Hanoi wobbles because the dish appears 1 time a year, customers queue 'long neck'

Red jellyfish is a dish originating from Hai Phong and became popular in Hanoi because of its spread on social networking platforms. This dish is fondly named "sidewalk sashimi" by young people because of its bold street food.

Like spring rolls, red jellyfish are usually only available from January 25 to January 26 to the 5th lunar month, but can vary from year to year. This year, the red jellyfish season has started about 2 weeks, causing shops in the Old Quarter such as Hang Chieu, Hoe Nhai, Thanh Street, Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi to attract a large number of visitors, even having to wait in line for about 10-15 minutes to get a seat. Red jellyfish are affordable, from 30,000-50,000 VND depending on the volume for each serving, suitable for everyone.

Hoang Linh, 22, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, said: "Every time I come to Hanoi, my hobby is to rent a bicycle around the Old Quarter to see the bustling scenery, find new dining spots. When passing through Hang Zhao street, I saw that people gathered in large numbers to eat red jellyfish, so I was also curious, so I tried it once."

Meanwhile, Minh Phong – a 3rd year student at the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda who resides in Hoan Kiem district – admitted to waiting for jellyfish season every year to enjoy. Red jellyfish served with fried beans, thinly sliced coconut, rolled in perilla leaves, marjoram and then dipped in shrimp paste to create a unique taste. Notably, the shrimp paste used must also be selected and fully flavored to create a perfect piece of red jellyfish.

According to the owner of a shop selling red jellyfish on Hang Zhao Street, the processing method requires many stages because in fact, this creature cannot eat salad because it causes itching. After catching, the jellyfish must be washed with salt and cut into small pieces, and then soaked in water with roots or bark of tiger trees to deodorize and retain their freshness and characteristic red color.

In the past 2 weeks, the restaurant mentioned above has been constantly welcoming customers and often runs out of stock early when it is not yet time to leave in the afternoon. Therefore, some diners shared that they had to leave work early, but when they arrived at the store, only the last one remained. So sometimes the whole group of 3 people also eat a meal for the craving.

Considered one of the specialties of summer, red jellyfish has not only become a delicious seafood but also offers an exciting experience for gourmet diners. The jellyfish body is as soft as jelly when eaten, while the legs give a lumpy crunchy feeling, creating a unique blend of both feel and taste. According to Oriental medicine, this dish has many good health benefits such as detoxifying heat, low elimination.

Many people believe that not everyone can eat jellyfish, because this is raw. There have been diners with a history of allergies to seafood should not eat this dish because there may be redness, shortness of breath ...

If not cleaned and processed properly, jellyfish can contain dangerous types of bacteria or pathogens that harm your health. In the process of processing jellyfish, people will use alum. This is a chemical compound called aluminum potassium sulfate that is sometimes used as an additive to preserve food. Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has certified this as a safe substance, the amount of aluminum remaining in jellyfish after use is still very concerning.

Excessively high levels of aluminum in the diet can lead to Alzheimer's disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A study in Hong Kong has shown that ready-to-eat jellyfish have high levels of aluminum. The habit of consuming these foods regularly can affect health.