Lẩu Dê: Vietnamese Goat Hotpot

Hotpot is a main dish of Vietnamese family meals, and we love eating it, especially in winter, with the whole family sitting around the pot to eat and talk. Among the many hotpots in Vietnam, goat hotpot is well known for its nutritious value and appetizing flavor. You’ll see goat hotpot restaurants on the streets from North to South.

Why it’s a street food

You might wonder why a hotpot this famous counts as street food. Goat hotpot is usually sold at a reasonable price, and people like eating it in a crowded atmosphere, so it draws all kinds of people in the city.

How it’s made

Making it is not easy. The chef makes the goat drink wine to reduce its smell. Then the goat is burnt over the fire until well done. Next, the bones and meat are separated and seasoned with a lot of spices, then cooked with medicinal herbs for half a day. The bones are the main element that makes the broth sweet and flavorful.

All the meat then goes into a clay pot with the broth on a coal cooker. Little by little, vegetables are added to the boiling pot: cabbage, water spinach, carrot, celery and tofu.

How to eat it

When everything is tender and has taken in the sweet flavor of the stock, it’s time to eat. Try it with chao, a Vietnamese sauce made from soybeans, which goes very well with the goat meat. In the North, people use tương instead, and it’s just as good.

Each restaurant has its own recipe for the spices, herbs and sauces.