Top 10 unique Ha Giang specialties that captivate diners

Ha Giang, a mountainous region in the North, is famous not only for its majestic scenery of the rocky plateau and winding roads, but also for its unique cuisine. Each dish here has a rich, distinct flavor that cannot be found anywhere else. If you have ever set foot in Ha Giang, you will surely not forget the unique specialties of Ha Giang, from rustic dishes to typical dishes, all of which contain the quintessence of the land and sky here.

Việt Nam•09/12/2024

Discovering Ha Giang specialties is not only an opportunity for you to enjoy delicious dishes but also a way for you to understand more about the culture and lifestyle of the ethnic people here. Each dish is not simply a meal but a story, traditional values preserved through many generations.

1. Win the game

Thang den, a popular snack in Ha Giang (Photo source: Collected)

Thang Den is one of the outstanding specialties of Ha Giang that you cannot miss when visiting this land. The main ingredient of this dish is fragrant sticky rice, especially sticky rice from Yen Minh district. This type of rice has round, large, firm grains and when cooked, will bring a sweet, sticky and soft aroma.
Inside the sticky rice balls of this Ha Giang specialty are fillings such as green beans, red beans, etc. When eating, you will feel the stickiness of the sticky rice and the gentle sweetness and faint aroma of sticky rice. To enhance the flavor, you can add a little ginger-cooked apricot blossom syrup or coconut milk, sesame, roasted peanuts.
Suggested address: 154 Tran Hung Dao - Thang Den Ba Beo.

2. Thang Co

Sapa specialty thang co (Photo source: Collected)

Thang Co is a typical Ha Giang specialty, famous in the local cuisine . This dish is traditionally made from horse intestines, but nowadays, to suit the taste of most diners, restaurants often replace it with buffalo, beef, or pork. This Ha Giang specialty has meat as its main ingredient, with broth simmered from bones and internal organs, bringing a very special sweet and fatty taste.
The special feature of Thang Co is the use of 12 typical spices of the mountainous region, such as lemon leaves, star anise, cardamom, etc. Although this dish may be a bit difficult to eat for those who are not used to the pungent taste of the offal, for those who love Ha Giang's culinary specialties, this is an unforgettable dish.
Suggested address: Dong Van Market - Dong Van Town, Ha Giang.

3. Buffalo jerky

Buffalo jerky (Photo source: Collected)

This Ha Giang specialty stands out with the distinctive flavor of traditional Thai dishes. Smoked buffalo meat is made from fresh buffalo meat, marinated with spicy mac khen spice, then smoked on the stove. It is this smoky smell that creates the special flavor that you can only find in Ha Giang specialties.
Not only a dish in daily meals, buffalo jerky is also used in festivals, offerings and as gifts for distinguished guests. The meat is dark brown on the outside, bright red on the inside and has a rich flavor.
Suggested address: Market or households.

4. Smoked sausage

Smoked sausage is a Ha Giang specialty dish made from pork shoulder without skin, marinated with onions and mac khen seeds, then smoked for a long time so that the spices permeate the meat. When eating, you will feel the sweet taste of pork, the characteristic smoky smell of the mountain stove, creating an unforgettable flavor of this Ha Giang specialty dish.
Suggested address: Xin Man Market – Coc Pai Town Center, Ha Giang.

5. Sour Pho

Sour Pho - a culinary specialty of Ha Giang (Photo source: Collected)

Sour Pho is a dish with strong Chinese cultural influence, but when it comes to Ha Giang, this dish has become one of the Ha Giang specialties that tourists cannot miss. This pho dish stands out with its sweet and sour sauce combined with char siu, roasted meat and Chinese sausage. To enhance the flavor, people often add aromatic basil, grated papaya and fresh garlic.
This is one of the popular dishes that you can enjoy at local markets when traveling to Ha Giang.
Suggested address: Dong Van Market.

6. Buckwheat cake

Buckwheat cake (Photo source: Collected)

Buckwheat cake is one of the famous specialties of Ha Giang, made from buckwheat flowers. This cake not only has beautiful colors, but also brings delicious and fatty flavor when eaten. The cake is often eaten with dishes such as armpit-carried pork or thang co, creating a perfect combination of Ha Giang culinary specialties.
Suggested address: Local market.

7. Five-color sticky rice

Five-color sticky rice with 5 colors has special meanings (Image source: Collected)

Five-color sticky rice is a Ha Giang specialty made from sticky rice and natural coloring ingredients such as purple leaves, turmeric, ginger leaves, etc. This dish not only has a delicious flavor, but also carries the cultural value of the Tay ethnic group. Five-color sticky rice is an indispensable dish during Tet holidays and ancestor worship.
Suggested address: Meo Vac Market or Dong Van Old Quarter.

8. Humpback Chung Cake

Humpback Chung Cake is a Ha Giang specialty with a unique shape, made from sticky rice, green beans and fatty meat, wrapped in dong rieng leaves. This cake not only has a deep cultural meaning of the Red Dao people but is also a Ha Giang specialty that you can bring back as a gift.
Suggested address: Meo Vac Market.

9. Dong Van Old Quarter Rice Rolls

Dong Van Old Quarter Rice Rolls are one of the Ha Giang specialties familiar to locals and tourists. The rice rolls are made from fine rice flour, steamed thinly and fragrantly. Inside the rice rolls are minced meat and wood ear mushrooms, creating a perfect combination when eaten with bone-simmered dipping sauce. This dish also cannot lack dried onions and herbs to enhance the flavor.
When traveling to Ha Giang, you will easily find this dish at local restaurants or in the markets. This is a popular breakfast dish of the locals and is also loved by many tourists.
Suggested address: Banh Cuon Ba Ha - 31 Old Quarter, Dong Van.

10. Baby Tau Porridge

Ha Giang au tau porridge (Photo source: Collected)

Au Tau porridge is a Ha Giang specialty that is not only delicious but also has health benefits. The main ingredient to make this porridge is Au Tau root, a highly toxic root but is skillfully processed to become a nutritious dish. Au Tau porridge is cooked from rice, minced pork, Au Tau root and pig's feet, giving the dish a light brown color and a characteristic aroma.
Although this porridge has quite special ingredients, when enjoying it, you will feel the light and nutritious flavor of this Ha Giang specialty. In particular, when eating, you can combine it with an egg, pepper and chili to increase the richness.
Suggested address: Group 5 Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Trai Ward, Ha Giang.
Ha Giang specialties are the clearest evidence of the diversity and richness of the cuisine of the Northern mountainous region. From the rich thang co, fragrant buffalo jerky, to traditional cakes and sticky rice, all bring unforgettable experiences to visitors when visiting this land. When coming to Ha Giang, do not forget to try these dishes to fully experience the flavor of the rocky plateau, and at the same time understand more about the people and culture here.
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Source of article: Collected and compiled
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