular interaction, “Xi Ma” has long been a typical dish of Hoi An people, which is favored by both domestic and foreign tourists.
The main ingredients of this dish are black sesame and tapioca flour, potato powder, apricot vegetables, cheeks, some herbs have cool properties, laxative. Therefore, in addition to a snack with a characteristic delicious, sweet, and warm flavor, this is also a remedy effective in treating constipation, indigestion and laxative, sedative.
Hoi An has to go through many stages of processing to make the dish . including roasting sesame seeds, sesame grinds, sweet potatoes, cassava flour, apricots, cheeks, cooking sugar water. The most important step in determining the aroma, flavor, and characteristic flavor of the dish is to boil the sugar water that has been carefully filtered in a large pot, pouring the water of apricots and chives into the pot until it is boiled and then add the sesame seeds. was pureed and mixed with tapioca, potato flour and stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Until the mixture is ripe, add the herbal juice and stir well. To make sure the dish is always warm when carried out for a long day, the seller has to put the charcoal in the ash pot under the toilet inside.
Anyone who has ever tasted the dish – a specialty of Hoi An , it would not be strange to the image of a skinny man with a gentle and friendly face named Ngo Thieu every day sitting beside this load. . The old man, born in 1915 in Dien Ban, has been passed on by a Chinese family specializing in catering services to the profession of making latrines, from which he has made a living until now.
In the past, when Mr. Thieu was still healthy, the reputation of selling the toilet was carried around the streets of Hoi An. Regardless of the rain, it is sunny, every day from 6 am to about 4 pm, Thieu’s feet roam everywhere, sometimes going to other localities such as Cam Nam, Thanh Ha, Cam Chau … Time is about 10 In recent years, he was fixed on Nguyen Truong To street because his health did not allow him to go for a walk like before.
Up to now, the secrets have been preserved for many years, Thieu’s children have succeeded in making latrines, selling them every day from 6am to 11:30 on Nguyen Truong To street. As for the man over 100 years old, he still retains a pair of partially polished rays, a cup, a spoon, a stone mill or a mortar hat, a black umbrella, a brown suit that has worn out … like Mementos of human life. He wishes that his children continue to pursue the profession of making latrines, not only to make a living but also to contribute to preserving the culinary characteristics of Hoi An’s cultural heritage.
The simple but powerful images of this Hoi Hoi spirit keeper have turned into widely circulated articles, images and documentaries. Although nowadays in Hoi An there are a number of toilet bags that are also sold on the streets inside and outside the Old Quarter, but Ngo Thieu’s family has become a culinary brand associated with life. generations of Hoi An people are favored by both domestic and foreign tourists.
In that peaceful old town, many people used to be “addicted” to Thieu’s bowls , which have become grandparents, their descendants still love this snack from his “heirlooms” today.
| In order to promote the value of traditional craft, at the same time to contribute to enriching the type of sightseeing route in Hoi An ancient town, promoting the value of Hoi An cultural heritages; The People’s Committee of Hoi An city agreed to put the presentation of the toilet job of Mr. Ngo Thieu’s family into the ticket box to visit Hoi An ancient town in the coming time. On June 19 here, TP. Hoi An, in collaboration with Mr. Ngo Thieu’s family, will inaugurate the attraction of the Xi Ma show at home at 45/17 Tran Hung Dao Street, City. Hoi An.This promises to be an attractive tourist attraction, attracting tourists to visit, contributing to preserving and promoting the culinary tradition of Hoi Hoi in general, of that dish in particular. |