5 delicious specialties of the West that captivate diners from near and far

Western fish sauce hotpot

When talking about specialties of the West, we cannot help but mention fish sauce hotpot. Especially in the flood season, fish sauce hotpot becomes even more delicious and attractive to diners.

In the West, the main ingredient to make a delicious hotpot is the broth made from linh fish sauce and sac fish sauce. Fish sauce in this land is very diverse, but locals often choose linh fish sauce and sac fish sauce because the fish meat is sweet and the bones are soft.

Fish sauce is added to fresh coconut water and boiled until the meat is melted, then the water is filtered and the bones are removed. After that, people add stir-fried pork belly and bone broth to this broth to make the fish sauce hotpot broth, helping to increase the richness, fattiness and aroma.

Fish sauce hotpot is made from a variety of products from meat, seafood to colorful vegetables and flavors, representing the richness and diversity of the Mekong Delta (Photo: Nguyen Thuy Duong).

In addition to the broth, the highlight of the fish sauce hotpot also lies in the accompanying ingredients. Depending on the preferences and tastes of each person and each locality, people can eat fish sauce hotpot with seafood such as eel, snakehead fish, basa fish, squid, goby fish, etc. In addition, there are typical vegetables of the Mekong Delta such as wild cotton, cotton, water spinach, shredded banana flower, lotus flower, water mimosa, etc.

Duck cooked with fermented bean curd

Duck cooked with fermented bean curd is also one of the favorite specialties in the West, the most famous of which is in Can Tho . This dish was voted "Top 100 Vietnamese specialties (2020-2021)" by the Vietnam Record Organization.

The main ingredient of this dish is Muscovy duck. This type of duck has firm meat and little fat, so it is not greasy when cooked. However, to make the most delicious fermented bean curd duck, the chef must ensure that the duck is cleaned and deodorized. Then, marinate the duck with spices, including fermented bean curd - a type of fermented tofu typical of the West.

Through a meticulous preparation process and proper marinating, the duck cooked with fermented bean curd has a rich, fatty flavor and a very attractive, characteristic aroma (Photo: Nguyen Thanh Thanh).

After being cooked, duck cooked with fermented bean curd will be eaten as a hot pot dish, so it can be dipped with vegetables. When enjoying, diners can feel the softness and richness of duck meat, the strong aroma of fermented bean curd and the sweet, rich broth from taro,...

Grilled snails with green pepper

During the flood season, grilled snails with green pepper become the most sought-after delicacy in the West. At this time, snails are the most delicious, fat, and plump, so people catch them and process them into attractive dishes.

After being caught, the snails are washed, seasoned with spices, including green pepper, and then grilled over charcoal. Although it is prepared simply and quickly, this dish retains the full flavor of the fresh snails.

Grilled snails with green pepper have a crunchy texture and are no longer fishy thanks to the combination of the spicy taste of pepper and the rich flavor of other spices (Photo: Con Toc).

This grilled snail dish is enjoyed with a sweet and sour dipping sauce, making it even more appealing and becoming a favorite drinking dish for men.

Vole

Field mouse meat is one of the favorite dishes in the West, especially during the rice harvest season or flood season. Because this type of mouse mainly eats rice and young plants, its meat is very fragrant.

During the season, people in the West go to the fields to hunt rats and then bring them back to process in many ways, the most common of which is smoking or blanching them in boiling water, then cleaning and washing them with salt and alcohol to remove the odor.

Field mouse meat is chewy, fragrant, well-seasoned, and stimulates the taste buds. Many diners who try this dish for the first time feel hesitant, but once they get used to it, they are impressed and delighted (Photo: Internet).

After being cleaned, field mice are processed into many delicious dishes such as grilled with salt and chili, roasted in a pot, braised in coconut water, stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, fake dog meat, fried crispy, stir-fried...

Currently in the West, delicious dishes made from field mice also appear on the menu at some restaurants, tourist attractions, and pubs and have become a rustic specialty loved by many diners near and far.

Dried frog

Not only is it an attractive dish, dried frogs from the West also make a strong impression on tourists with its strange name - "long-legged dancer".

According to locals, dried frog originated from Cambodia, was introduced to An Giang and then spread to other provinces in the West. Gradually, this dish was also adapted to suit Vietnamese tastes and became one of the specialties that diners must try when traveling to the West.

The deliciousness of dried frogs is the small bones, crunchy, fragrant, sweet meat, attractive to both adults and children (Photo: Uyen Thanh Mai).

To make delicious dried frogs requires a rather elaborate processing procedure. People have to cut off the head, peel the skin, cut open the belly, remove all the intestines, wash carefully and then marinate with salt, pepper and chili. Wait until the ingredients are well-absorbed with spices and then dry them.

Dried frogs are processed into many delicious dishes such as fried dried frogs, dried frogs braised in fish sauce, etc.

In addition to the above dishes, if you have the opportunity to travel to the West, you can buy some specialties as gifts for relatives and friends such as banh tet la cam, banh pia, dried snakehead fish, cha ca thac lac, rice paper,...

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