Ốc hương rang me is a street-food dish: sweet snails (ốc hương) cooked in tamarind sauce until it thickens and coats the shells. The snail meat takes on the sourness of the tamarind, the sweetness of the sugar and the heat of the chilli powder. It’s the author’s first choice when going out to seafood restaurants with friends, and it doesn’t take long to make at home. Plan ahead: the snails soak for about 4 hours before cooking. The cooking itself is quick. Ingredients 1 kg sweet snails (ốc hương) Tamarind sauce, from Asian markets (or tamarind fruit, see step 1) 2 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon fish sauce A little chilli powder Garlic, peeled and minced Chilli, sliced, for soaking the snails Cooking oil Spring onion and Vietnamese mint, to serve Roasted peanuts (optional), to serve How to make ốc hương rang me 1. Soak the snails and prep the rest Clean the snails and soak them in water with some sliced chilli for about 4 hours. Rinse them again and leave them to drain dry. Mince the garlic. Wash the spring onion and slice it finely. If you can’t find ready-made tamarind sauce, buy tamarind fruit instead. Mix it with a little hot water, then strain it to get the tamarind water. 2. Make the tamarind base Heat 2–3 teaspoons of oil, add the minced garlic and fry until fragrant. Pour in the tamarind water and bring it to the boil. This is where the flavour of the dish starts. 3. Cook the snails Add the snails to the pan with 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, a little chilli powder and 1 teaspoon fish sauce. Cook until the snails have absorbed the seasoning. Keep cooking until the tamarind sauce thickens and sticks to the shells. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and turn off the heat. 4. Serve Sprinkle sliced spring onion and Vietnamese mint over the snails and eat them hot. Add roasted peanuts at the table if you like them. Share:
