The uncommon breed of poultry, often known as dragon hen, function a pair of scaly purple toes as giant as a beer can, originates from Dong Tao, a village 30 kms (18 miles) southeast of Hanoi.
Dong Tao hen, weighing as much as 6 kg (13 kilos) every when totally grown and as soon as reserved just for the royals, are believed to deliver luck and wealth to their house owners.
Right now, demand for Dong Tao hen, whose meat has a crunchy texture, a definite aromatic aroma and a wealthy taste, has risen sharply, backed by a rising variety of rich folks in certainly one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.
“A totally grown dragon hen of no less than one 12 months outdated farmed in Dong Tao village is bought for as much as 5 million dong ($205.38) or typically even 10 million dong,” mentioned Le Trong Dung, a hen farmer within the village.
Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, a neighborhood hen farmer, mentioned essentially the most helpful elements of the hen are its legs, as she held a two-year-old rooster in her arms.
Loc Duc Toan, a 25-year-old chef in Hanoi, mentioned a Dong Tao hen has its finest style on the age of 13 to fifteen months, including that steaming is without doubt one of the finest methods to prepare dinner it.
“When steamed, the pores and skin will likely be crispy with a aromatic aroma of its personal and a sweeter meat in comparison with different regular hen,” Toan mentioned.
The chickens at the moment are additionally raised past the village, providing an opportunity for a wider vary of customers, however in keeping with native agriculture official Phan Van Hieu, these raised within the village and fed purely with paddy rice and corn have the most effective style.
“Manufacturing hasn’t met home demand but,” Hieu mentioned. “I am positive you will not discover any Dong Tao hen in any KFC eating places in foreseeable future.”