Top 10 Long An Specialties You Shouldn't Miss

Grilled Snakehead Fish is a simple yet incredibly delicious and unique dish from the southwestern region of Vietnam. As its name suggests, the fish is grilled directly over an open flame without any prior preparation, skipping the steps of scaling or seasoning. The process is straightforward: a stick is used to skewer the fish from head to tail, and it's covered with straw to grill until the aroma fills the air and the straw is charred. Once the fish is cooked, the black scales are scraped off, and a drizzle of scallion oil is added for a flavorful, crispy finish.

Grilled snakehead fish is typically served with rice paper, herbs, noodles, and cucumber, accompanied by tamarind fish sauce. Alternatively, you can simply shred the fish and dip it in chili salt to enjoy its rich, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors.

Visiting Long An without trying grilled snakehead fish would truly be a missed opportunity.

Recommended Locations: Chèo Bẻo Fish Hotpot & Grill

• Branch 1: 170, Street 5, Thái Dương Residential Area, Ward 6, Tân An City, Long An
• Branch 2: 166, Street 5, Thái Dương Residential Area, Ward 6, Tân An City, Long An

Phone: 093 918 27 11

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheobeotanan/

Fish hotpot, or Long An Fish Hotpot, is still a relatively unfamiliar dish to many, but it is a cherished specialty of the people from the southwestern region, and particularly from Long An. If you visit Long An and don't try the local fish hotpot, it would be a significant oversight.

This dish is prepared in a unique way with a wide range of fresh ingredients sourced from the sea, rivers, ponds, and fields, including fish, shrimp, crab, squid, pork, and beef. Along with these meats, a variety of vegetables are included: water spinach, bean sprouts, mustard greens, cucumber, pineapple, and especially coconut leaves, a vegetable native to the region. Anyone seeing the pot of fish hotpot for the first time will undoubtedly be surprised by the generous portion of ingredients.

The broth for the fish hotpot is made by boiling several types of fermented fish, resulting in a distinct flavor that locals have perfected with their own secret recipe.

Typically, the hotpot is eaten with rice noodles, and its flavor is a tantalizing blend of salty, spicy, and sweet notes. While fish hotpots are becoming more common in other regions, the version from Long An still holds a unique and rich flavor that is hard to replicate elsewhere.

Recommended Location: Thủy Mộc Fish Hotpot - Nguyễn Cửu Vân Street, Ward 4, Tân An City, Long An Province

Sour Cured Pork is a traditional dish originating from the Mường people, typically served during festivals, holidays, and weddings. Preparing this dish requires a delicate process, as it combines various wild leaves such as jackfruit leaves, cinnamon, and betel leaves with pork.

The pork used for sour curing must be carefully selected to ensure the highest quality. It is typically sourced from young, free-range pigs to ensure the meat is firm and flavorful. After cutting the pork into pieces, it is seasoned with salt, crushed galangal, mixed with rice wine, and then wrapped in wild leaves to ferment. In just one to two weeks, this unique sour cured pork is ready to be enjoyed.

Sour cured pork from Long An has a distinctive flavor: rich, fatty, and a perfect balance of salty and sour notes, thanks to the fermented wild herbs. This delicious dish is readily available in the major markets of Long An.

Recommended Location: Wholesale Market - Ward 2, Tân An City, Long An Province

Cần Giuộc Crab Paste is one of the most distinctive specialties of the Mekong Delta in general and Long An in particular.

In the coastal areas of Cần Giuộc and Cần Đước districts, there are many types of aquatic life, with crabs being the most notable. The best crabs for this dish are harvested on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. The process of making crab paste is simple, but it requires meticulous care and a lot of time. Locals clean the crabs, mash them with salt, then dry them under the sun. After 3-4 days, they extract the essence and dry it again until the paste thickens.

Cần Giuộc crab paste has a unique flavor that might seem unfamiliar at first, but the more you taste it, the more you crave it. This paste is typically served with noodles, vegetables, and is a beloved dish of the Southern Vietnamese people. If you visit Long An, don't forget to try the crab paste and bring some home as a souvenir for your loved ones.

Recommended Location: Hoa Thuan 1 Hamlet, Truong Binh Commune, Can Giuoc District, Long An Province

Fresh Sausage from Long An is renowned for its lean meat and minimal fat, making it a delicious option that won’t overwhelm even if you eat a lot. It can be fried or grilled over a charcoal fire. When visiting Long An, it's easy to find fresh sausages hanging in many stalls, especially during the Lunar New Year. The shiny sausages are so appetizing that visitors can’t resist them.

Initially made from scraps of meat in slaughterhouses, fresh sausage has now evolved into a specialty dish. The recipe uses only the best pork cuts, and with a unique blend of spices, Long An’s fresh sausage has gained fame as a must-try local delicacy. It also makes a perfect gift for visitors.

Recommended Locations:

• Bảy Hưởng Fresh Sausage Factory - 6 Ấp 1A Tân Trạch, Cần Đước, Long An
  • Phone: 0272 3880 766
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lapxuongbayhuong/
• Hồng Thu Store - 196 Ấp Tân Mỹ, Mỹ Lệ Commune, Cần Đước, Long An

Gò Đen Rice Wine, known as the "finest liquor" in the Mekong Delta, is cherished by many connoisseurs. This renowned drink originates from the French colonial period in Gò Đen, a famous location in Bến Lức District, Long An.

The locals have developed a unique brewing process, distilling the wine in tall grasses, then storing it in animal bladders for preservation and transportation.

To craft the finest Gò Đen rice wine, the distillers must be meticulous in every step. Authentic Gò Đen rice wine is made using local rice varieties such as mở, hương, and thổ địa. After brewing, the wine is aged in clay jars for over 100 days before it is ready for consumption.

Gò Đen rice wine has become a prized local delicacy, commonly served at celebrations and offered as a thoughtful gift by the people of Long An.

Visit: Gò Đen Wine Village - Gò Đen Township, Phước Lợi Commune, Bến Lức District, Long An

Watermelon is a popular fruit enjoyed by many people everywhere. It is grown widely, but what makes Long Trì watermelons stand out and become famous is the soil where they are cultivated. The high, mineral-rich land of Long Trì gives the melons a much sweeter and fresher taste.

Long Trì Watermelon is known for its thin skin, natural sweetness, fewer seeds, and excellent shelf life. These qualities have made the melons from this area highly loved by locals and visitors alike.

When visiting Long An, don't miss the chance to taste the sweet and refreshing flavor of Long Trì watermelons, and be sure to take some home as a gift.

Visit: Long Trì, Châu Thành District, Long An Province

Nàng Thơm Rice from Đào Market is a famous rice variety in Long An, associated with the legendary love story of a young man named Lúa and a girl named Thơm in the Đào Market area. This rice is unmatched in its fragrance, with long, slender grains that emit a distinct, strong aroma even when stored in plastic bags. The fragrance lingers for months, and when cooked, it is soft, sticky, and sweet, making it exceptionally delicious.

The uniqueness of this rice lies in the fact that it can only be grown in this specific area. The harvest season is short, lasting just six months during the autumn-winter period. The rice only blooms during the winter solstice. Seeds are planted in June and July, and the harvest occurs in late December. With just one season per year, this rice is highly prized, often kept for personal use or given as gifts rather than sold in large quantities.

Visit: Đào Market - Mỹ Lệ Commune, Cần Đước District, Long An Province

Bánh Tét is a beloved Vietnamese dish, traditionally enjoyed during the Lunar New Year. While northern Vietnam is known for Bánh Chưng, southern Vietnam celebrates with Bánh Tét. Each region has its own unique style and flavor.

Long An Bánh Tét stands out for its distinct characteristics compared to other regions. The province boasts high-quality glutinous rice, and locals add grated coconut or coconut milk, infusing the rice cake with an irresistible aroma.

Long An Bánh Tét comes in both savory and sweet varieties, with a wide range of fillings such as mung beans, bananas, and coconut. The vibrant colors are another draw: green from the pandan leaf, purple from the purple yam, and red from the gac fruit. Each filling offers a unique flavor experience.

In Long An, Bánh Tét isn't just for Tet celebrations—it’s available year-round, catering to the demand of locals and visitors. It’s a must-try for anyone passing through the Mekong Delta region.

Location: Bánh Tét Village - Zone 2, Đức Hòa Town, Đức Hòa District, Long An Province

Sour soup is a common dish in many Vietnamese households, but in Long An, it stands out as a regional specialty.

Long An's Sour Fish Soup with Chốt Fish is made from Chốt fish, a small, smooth-skinned fish that rarely grows larger than 1kg. This fish is abundant in the southwestern region of Vietnam, and it is used in various dishes, but the sour soup is the most popular. The locals are skilled at selecting the freshest fish, particularly those that are full of roe. The dish is simple, made with Chốt fish, young tamarind leaves, okra, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Yet, the unique preparation method results in a flavor that has become a hallmark of Long An.

The soup combines the rich and creamy taste of the fish, the tartness of tamarind, and the fragrant herbs, creating a satisfying and flavorful dish. You can easily find this soup in nearly every restaurant in Long An.

Location: Old Tan An Market - Chợ Ngõ, Phường 2, Tan An, Long An Province