For many travelers, Thang Co, a famed specialty in the high Sapa province of Lao Cai, is a difficult meal to take at first. However, no vacation to Sapa would be genuine without learning about and enjoying this delicious meal.
Thang Co, a specialty cuisine of the H’Mong ethnic minority group, is a favorite meal among visitors. In the H’Mong language, this meal signifies “a huge pot of water.”
Although horsemeat is a significant component in this dish, locals in Sapa prepare it with cow, buffalo, or pig.
Most visitors to Sapa, especially ladies, appear to find this meal challenging to take. It’s best served with fresh vegetables such as chayote, lemongrass, cabbage, and chili leaf. Thang Co’s secret sauce, which has spice and a sharp zing, gives it a distinct flavor that is unlike anything else you’ve ever tasted.
According to locals, the H’Mong used to walk or ride horses in the past solely. As a result of the availability of horsemeat, the Thang-Co meal became a traditional feast.
Horses grow ill or become too old to work after being utilized as a mode of transportation. They would then be served as the primary component in the Thang Co dish. Horsemeat will be cooked after it has been butchered and washed. The flavor is initially relatively strong, but the use of various spices quickly reduces it. In a large saucepan, the meat is cut into tiny pieces and mixed with different spices. Water is added to the stewed meat and bones and left for many hours.
As a result, the term “Cheer Thang Co” was formed among the H’Mong to commemorate this specialty at local markets. Let’s wait for the epidemic to pass, and we will meet in Sapa to admire the beauty of nature and enjoy this specialty.
