The Mông people live in villages scattered across the slopes of hills and mountains. Due to the high altitude, the climate remains cool, with mornings and evenings often turning chilly, particularly during the rainy days of autumn’s arrival and throughout September.

Within the Mông community, women wear vibrant clothing in warm tones like red and yellow, adding a sense of warmth and helping to withstand the harshness of the mountainous climate. With villages often isolated and necessities requiring a long journey to purchase, the Mông people have developed unique ways to store and prepare food that warms the soul and preserves heat. Among these is “chopped chicken stewed with ginger,” a signature dish that is ever-present on the dining table during chilly days.

The preparation of this ginger chicken stew is simple yet distinctive. The chicken is cleaned and chopped into small pieces, but what sets this dish apart is the use of fresh ginger as the main spice. The ginger is finely chopped, its juice squeezed out, and used at a ratio of about a quarter to the amount of chicken. The stew is then simmered, seasoned, and cooked to taste.

The stew is usually made with plenty of water, creating a broth that carries the fresh sweetness of the chicken and the warm, subtle heat of the ginger (with the juice already extracted to temper its spiciness). This dish not only warms the body but also boosts resilience against the cold as the seasons change, making it a treasured recipe of the Mông people.

Visiting the highlands at the start of autumn, you’ll feel the warmth of the steaming ginger chicken stew in your hands, breathe in the rich and fresh aroma, and take in the sight of low-roofed houses nestled against mountainsides, cradling a sea of clouds. All of this creates a distinctive sense of the primal yet harmonious way of life of the Mông people, deeply rooted in simplicity and unity with nature.