“Thach gang” (home-made grass jelly) conjures up childhood memories for most people in the northern port city of Hai Phong. The fresh softness of the jelly melts on the tip of the tongue.
“Thach gang”: A popular refresher of Hai Phong city
In some places, “thach gang” is called “thach xanh” due to its green colour. The “gang” tree grows wild in the forest, where it is harvested by ethnic minority people and sold in the cities.
Cooks must remove all the thorns from the leaves, wash them carefully and soak them in boiled water. The leaves are then crumpled and filtered through a clean cloth. The green water then will congeal into jelly.
The beautiful green jelly pieces are accompanied by cane sugar and toppings such as fresh grated coconut, dried coconut, banana essential oil or coconut milk. The dish is available at most markets around town for VND10,000 a glass.