Vietnam’s central region finds sweetness in flood-season crickets
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In Da Nang City, Vietnam, families once eagerly anticipated the rainy season because floodwaters drove crickets from their burrows, creating a seasonal delicacy.
Children accompanied their fathers to riverbanks and fields to catch the insects as rising waters forced them onto branches and grass. Though this year’s early floods brought fewer crickets than usual, people still gathered them, carefully preparing the crickets by removing their wings and cleaning them before cooking.
Families traditionally used the crickets as a filling for banh xeo, a savory pancake made from rice flour, turmeric, and herbs. The dish combined the flavors of rice, spices, and the crickets themselves, and people ate it with fermented fish sauce and fresh herbs while gathering around a wood stove. The author reflects on these childhood memories, noting that while life was simple, these moments of preparing and eating cricket banh xeo with family represent a lasting happiness.
The tradition connects the author to a sense of place and the warmth of their parents’ love, making the dish a cherished part of their upbringing.
