10 Signature Specialties of Ha Tien Town

Ha Tien town, Kien Giang province, not only boasts beautiful landscapes and modern urban structures but also has a remarkable culinary scene, blending the distinctive culinary cultures of the Kinh and Khmer people. Have you discovered the signature specialties of Ha Tien town yet? If not, let's explore them together in the list below.

1. Ha Tien Sticky Rice
2. Local Fishermen's Xiu Fish Sauce
3. Ken Noodles and Xiêm Lo Noodles
4. Fragrant Ocean-flavored Dried Shrimp
5. Ha Tien Toddy Palm Cake
6. Mullet Fish Salad
7. Steamed Rice Noodles
8. Tapioca Cake with Pork Skin
9. Giant Snail
10. Ha Tien Mackerel Fish Cake Noodle Soup

Ha Tien Sticky Rice

Ha Tien Sticky Rice is expertly cooked, both savory and sweet versions are exceptionally delicious despite being very simple. The process of making sticky rice, from soaking the rice to adding coconut milk, may not have any special secrets, but the careful and meticulous method of the people of Ha Tien has made the sticky rice even more fragrant. Ha Tien savory sticky rice is lightly seasoned, with only dried shrimp sprinkled on top, yet it has a rich and unique flavor.

For sweet sticky rice, diners can enjoy mango sticky rice or chicken egg sticky rice. To make mango sticky rice, one simply adds a layer of mashed green beans that have been finely ground and toasted golden on top of white sticky rice, then a layer of ripe, soft mango slices cut into thin strips. Mango sticky rice is a deliciously unusual dish with a taste that is both rich and sweet, with a hint of sourness and the fragrant aroma of mango. For chicken egg sticky rice, in addition to chicken egg yolks, people also use durian rice that is both chewy and fragrant.

Xiêm sticky rice has an eye-catching golden yellow color like ripe mangoes.

The sticky rice shop on Tran Hau Street has been famous for many years.

Local Fishermen's Xiu Fish Sauce

In addition to common aquatic products like fish, shrimp, crab, squid, on the black sandbanks in Ha Tien town, there are also plenty of xiu fish. Xiu fish looks like bivalve mollusks such as clams, oysters, and cockles but resembles insects with antennae, long tails, and large bodies. The xiu fish season runs from about June to August every year. Fishermen catch xiu fish similarly to how they catch clams, bring them back to shore, clean off the mud, separate the meat from the shells and tails, then make fish sauce. Salted xiu fish can be eaten in the morning or afternoon. In the past, aboard ships far from home, Ha Tien fishermen always kept a few jars of salted xiu fish to eat with hot rice.

The sour, salty, sweet, and spicy flavors of the dish often give diners a delightful sensation. Salted xiu fish is prepared similarly to salted ba khia, with a layer of xiu fish sprinkled with a layer of salt. The quality of the delicious xiu fish sauce also depends on this salting method. The salted xiu fish is briefly soaked in hot water to reduce the saltiness, mangoes are finely shredded, mixed with laksa leaves, then poured with a mixture of vinegar, sugar, a bit of Phu Quoc fish sauce to create a rich flavor, and finally sprinkled with roasted peanuts and fried shallots to enhance the taste of the dish.

Location reference: Along Tran Hau Street, Binh San Ward, Ha Tien town, and in Ha Tien night market.

Xiu Fish

Fresh xiu fish is caught from the waters of Ha Tien.

Kèn Noodle and Lo Xiem Noodle

While Rach Gia is famous for its fish noodle soup, the people of Ha Tien take pride in their specialties: kèn noodle and lo xiem noodle. There's nothing better than starting the day with the exquisite taste of these two noodle dishes. Both noodles feature ingredients sourced from the sea around Ha Tien, such as pomfret, grouper, and golden threadfin bream. Kèn noodle has a yellow color and a spicy taste from curry powder. Meanwhile, the essence of lo xiem noodle lies in the use of water spinach stems and traditional Khmer fermented fish paste.

Kèn Noodle is a unique dish of Ha Tien with intricate preparation methods, enticing many travelers to indulge. Originating from Cambodia, the broth is made from boiled fish water, curry powder, coconut milk, and bright red annatto oil. Ha Tien Kèn Noodle is prepared with various types of sea fish such as pomfret, grouper, and especially golden threadfin bream, creating a distinctively fresh flavor for the dish.

Not only tourists but also locals favor these two noodle dishes. For the people living here, kèn noodle or lo xiem noodle are morning staples like fish noodle soup or rice cake soup in Rach Gia. The flavors of these traditional dishes have infused into the bloodstream, making Ha Tien natives yearn for them when away! Location reference: Mac Tu Hoang Street area, floating market area in Ha Tien.

Kèn Noodle

Fermented fish paste is an indispensable ingredient of lo xiem noodle.

Fragrant dried shrimp with the taste of the ocean

Ha Tien dried shrimp – Kien Giang is made from both river shrimp and sea shrimp harvested from the Gulf of Thailand and the brackish water area of Dong Ho. During the shrimp drying season, Ha Tien bustles with trips to gather fresh shrimp ashore. Beyond January or after Tet holiday, the amount of white shrimp will gradually decrease, but in exchange, there will be prawns and tiger prawns from the sea. These are large-sized shrimp with very attractive colors!

According to experienced practitioners, the quantity of finished dried shrimp depends largely on the shrimp catch. However, regardless of the type chosen, the standard of fresh live shrimp is always paramount. Shrimp must have hard, thick shells, and after being taken out of the water for a few hours, they should still be alive, so when cooked, the shrimp will naturally turn red. To obtain dried shrimp that is not too salty, not fishy, and has a characteristic aroma, the shrimp boiling process requires even heat, moderate salt seasoning, and selecting the right time to remove the shrimp for drying. Typically, boil in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, then add salt at a ratio of 20 grams of salt per 1 kg of shrimp and boil for another 4 minutes. If left too long, the shrimp meat will lose its firmness and stick to the shell.

Ha Tien dried shrimp has an attractive red color

Dried shrimp displayed for sale at the market

Hà Tiên palm sugar cake

Palm sugar cakes have a rich aroma and sweet flavor of ripe palm fruit, the fragrant scent of rice, and the richness of coconut milk. Making palm sugar cakes cannot be without palm sugar and the flour from ripe palm fruit. After collecting the palm sugar water dripped from the tree, without mixing anything, pour it directly into a pan and simmer for about 4 hours until the palm sugar water thickens, turning into a golden turmeric color and emitting a fragrant smell of caramel. This sugar is used for seasoning, making sweet soups, and especially for making various types of palm sugar cakes.

The ingredients for making palm sugar cakes consist of 4 main types: rice flour, flour from ripe palm fruit, palm sugar, a little coconut milk, and shredded coconut. Ripe palm fruit is peeled and ground to extract the flour. Then mix it with rice flour, palm sugar; let it sit for half an hour for the flour to rise before wrapping the cakes. Wrapping palm sugar cakes looks simple. Cut a large round banana leaf bigger than your hand, stack a smaller piece on top. Then sprinkle with some shredded coconut before putting the flour in, then wrap it up. Although simple, it requires skillful hands, otherwise, the cakes will not be even and beautiful. After wrapping, stack the cakes in a basket and steam for about 1 hour until cooked. Ripe palm sugar cakes have a golden color, exuding the fragrance of palm fruit flour, the richness of coconut milk, and the sweet taste of palm sugar. When eaten hot, the cakes are very fragrant and chewy. The colder the cakes, the firmer and more fragrant they become.

Rustic Hà Tiên palm cake

Ripe palm sugar cakes have a golden color

Pickled anchovy salad

Pickled anchovy salad is a specialty of coastal areas, many beach destinations such as Phu Quoc, Vung Tau, Ly Son,... have this dish, not just Hà Tiên. However, pickled anchovy salad is still one of the delicious specialties of Hà Tiên that cannot be missed because anchovies are harvested all year round with abundant fish from the nature and the unique way of making the salad by Hà Tiên people.

Marinated fillets of anchovy are briefly soaked in lime juice or vinegar, then drained. Next, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, chili, chopped shallots, and shredded dried coconut are added and mixed well. The dish is served with rice paper, fresh vegetables, and a rich peanut sauce. The blend of flavors wrapped in the rolls will create the distinctive taste of Ha Tien, sure to delight and leave a lasting impression on diners.

Anchovy salad

Anchovy salad

Steamed rice noodles

When you have the chance to visit Ha Tien, you'll surely be introduced to the distinctive dish of steamed rice noodles, a highlight of the local cuisine. While not native to the region, steamed rice noodles are a delicious specialty of Ha Tien. This dish features fresh rice noodles steamed to perfection, served with coconut milk, shredded lean pork, crispy spring rolls, fragrant herbs, peanuts, and sometimes pickled carrots.

Delicious steamed rice noodles in Ha Tien offer a diverse range of flavors yet still retain the characteristic taste of the Mekong Delta. Anyone who tries Ha Tien's steamed rice noodles will find it hard to forget the chewy texture of each strand, the richness of the coconut milk broth perfectly seasoned, the earthy flavor of the potatoes in the spring rolls, and the subtle aroma of the thin noodles.

Steamed rice noodles in Ha Tien

Steamed rice noodles in Ha Tien

Tapioca cake with pork skin

Tapioca cake with pork skin is a unique type of steamed rice noodles, made from brown rice flour. The key step in creating the distinct flavors of tapioca cake is the process of mixing and stirring the flour, known as the 'dough pond', then hand-rolling the dough into strands before steaming until fully cooked. To complete the tapioca cake, it must be served with coconut cream that has been beaten until slightly thickened with a touch of cornstarch or tapioca flour, and seasoned with a bit of sugar and salt.

In addition, the pork skin is boiled until tender, thinly sliced, while lean pork is seasoned, fried until golden brown, then thinly sliced and mixed with toasted rice powder, crushed garlic, and a blend of spices. To enjoy tapioca cake with pork skin, one must use a deep plate, place the tapioca cake inside, add golden pork skin, finely chopped spring onions, a few herbs, crushed peanuts, and then pour coconut cream on top. Before indulging, add a bit of sweet and tangy fish sauce and some pickled vegetables to enhance the enticing flavors of the dish.

Tapioca cake with pork skin

Tapioca cake with pork skin

Conch

The Ha Tien conch species boasts beautiful coloration and patterns, with a relatively heavy weight and more meat compared to other species. Visitors to Ha Tien town are quite familiar with the conch salad when they come to visit. Most notably, the conch salad stands out. The meat of the conch consists of two edible parts: the white, firm conch foot and the soft, brownish guts, known to connoisseurs as 'gach' or liver. After cleaning the conch shell, it is steamed (or boiled), the conch foot is sliced thinly, then mixed with finely chopped banana blossom, coriander, chili, cooking oil, and spices. The conch guts are placed on top to prevent them from breaking, then evenly sprinkled with crispy fried peanuts.

The Ha Tien conch species boasts beautiful coloration and patterns, with a relatively heavy weight and more meat compared to other species. Visitors to Ha Tien town are quite familiar with the conch salad when they come to visit. The Ha Tien conch species boasts beautiful coloration and patterns, with a relatively heavy weight and more meat compared to other species. Visitors to Ha Tien town are quite familiar with the conch salad when they come to visit.
Reference locations: Restaurants at Mui Nai Beach, restaurants, eateries in the center of Ha Tien town.

Conch

Conch

Ha Tien fish cake noodle soup

When in Ha Tien, you should try the Ha Tien fish cake noodle soup, which is rich in coastal flavors. The fresh fish cakes are firm and sweet, making the dish delicious. A special feature here is the broth, where the chef usually adds some dried shrimp, bones, meat, and tuna head to give the broth a very fragrant, sweet taste.

Fish cake is made from fresh tuna meat combined with mackerel. The fresh tuna meat is minced together with various types of mackerel, then seasoned with spices such as pepper, garlic, shallots, fish sauce... and mixed well. Next, everything is put into a mortar and pestle to grind finely, then a little fat is added before shaping into round pieces and steaming. When eating, you will taste the characteristic flavor, the sweetness of the fish, mackerel combined with the fragrant aroma of finely chopped coriander, fried garlic, a bit of spicy chili, making tourists remember it after just one try.

Reference location: You can easily find this dish at eateries in the Dong Ho night market, Ha Tien.

Ha Tien mackerel fish cake noodle soup

Ha Tien mackerel fish cake noodle soup

Posted by: Nhat Hoang Nguyen

Keywords: 10 Renowned Specialties of Ha Tien Town