Rice mixed with banana, mango, and watermelon.

The Western region (Southwestern Vietnam) is the familiar name given to the people living in the Mekong Delta. Besides possessing abundant and diverse natural resources, this land also boasts a distinctive cultural life and cuisine , attracting tourists from all over.

Many visitors to the Mekong Delta are surprised to see locals eating white rice... mixed with fruit, such as mangoes, watermelons, bananas, avocados, and coconuts. They may also add various dipping sauces like salt and pepper, fish sauce, or soy sauce, or, for a more "luxurious" meal, braised meat, braised fish, or fried dried fish... and voilà, a truly amazing meal.

Rice dishes with fruit are a specialty for many people from the Mekong Delta who live far from home (Photo: Vinh Vo)

Vo Phuong Vinh (born in 1992, Tien Giang province ) is the creator of the viral photo series of rice mixed with fruit. The photos evoke nostalgia for the flavors of childhood in those from the Mekong Delta living far from home. However, the photos have also piqued the curiosity of many diners from afar, who wonder what the dish tastes like and its origins.

Sharing his thoughts on this "unusual" rice dish, Vinh recounted in his distinctive Mekong Delta accent: "I don't remember exactly when, but meals with fruit became commonplace. When I was little, I often ate rice with bananas, watermelon, and mangoes. Even now, I crave them every now and then. I long for the sweet, refreshing, and fragrant taste of a ripe mango, eaten with braised fish or fried dried fish, all mixed with a bowl of hot white rice. It's simply delicious!"

In fact, rice mixed with fruit is a very old way of eating for people in the Mekong Delta. "Perhaps because back then, life was scarce, and meat and fish weren't readily available, people created this way of eating rice mixed with fruit, which was easy to eat, delicious, and filling," Vinh explained.

According to some people in the Mekong Delta, rice is naturally sticky and slightly dry, so eating it with juicy fruits that are sour or sweet makes it easier to swallow, more palatable, and prevents it from becoming cloying. That's why fruits like watermelon, ripe mangoes, and bananas are popular. These fruits are also commonly found in home gardens.

Vinh, the creator of the viral photos of rice dishes stuffed with fruit that went viral on social media.

Rice with mango

White rice paired with mango is perhaps the most familiar rice dish in the Mekong Delta. When eating it with ripe mangoes, Hoa Loc and Cat Chu varieties are the two most popular. People in the Mekong Delta usually prefer mangoes with yellow, smooth skin, a firm feel, and a slightly indented stem. If the mango is too ripe or too soft, it will lose its fresh, delicious flavor.

When eating it with green mangoes, they choose fresh mangoes with skins that are neither too dark nor too light green. The stem should be young, slightly moist, and still have sap to indicate freshness. People usually shred the green mangoes or cut them into strips, eating them with a dipping sauce made of fish sauce, sugar, and chili peppers. This dish is even more flavorful when paired with fried dried fish, braised meat, or braised fish.

Rice with bananas

Bananas are the most common fruit in the gardens of people in the Mekong Delta. Therefore, rice mixed with bananas is considered a "national dish". The type of banana usually eaten with rice is the ripe Siamese banana (also known as the plantain).

The riper the bananas, the softer, sweeter, and more fragrant they become. Combine bananas with rice, drizzle with a little salty soy sauce and spicy chili, and you'll have an incredibly delicious bowl of rice.

Rice with watermelon

Although not as readily available in home gardens as bananas or mangoes, watermelons are sold year-round. Watermelons are juicy and subtly sweet, and when eaten with rice, they are refreshing and sweet.

When choosing a melon, look for a firm, smooth, and shiny rind with prominent, bold stripes. Especially, a small, dry, and curled stem is a good sign. Such melons are usually very sweet, have a beautiful red color, and fewer seeds.

Rice with coconut milk

Coconut milk poured over rice, served with a side of dried salty fish or dried braised fish and meat, is a typical way of eating in the Mekong Delta.

When missing a meal, people in the Mekong Delta often scoop up a bowl of leftover rice, run to the garden to chop open a fresh coconut, and pour coconut water over the rice. Eating it this way gives the rice a sweet and fragrant, refreshing taste. People in the Mekong Delta usually prefer Siamese coconuts, neither too young nor too old, so that the coconut water has just the right sweetness and aroma.

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