Delicious dishes from An Giang

An Giang is home to a diverse ethnic population. Besides the Kinh people, who make up the majority, there are also Khmer, Cham, and Chinese people. This harmonious coexistence of many ethnic groups has resulted in a rich and unique culinary culture, contributing to its appeal to tourists. In addition to the traditional delicacies of each ethnic group, visitors to the Bay Nui region often seek out and enjoy grilled chicken, making it a local specialty and leaving a lasting impression.

Grilled chicken - a delicious dish from the Bay Nui region.

Grilled chicken, a dish originating from Cambodia, has become famous after its introduction to the Bay Nui region. To make this renowned dish, restaurants source high-quality ingredients such as free-range chickens or firm-fleshed chickens that are not too large. Besides the usual seasonings for marinating chicken, such as salt, pepper, chili, and lemongrass, a characteristic ingredient of the Bay Nui region is the kaffir lime leaf. According to many grilled chicken restaurant owners in O Lam commune, to give grilled chicken a unique flavor, unlike fried or grilled chicken, they often add kaffir lime leaves along with lemongrass to infuse the chicken with aroma. Before grilling, a layer of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves is placed at the bottom of the pot, then the chicken is placed on top. The fire is initially strong and then gradually reduced to ensure even cooking. When grilled, the chicken has a beautiful golden-brown, crispy skin, tender meat, and a distinctive aroma.

In An Giang province, particularly in the Long Xuyen, Chau Doc, and Rach Gia wards, it's easy to find fish noodle soup stalls with steaming pots of broth. While Rach Gia's fish noodle soup has a light and refreshing flavor, a harmonious blend of snakehead fish, fragrant fried shrimp, and fresh vegetables, making it easy to eat and appealing to many, the fish noodle soup in Long Xuyen and Chau Doc boasts a richer flavor with a combination of ingredients: snakehead fish, roasted pork, pork sausage, fertilized duck eggs, galangal, turmeric powder, shrimp paste, and various accompanying vegetables. Notably, it comes with three main dipping sauces: tamarind fish sauce, plain fish sauce, and chili salt. Because it's a convenient and popular dish, fish noodle soup stalls in An Giang, whether large or small, or even just street vendors, all have a steady stream of customers. Many of these stalls have been around for decades. Another very popular dish in An Giang is Long Xuyen broken rice, consisting of rice cooked from broken grains, served with pork skin, grilled pork, egg patties, pickled vegetables, and a sweet and savory fish sauce. Although simple, this dish has a special appeal due to its ease of eating and convenience.

Long Xuyen fish noodle soup is very popular with diners.

Ms. Le Nguyen Tam Anh (from Ho Chi Minh City) said: “We have a group of friends who share a passion for traveling , which helps with our work. We've experienced and explored many places and enjoyed many delicious dishes, but the food in An Giang has impressed me the most. Delicious dishes like beef porridge with starfruit, 'bun ken' (a type of noodle soup), and 'bun quay' (another type of noodle soup) all have their own unique flavors. Especially, every time we visit Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, we can't miss the herring salad.” Herring salad is a famous dish favored by many tourists. Fresh herring is carefully prepared, thinly sliced, and mixed with ingredients such as grated coconut, red onion, fresh vegetables, unripe bananas, wrapped in rice paper, and dipped in a spicy and sour fish sauce. The sweetness of the fresh fish, the astringency of the vegetables, and the rich, nutty flavor of peanuts and coconut create a harmonious, distinctly seafood-inspired taste.

An Giang's seafood cuisine is rich with delicious dishes made from seafood, especially sour hot pot dishes featuring various types of sea fish with firm, sweet flesh. When combined with vegetables, they create a subtly sour, refreshing, and unforgettable flavor. In Ha Tien, fermented fish paste (mắm cà xỉu) is a dish that many tourists consider very special and worth trying. The fatty fish meat, combined with the pickling liquid, has a balanced salty and sweet taste, a mild chili spiciness, and fragrant garlic. When eaten with white rice, it's incredibly appetizing. This dish is also served with boiled pork belly, wrapped in rice paper with fresh vegetables.

Herring salad - a dish that attracts tourists.

With the flood season approaching, An Giang's cuisine becomes even richer, as the produce that thrives with the rising water returns to diners, including delicious dishes made from snakehead fish that always evoke fond memories. Do Phuong Nam (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “When visiting An Giang, especially during the flood season, I love snakehead fish sour soup, snakehead fish hot pot with fermented fish sauce, or battered and fried young snakehead fish. The sour soup, made from young snakehead fish and sweet water hyacinth flowers, is perfect with white rice. The snakehead fish hot pot with fermented fish sauce, served with water hyacinth flowers, water spinach flowers, water lily flowers… all delicious products of the flood season. The rich blend of ingredients creates an unforgettable flavor.”

MY LINH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mon-ngon-an-giang-a423677.html