Top 8 Famous Traditional Dishes of the Mong Ethnic Group

In Lao Chai (Sapa), the H'Mong people have a unique dish made from chili peppers: grilled chili. To make this dish, they use ripe green chili peppers, grill them over an open fire until the heat causes the spiciness to dissipate, then remove them, dust off the charcoal, and mash them with roasted salt. It’s a simple dish, but it can easily become the main item of a meal. Some families may add a bit of oil or hot fat to stir-fry the mashed chili with salt to enhance the aroma. This results in a truly delicious dish. From the ingredients, you can easily imagine the flavor: spicy and salty. Since the chilies are grilled over hot coals, much of the heat is released, so they are not as intensely spicy as we might expect from fresh chilies. Stir-frying the chili also adds an extra layer of fragrance and appeal to the dish. For us, this dish might seem unusual, but for the H'Mong people, especially in Lao Chai (Sapa), it’s a familiar and beloved dish. This is because the everyday meals of people here are mostly made up of boiled wild vegetables or simple stews, so the spicy taste of grilled chili becomes a highlight of the meal. Additionally, other dishes, like wild vegetable soup, are often enhanced with chili to make them more appealing. If you have the chance to visit the highlands, don’t miss the opportunity to try the H'Mong grilled chili.

A traditional dish that can’t be missed is Bắc Hà sour pho. Unlike regular pho, this dish requires special pho noodles, sour broth, pickled vegetables, fermented tofu, roasted peanuts, and chili sauce. The reason it’s considered a local dish is because the pho noodles are made from locally sourced rice, and the tofu takes three months to prepare properly.

The broth is made by soaking and mixing mustard greens with sugar water, making the dish a humble yet rich expression of the local culture. The pho noodles are fragrant, firm yet tender, and have a deep reddish-brown color. They combine beautifully with the crispness of the peanuts, the mild sourness of the broth and pickled vegetables, the chewiness of the meat, the heat from the chili sauce, and the aromatic herbs, creating a unique and delicious flavor that will never get boring, no matter how many times you try it.

Since the growth of tourism, Bắc Hà pho is no longer just a local dish. Visitors from all over come to sample the local pho in the mornings, and because of this, sour pho and other unique pho varieties from Bắc Hà are becoming a well-known specialty.

Not only Mèn mén, but when mentioning corn-based dishes from the Mong people, we must talk about a delightful cake called pá páo cừ corn cake. Mong women share: "The corn cake is mainly made from glutinous corn, which is fragrant and sticky. When the corn kernels are still fresh, they are picked, separated, and then ground into flour in a stone mortar. The corn flour is placed in a bag and hung high so the water can drain, leaving the flour inside." To speed up the drying process, the bag of flour is placed in the fireplace to let the ash absorb the moisture. After about two days, when the flour solidifies, it is taken out, fluffed up, mixed with just enough water, and then rolled into round cakes like fried cakes, which are then pan-fried to a golden brown. The corn cake is primarily made from glutinous corn, giving it a sticky and fragrant texture. Depending on personal preference, some people add a little molasses or honey during the preparation to give the cake a sweet taste from the molasses or honey, along with the aroma of fresh corn. Other families wrap the cakes into triangular shapes, making small pieces and wrapping them in corn husks before steaming them. When eaten, the cakes are chewy, aromatic, and delicious, making them a typical dish of the Mong people. Simple yet refined, this is how Mong cuisine is perceived. To enhance the aesthetic appeal of the corn cake, many families wrap the cakes into triangular shapes. The preparation of the ingredients remains the same, but instead of frying, the Mong people use young corn husks to wrap the cakes into triangular shapes, which are then steamed. These cakes retain their chewy texture and flavor, with the enticing aroma filling the air as soon as they’re in the steamer. Once unwrapped, children often thread the cakes onto chopsticks or string them together to carry around, enjoying the corn cake as part of their cultural traditions. It is more than just food; the corn cake has become an essential part of the life and spirit of the people in the highland plateau.

There are many types of cakes made from corn flour, but for the Mong people living in regions such as Sinh Lung, Thai Phin Tung, Van Chai, and Sung Trai, Lao Khoai cake (also known as Luc Khoai or Ro Khoai) made from corn flour is a must-have dish during Tet celebrations. Following their traditional communal settlement patterns, the Mong people often gather in the spring to prepare a large batch of Lao Khoai cake together, which is meant to last throughout the month of January. To make the cake, the corn flour is steamed until fully cooked, then pounded in a stone mortar until the dough becomes sticky and smooth. The dough is then rolled out on a stone surface and shaped into oval cakes, approximately 15-20 cm in diameter. The surface of the cake is coated with a mixture of lard and honey. Lao Khoai cakes can be stored for a long time. When it's time to eat, the Mong people cut the cake into small pieces and grill them over an open fire to make them puff up and become fragrant. This type of cake is commonly made by the Mong people in the Northwest region during festivals and holidays or sold at local markets. It is highly favored by many people for its unique flavor and texture.

Sticky Rice Cake – a traditional dish, and the process of preparing sticky rice cakes, is essential during the Mong people’s celebrations, especially during the Lunar New Year and various festivals. Traditionally, Mong people view the sticky rice cake as a symbol not only of love and loyalty between couples, but also as a representation of the moon and the sun – the origins of all life and creation on Earth. In Mong language, the sticky rice cake is called 'Pé-Plẩu.'

The making of this cake is quite intricate, using fragrant glutinous rice that is steamed into a sticky rice base. Roasted sesame seeds and several boiled egg yolks are also added to the mixture. To avoid the dough sticking to hands and tools during preparation, they are greased. The cake tastes best when it is freshly made and served hot, bringing out the strong, homely aroma of the rice. It can also be fried or grilled for added texture and is often paired with sugarcane or honey for a delicious finish.

Although many ethnic groups have their own version of sticky rice cakes, the Mong people’s version stands apart in both its preparation and distinct flavor. The uniqueness of this cake is hard to describe – you have to visit the mountainous regions of the Northwest to experience the gift of nature and witness the skilled preparation by the hospitable people of this land.

Thang Co is a traditional dish of the Mong people from the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam. Originally from Yunnan, China, it has been adopted by various ethnic groups, including the Kinh, Dao, and Tay peoples.

Although the preparation of Thang Co is quite simple, achieving the perfect taste requires skill and experience. The process starts by slaughtering a horse (or cow, goat, or pig), cleaning it thoroughly, and cutting the edible internal organs into small pieces. The cooking takes place over a hot charcoal fire, using an old, well-seasoned pan (not a new one). All the ingredients, such as the meat from the stomach, rump, heart, liver, and intestines, are added to the pan at once and fried in the animal’s own fat, without any additional oil. Once the meat is slightly seared on the outside, water is added to the pan, and the dish is simmered for several hours.

To ensure a rich and clear broth, the Mong chef carefully skims the foam off the top to enhance the flavor and clarity of the stock. Afterward, ingredients such as the intestines, heart, liver, blood, meat, and bones are added and simmered until tender. Traditional spices like salt, cardamom, local herbs, cinnamon, and roasted lime leaves are ground and rubbed onto the meat before it’s fried. In modern times, some restaurants have altered the spice mix, changing the flavor significantly.

When served, the pan is kept on the stove to stay hot, and portions are scooped into bowls as they are eaten. Thang Co is typically prepared during festivals, oath-taking ceremonies to protect the forests, village gatherings, family celebrations, or at local markets.

Men Men is not a luxurious dish, but it leaves a lasting impression on anyone who tries it. Made from local maize, it’s a staple food for the Mong people. After each harvest, the corn is dried on house verandas or in the kitchen before being used to prepare Men Men. However, creating the perfect dish takes time and several steps.

The first step involves separating the kernels, discarding any spoiled or moldy ones, and keeping only the plump, round ones. These are then ground using traditional stone mills, a labor-intensive process that is considered the most demanding part of making Men Men. After grinding, the corn is sifted to remove husks and impurities, then mixed with just enough water. The key is getting the right moisture balance—too little water will make it dry and hard to cook, too much will make the dish mushy. This step requires experience, as it’s often a family member who is skilled at cooking who handles the preparation.

Unlike other dishes, Men Men is steamed twice. The steaming is done in a large pot of water, with a high bamboo basket placed in the center where the corn mixture is carefully set to cook. The result is a delicious, soft, and fragrant dish.

Men Men is a popular dish among the Mong people, especially when mixed with rice for a sweet, nutty flavor with a soft, sticky texture. In local markets, it’s often served with broth and eaten alongside noodles or pho. Traditionally, the dish was made at home, but now it’s commonly sold at local markets. Visitors to these highland markets can easily find this simple yet distinctive dish, a symbol of Mong culture.

Corn Wine is a traditional specialty of the H'Mong people in Sapa. This unique H'Mong wine has a distinct fragrance derived from forest herbs, with a rich flavor of mountain rice and glutinous corn.

Located at over 1,000 meters above sea level, Sapa enjoys a cool climate and lush vegetation, making it an ideal place to cultivate the ingredients for this exceptional wine. The wine is made from mountain rice, glutinous corn, and a special fermentation agent prepared from more than 20 different types of local herbs.

Before brewing, the H'Mong people meticulously prepare the fermentation agent along with the ingredients. The mountain rice and glutinous corn are steamed, then mixed with the fermentation agent and left to ferment. Over time, the fermentation process transforms the raw materials into alcohol. Once the wine has developed a strong, aromatic scent, it is distilled using a traditional method, resulting in a smooth, high-quality liquor.

As a distilled beverage, the wine is clear, with a pure fragrance and a gentle, sweet flavor. According to H'Mong tradition, the wine is brewed for offerings to the deities, reflecting its cultural significance. The preparation of this wine is intricate, not only as a culinary craft but also as an expression of the H'Mong people’s customs and spirituality. The distinct flavor of H'Mong wine is a harmonious blend of rice, glutinous corn, and the 20 herbal ingredients in the fermentation agent, making it a truly unique drink with both cultural and culinary value.