Enjoy the rustic dishes of Cu Chi, the land of steel.

Cu Chi is not only a famous historical site but also a culinary paradise, with many unforgettable local dishes.

The local specialties of Cu Chi have long attracted a large number of tourists to this heroic land.

Cu Chi District ( Ho Chi Minh City), a place known as the "iron fortress," is not only famous for its tunnel system used during the resistance war, but also for its many delicious dishes made from locally available ingredients.

When describing the cuisine, many tourists immediately think of adjectives like: "unique," "extremely delicious," and "authentic." The specialties of Cu Chi are so memorable that after just one taste, you'll want to come back again.

Bamboo shoot salad with shrimp and pork

Fresh bamboo shoot salad with shrimp and pork. (Source: traveloka)

This dish, originating from family meals, is favored by most locals because bamboo shoots are easy to prepare. The bamboo shoots selected must be fresh and boiled using a special technique to prevent bitterness and discoloration.

Prepare pork belly and peeled shrimp, combine with spices such as garlic and chili to enhance the flavor, then mix with sweet and sour fish sauce. However, many places also allow diners to dip the ingredients themselves to achieve the most toned taste.

Steamed cassava

Boiled cassava served with sesame salt dip. (Source: traveloka)

It may not sound special, but steamed cassava is a culinary tradition that has existed in Cu Chi since the resistance against foreign invaders until today.

Steamed cassava with pandan leaves and sesame salt is a must-try dish for visitors to this area. The dish holds special historical value, linked to the Vietnamese people's resistance against the American invasion, when cassava became a crucial food source to alleviate famine.

Steamed cassava is mixed with pre-cooked coconut milk, resulting in a soft, fragrant, and creamy dish with a subtly sweet flavor that pleases diners. This dish is very popular in the Cu Chi Tunnels area.

Mashed cassava wrapped in rice paper and dipped in garlic and chili fish sauce.

Mashed cassava wrapped in rice paper and dipped in a garlic and chili fish sauce. (Source: traveloka)

A unique culinary delight found only in Cu Chi is boiled cassava wrapped in rice paper and dipped in garlic fish sauce. This is a special dish that cannot be found anywhere else outside of Cu Chi.

The preparation of this dish begins with boiling cassava in fresh coconut water until tender. Then, the cassava is mashed, mixed with sugar, salt, onion oil, and other seasonings to create a rich flavor.

To enjoy this dish, simply scoop a spoonful of the chewy cassava mixture onto a rice paper wrapper, then add fresh vegetables, chopped boiled meat, or stir-fried shrimp, and dip it in the delicious garlic fish sauce. Combining the unique flavor of cassava, the crispness of the rice paper, the freshness of the vegetables, and the appealing taste of the garlic fish sauce, boiled cassava wrapped in rice paper and dipped in garlic fish sauce creates an unforgettable culinary experience.

Beef grilled with betel leaves

Beef grilled with betel leaves. (Source: Golden Land of Cu Chi)

For the people of Cu Chi, the perfect snack to accompany drinks is often grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves, also known as beef wrapped in betel leaves, or beef rolls wrapped in betel leaves. The main ingredients are beef and betel leaves, prepared by grilling, and may include some beef fat.

The signature of this dish is the grilled meat wrapped in betel leaves, which creates an incredibly delicious flavor. It can be eaten with various vegetables such as lettuce, basil, mint, unripe bananas, cucumbers, starfruit, and dipped in fermented fish sauce.

Cu Chi veal

Cu Chi veal. (Source: Hong Dao Veal)

The most famous specialty of Cu Chi is undoubtedly its young beef. Cu Chi's young beef has long been appealing for its delicious taste, tender and fragrant meat. The young beef here is prepared in a variety of ways, such as: young beef wrapped in rice paper, young beef hot pot with wild vegetables, young beef dipped in vinegar, crispy rice with braised young beef, grilled young beef, grilled young beef with sesame seeds, etc.

Among them, grilled young beef wrapped in rice paper with wild herbs is a dish you should definitely try. It's a simple dish, but it won't disappoint. It consists of perfectly grilled young beef wrapped in rice paper with wild herbs and a special dipping sauce. Once you taste it, you won't be able to resist the harmonious combination of flavors.

Grilled chicken over charcoal

Chicken grilled over charcoal. (Source: traveloka)

Besides its famous young beef, Cu Chi is also known for its delicious free-range chicken dishes, among which charcoal-grilled chicken is a must-try. The charcoal-grilled chicken boasts a distinctive flavor from the marinade combined with a subtle smoky aroma, resulting in a golden-brown color, crispy skin, tender meat that isn't dry, and a rich, captivating taste. When enjoyed, charcoal-grilled chicken is often paired with crispy rice crackers with scallion oil and fragrant lemongrass salt for an added culinary delight.

Young jackfruit salad mixed with shrimp and pork

Young jackfruit salad mixed with shrimp and pork. (Source: traveloka)

Here's another seemingly simple Cu Chi specialty that offers visitors a wonderful taste experience. Young jackfruit mixed with meat provides a delicious, rustic flavor. Because jackfruit is abundant in Cu Chi, the locals have taken advantage of it to create these attractive dishes.

Young jackfruit mixed with meat and shrimp, with a little seasoning added, is ready to be served. This dish can be eaten with white rice or as a snack at a drinking party.

Beef tripe porridge

Beef tripe porridge. (Source: traveloka)

Beef tendon porridge is a delicious dish suitable for all ages, especially pregnant women and children, as it is rich in nutrients. The porridge combines beef hooves and tendons cooked with mung beans, peanuts, white beans, potatoes, and cassava. When the porridge boils, add water spinach, jute leaves, and mustard greens to enhance the flavor and nutritional value.

Green prawn

Giant freshwater prawns. (Source: traveloka)

The giant freshwater prawns in Cu Chi are raised naturally along the Dong Canal and the Saigon River, so their meat is very fresh, delicious, and firm. When visiting Cu Chi, tourists should try this dish. Giant freshwater prawns are often prepared in dishes such as grilled giant freshwater prawns, steamed giant freshwater prawns, and in hot pot...

Bun bo Cu Chi

Beef noodle soup from Cu Chi. (Source: traveloka)

Beef noodle soup (Bún bò) is probably familiar to many, but when you try it in Cu Chi, you'll immediately notice the distinct difference. Cu Chi beef noodle soup is famous for its incredibly tender and flavorful beef, living up to its reputation as a local beef specialty. When you taste it, you'll experience the harmonious blend of fresh, delicious beef with a rich broth. Served with soft noodles, this will be an unforgettable culinary experience for visitors.

Pickled wild spinach

Cu Chi wild spinach served with steamed beef. (Source: traveloka)

Pickled wild spinach is a famous specialty of Cu Chi. With its sour, crunchy, and refreshing taste, pickled wild spinach is a unique and appealing dish. Importantly, the wild spinach is cleaned and used entirely, with no part discarded, thus maximizing the value of the plant. The leaves and young shoots are often pickled, creating a unique dish. In addition, wild spinach can also be used in stir-fries with garlic, sour soups, steamed with chicken, or mixed in salads with chicken, shrimp, or beef…

Eel porridge with taro

Eel porridge with taro. (Source: traveloka)

Recently, Cu Chi cuisine has gained popularity with its eel and taro porridge. This dish is delicious and very unique, as its flavor is distinctly different from eel porridge in Nghe An and other northern provinces. Cu Chi's eel and taro porridge is unique with its combination of spicy and aromatic flavors from lemongrass and shrimp paste. The porridge uses sweet eel meat, and when combined with soft-cooked taro, it creates a truly captivating culinary experience.

Durian sugarcane juice

Durian sugarcane juice. (Source: traveloka)

Sugarcane juice is familiar to everyone, but the unique and unusual combination with durian or mung beans can only be found in Cu Chi. The unique flavor of the drink is the refreshing taste of sugarcane juice combined with the rich aroma of durian or mung beans.

While traveling along National Highway 22 in Cu Chi, tourists will see many places selling delicious durian sugarcane juice. This is also one of the specialties that visitors must try at least once.

Cu Chi rice paper

Cu Chi rice paper. (Source: traveloka)

In Cu Chi District, there is a famous craft village known for its rice paper making called Phu Hoa Dong. Locals can't remember the exact time Phu Hoa Dong rice paper was created, but it was probably more than 50 years ago. Residents recount that they saw many people making rice paper since they were children, and over time, the craft has been passed down from generation to generation.

Grilled elephant fish with salt and chili. (Source: traveloka)

Besides the aforementioned local specialties, when visiting Cu Chi, tourists can also enjoy dishes with a distinctly rural flavor such as: crispy fried snakehead fish, stir-fried loofah with basil leaves, grilled elephant fish with salt and chili, grilled sparrows, etc., all of which are very delicious and appealing.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/du-lich-tp-ho-chi-minh-thuong-thuc-nhung-mon-an-dan-da-vung-dat-thep-cu-chi-282138.html