Unique Islamic food market that opens once a year during Ramadan.

From 1 PM, Saly (born in 1991) and her husband set up their stall at a special food market selling Muslim dishes, in celebration of Ramadan, located on Duong Ba Trac Street, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City.

Saly at her family's bakery counter - Photo: NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

This is a famous food market in Ho Chi Minh City that is being widely shared online. The market sells delicious and inexpensive Muslim dishes and is only held once a year during Ramadan. It takes place daily in the afternoon from 1 PM until sunset, from February 28th to March 30th.

Saly has two stalls, one at the beginning of the alley and the other near the church, selling more than 10 types of cakes with prices ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 VND each.

She revealed that, among the cakes she sells, liver cake and hanampệch are the most popular. Liver cake combines characteristic ingredients such as chicken eggs, palm sugar, coconut milk, cocoa powder, star anise, and lemon, creating a rich, unforgettable flavor. This type of cake can be prepared in two ways: steamed or baked, each offering a different experience.

Then there's hanampệh, with its filling of dried shrimp, cassava, wood ear mushrooms, etc., similar to Vietnamese savory pancakes (banh xeo), but with a richer flavor that makes anyone who tries it once remember it forever and want to eat more.

The white cake, called hanampệh, has a rich coconut flavor, blended with the aroma of dried shrimp and cassava - Photo: NGUYỄN HOÀNG TUẤN

Saly said that every year her family comes here to sell fried cakes to celebrate the special holiday. She explained that, according to Muslim tradition, the Ramadan fasting month is the most special occasion. The holiday lasts for a month.

During this time, her family sells cakes at the food market every day from 1 PM until they run out. "The cakes sell out very quickly, so almost every day we pack up and go home early at 4 or 5 PM," Saly said.

Saly shared that the cakes at the market are incredibly diverse. Everything is affordably priced, from baked mung bean cakes, cassava cakes, banana cakes… The cakes are cut into large, thick slices, but they're not at all cloying. Everyone who comes to the market buys until their hands ache before they stop.

The nearby stall run by Husan (born in 1996) and his mother attracts many customers. Husan says his family sells various types of baked goods, from baked wheat flour cakes, baked banana cakes, pumpkin cakes, steamed liver cakes, and more.

There are many unusual names like plata (a South Indian flatbread made by frying stretched dough, flavored with melted Indian butter, and served with fish or goat curry) or saykaya (a fragrant traditional Cham dish made with eggs, sugar, roasted peanuts, and grated ginger)... making anyone who asks for the name pull out their phone to write it down for fear of forgetting.

Hasan's booth was crowded with customers waiting to buy - Photo: NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

Large round cakes are called plata - Photo: NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

Hasan pointed to the hanamkang cake, made from wheat flour, eggs, and sugar, combined with the fragrant flavor of coconut milk. "All the cakes at my house cost 5,000 dong for two pieces. My mother and I cook more than 10 types of cakes from the night before. The next morning, we wake up early to make more to serve the community," Hasan said.

He estimates that hundreds of customers visit Duong Ba Trac Street in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City every day to buy cakes. In addition, noodle dishes such as Thai noodles, beef noodles, pho, and fruit juices like pear and apple are also popular.

"This is a market where Muslims sell to Muslims. People usually sell until sunset, then stop to go home and break their fast."

However, in recent years, the market has become very popular. Many non-religious people come here to shop. They praise our food as delicious and the culture as interesting, so they want to learn more. I feel happy to have contributed in some way to conveying the culinary culture and traditions of Islam to people," Hasan shared.

Hasan's fried pastry stall offers a wide variety of options, including liver cake, wheat flour cake, grilled banana, grilled pumpkin, plata, saykaya, and more.

Samah (born in 1973, Hasan's mother) shared that at the market, each woman makes cakes in her own way. Each woman has her own signature cakes, depending on her expertise. Many customers often return to the market the next day and are surprised to find that their favorite cake from the previous day is no longer available. "Leaving the market, everyone is carrying so much food home," Samah recounted.

Each woman at the market has different baking skills, so the flavor of each stall is unique - Photo: NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

Foreigners are also eager to visit the food market - Photo: NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

Nguyen Thanh Tu, a student at Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, shared that she visits the food market every year to enjoy typical Islamic dishes. According to Tu, the market only convenes once a year during the Ramadan fasting month, so she makes sure to come and enjoy all the delicious food.

Tú advises that when you go to the market, you should park your motorbike at the entrance of the alley, as the path inside is quite narrow. Also, you should prepare small change for shopping, as there is currently no bank transfer service available.

"Every dish has a rich coconut flavor that I'll never forget after just one bite. The atmosphere at the market is always lively, and the locals are friendly and humorous. Everyone is willing to introduce dishes and explain the unique aspects of Muslim culinary culture."

"I think this is not only an opportunity to enjoy delicious food but also a chance to learn more about a unique culture," Tú said.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/doc-la-cho-am-thuc-hoi-giao-mo-moi-nam-1-lan-vao-thang-ramadan-20250308171202287.htm