When exploring Ba Be Lake, one of the world’s 20 most unique freshwater lakes, located in Thai Nguyen, visitors can enjoy boating, visiting Pac Ngoi village, Hua Ma Cave and Dau Dang Waterfall, and savor the local cuisine.

A typical meal served to guests often includes roasted pork, tram sticky rice, khau nhuc (steamed pork), crispy fried stream fish, lake shrimp stir-fried with kaffir lime leaves, and dishes made from fragrant green gourd.

This special grourd has been grown for generations by locals in Thai Nguyen (formerly part of Bac Kan), particularly in Thuong Minh, Cho Ra, and Ba Be communes. With a cool climate and ideal soil, the gourd grows well and develops a signature aroma and taste.

Unlike regular squash, Ba Be’s fragrant green squash gives a pleasant scent from its stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit. There are two types of gourd – green gourd and wax gourd. The latter is covered in a thick white bloom that sticks to people’s hands when touched.

Both types have tough, thick skin, which allows them to stay fresh for up to three months without rotting or requiring any chemical preservatives. In the past, locals used this squash as a reserve food during the vegetable-scarce winter or stormy seasons.

Its fragrance is unique, reminding many people of the scent of yellow glutinous rice, young sticky rice, or pandan leaves. In addition to its aroma, Ba Be’s squash is flavorful and nutritious, earning it status as a regional specialty crop.

Quynh Mai, the owner of a homestay in Bo Lu by Ba Be Lake, said from April to October, meals for guests usually include one or two dishes made from this squash, such as boiled squash, squash soup, pork-stuffed rolls, or squash salad.

“When boiled, the squash releases such a distinct aroma that many visitors are surprised, thinking the cook added some special spices. The squash is soft yet slightly chewy, naturally sweet with no sour aftertaste,  just a bit of sesame dip is enough to enhance the flavor,” Mai said.

When simmered with bones or cooked with meat, the squash gives off a rich, inviting aroma unlike regular squash varieties.

One of the most popular dishes among tourists in Ba Be is fragrant squash salad. The squash is peeled, cleaned, and shredded into thin strands soaked in diluted salt water and squeezed thoroughly to eliminate any raw smell, Mai said. The dressing is a blend of salt, vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and chili.

Huy Minh