Coming to Ninh Thuan, don’t forget to try goat sauce in Cham villages

Panduranga (Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan nowadays) recently has listed as a new favorite destination of visitors. Coming to Ninh Thuan, visitors have chance to enjoy the beautiful scenes of the land, especially heritage and culture of Cham people, of the land of sunlight and strong wind. Culinary of this land is very plentiful. Coming to Ninh Thuan but not yet try Cham cuisine would be a big mistake for those who visit this region.

To Cham people, it is exciting to introduce their most favorite dish of the community to visitors. Cham cuisine is very rich but the most well-known dish named “Pabaiy tuk manuk ăm” (boiled goat – roasted chicken). It is goat sauce, Aia Kanut Pabaiy in Cham language.

In Cham tradition, goat meat is one of the noblest dish offered to gods, Yang God and their ancestors. Therefore, it is well-prepared. When the goat is prepared for offering (in Cham tradition, only for offering, the animal is killed at home), and they also don’t dare to kill it themselves, but a Acar master is asked to come to the house to make the animal possible for cuisine preparation. If it is a sheep, it is easier, because it is not a taboo.

Goat is the food offered to Yang God, and is a high class dish of Cham people. In order to offer to Yang God, Cham cannot take the life of the goat. The Acar must be asked to come for this ritual. According to Cham tradition, the goat has finished its holy duties and should be moved to another life.

It is very complicated to prepare aia tanut pabaiy. After finishing fine meat, it will be boiled. In the old time, old people usually drag the skin of the goat, put them on fire to make the feather burn, wash away then boil. After boiling, the meat will be cut in small pieces. Nowadays, boiling water is used to shave the feather and boiling the meat.

The sauce from boiling meat will be boiled again, then roasted rice will be added in, stir in few minutes. Then, tamarind or sliced tomato (only some people use tomato) is added. When the mixture has just boiled at the right rate, spices are added: chilli, onion, salt, and some fish sauce. Finally, when the pot is taken off from fire, young tamarind leaves are added.

P1140858 — Old people are the most professional cookers for this dish. After boiling, goat meat is sliced into small pieces.

P1140722 — Each process is separately very clear in cooking for rituals/festivals: men are in charge of preparing the meat, and cutting the meat. Women are in charge of cooking and preparing the banana tree for the dish.

23754921_1449125778490525_5977401587581653180_n — Young tamarind leave is a must-have in Cham traditional cuisine.

Side vegetables are collected from body of young banana body tree, the peel is taken off, and rolled with betel and sliced into pieces. From this cutting, cooking professional of Cham women are shown. Those who can slice thin and beautiful ones are said to be good housewives and got compliments.

23795661_1449126968490406_7738570261466350322_n — Body of young banana will be soaked in salt water, and wash

15823592_1146318038771302_3246491251613710344_n — This is called njam gem, side vegetables. (Photo: Maily )

23658347_1449128245156945_2360798440034868136_n — The entrails and the meat are slice into small pieces.

Boiled goat meat, boiling sauce and some fish sauce will be added to create a significant dish. (Photo: Maily )

The “aia tanut pabaiy” is served in the same way as Vietnamese Pho”, but instead of rice noodle, the Cham use vermicelli and njam gem instead of bean sprouts and basil as in Vietnamese Pho. The pre-cooked vermicelli is put into a medium bowl, then thin slices of goat meat laid ontop then the “aia tanut pabaiy” broth is poured over that. Depend on your preference, you can add njam gem while eating or add them in all at once at the beginning.
A good cook of this dish is the person who knows how to get rid of the “gaming taste” of goat meat because sometimes people find that taste/odor from the meat is unbearable let alone chewing it in your mouth.

Am thuc truyen thong Cham — You would love to try this dish, with boiled goat meat, boiling sauce, and side vegetables, right? When there is guests coming, the host will lay the mattress for guests to sit down and enjoy the dish in a traditional way.

In Cham tradition, this gorgeous dish can only cooked in respecting Yang God of Cham people. However, nowadays, Cham people also want to introduce this significant dish of Cham cuisine to visitors from afar. Therefore, the goat will be prepared outside of the house area to stay away from taboo/forbidden tradition.

Ninh Thuan tourism is developing, the demand of enjoying special dishes of the land is the attraction to many visitors. Coming to Ninh Thuan, to experience the land with beautiful scenes, with seas, sand dunes, grape farms, jujube fars, salt farms or visiting Cham temples, traditional weaver and pottery villages. Visiting Nha Sen Caraih, you can experience an open space with lotus scent and enjoy special dishes of Cham people that you can never get it in any restaurants.

Please keep in mind that, it takes time to prepare the goat dish. Therefore, if you want to try this dish or special Cham dishes, you are asked to contact before your arrival for preparation. This dish can only served for a big group (for lower cost), not for just 1 or 2 persons.

Please contact for Cham cuisine, Phan rang cuisine, Cham traditional art performance for further details: ☎1642587125 or 0961807170

Email: sinhthaisenninhthuan@gmail.com