Com Hen (Rice with mussels)

About 200 years ago, under Gia Long's reign, because of the poverty, a Huynh woman had to go to the river bank to collect mussels her husband went fishing from day til night. Every morning, before catching shrimp and fish, she and her husband ate cold rice with mussels. This rustic dish was later spread throughout Hen dunes and popularized among the poor in Hue.

By the time of the Thieu Tri dynasty, mussels were sold in the markets of Hue city and became a favorite food of many people. During the reign of King Thanh Thai, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thep offered mussels to the king. Next, she was rewarded by the king and established Hen's ward. Since then, Com Hen has become a royal product every Tet holiday.

History of Com Hen

Com Hen is available in many places, but it is still the best in Hue. To make Com Hen, we need the following ingredients:

• Fresh mussels 
• Delicious sticky rice (An Cuu rice)
• Pigskin
• Peanut
• Starfruit sour, Indian taro
• Fresh vegetables: banana flower, young banana core, water spinach, lettuce, cilantro.
• Spices: salt, fish sauce, cooking oil, seasoning, pepper, Hue fish sauce
• Dried onions, lemon, chili, and ginger.

White rice cooked with coolness, starfruit, herbs, Indian taro, fish sauce, pepper, fried onion, sesame salt, chili sauce, fried pork skin, fried shrimp, roasted peanuts, and mussels sauteed with spices.

Ingredients of Com Hen

Com Hen will be displayed on a large plate. All things are cool. Only mussel water must be kept hot. The mussel rice bowl is mixed from all the above ingredients. Com Hen is often eaten with really hot chilli to taste. And Com Hen is served only with mussel water.

How to eat Com Hen

As Com Hen is a popular dish in Hue, there are many restaurants selling this kind of dish. So where are good places to taste Com Hen? Here is the list of some delicious Com Hen restaurants you should come and make a try.

• Com Hen Hoa Dong: 64 Kiet 7 Ung Binh, Hue City (price: $0.43 - $1.29)
• Com Hen Ba Cam: 02 Truong Dinh, Hue City (price: $1.08 - $1.72)
• Com Hen Ti Hon: 28 Pham Hong Thai, Hue City (price: $0.86 - $1.68)
• 17 Han Mac Tu, Vy Da Ward, Hue City (price: $1.08 - $1.72)
• Com Hen Ba Lanh: 38 Ngo Gia Tu, Hue City (price: $0.34 - $0.43)

Best place to eat Com Hen 

Com Hen deserves to be the most famous dish of Hue city. This dish is both unique and tasty, Com Hen is not to be skipped when you come to Hue. Enjoy this dish, it will not let you down.

Image source: Internet