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Nam Dinh is not just a city with famous tourist attractions but also a treasure trove of delicious specialties in the Red River Delta. Let's explore Nam Dinh cuisine with mytour.VN to see what delicious specialties are here!
1. Nam Dinh Beef Pho
Any traveler coming to Nam Dinh never forgets to try Nam Dinh Beef Pho. While Hanoi Beef Pho entices with its bowl full of ingredients, Nam Dinh Beef Pho captivates with its broth and beef preparation.
Nam Dinh Beef Pho (Image source)
There's no single traditional recipe for cooking Nam Dinh Beef Pho because it's prepared differently by each family. However, what makes this dish so addictive to travelers is its small, soft pho noodles combined with a slightly rich and fragrant broth, packed with a deep, refreshing flavor. The broth is one of the key factors in the success of Nam Dinh Beef Pho, along with tender, sweet beef slices that make travelers want to keep eating without wanting to leave.
Tender, sweet beef slices that make travelers want to keep eating without wanting to leave (Image source)
When in Nam Dinh, travelers can visit some delicious eateries such as Xuyen Pho on Van Nhan Alley, Uncle Tang's Pho on Hang Tien Street, or Dan Pho on Hai Ba Trung Street to taste how different this flavor is compared to Hanoi Beef Pho!
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2. Giao Thuy Rolled Rice Cake
A specialty of Nam Dinh that every traveler here will surely buy as a gift – Giao Thuy Rolled Rice Cake. This is a traditional dish of Thanh Nam people that has been closely associated with the life of Nam Dinh people until now.
Giao Thuy Rolled Rice Cake (Image source)
Travelers will notice when peeling off the first layers of Rolled Rice Cake that there are round rolls, enticingly resembling those at Ta Hien Street. The ingredients to make this dish are far from simple. Made from firm pork skin, the pork skin must be cleaned, shaved clean. Then it is manually sliced evenly mixed with spices to bring out a rich flavor.
The fragrant, fatty taste of Rolled Rice Cake, the slightly bitter taste of betel leaves will make travelers irresistible (Image source)
The tiny, finely ground rolls wrapped in sung leaves look truly appealing. Travelers just need to wrap a bit of Rolled Rice Cake in sung leaves with some herbs, especially betel leaves not to be missed, and dip it in a delicious, flavorful fish sauce. Just tasting a bit will immediately feel the fragrant, fatty taste of Rolled Rice Cake, the slightly bitter taste of betel leaves that will make travelers unable to resist but just want to eat more.
The tiny, finely ground rolls wrapped in sung leaves look truly appealing (Image source)
When peeling off the sung leaves, travelers will not cease to be overwhelmed by the distinctive fragrance of Nam Dinh specialty Fermented Anchovy. The rich aroma of fermented anchovy made from Nam Dinh eight-grain rice blended with the fragrant, bitter taste of sung leaves will leave an unforgettable memory for travelers. So memorable that they feel compelled to buy it as a gift or bring it home for gatherings with family and friends.
3. Thanh Nam Bamboo Vermicelli
Vermicelli is a dish well known to travelers. There are many dishes like: Crab vermicelli soup, Hue beef vermicelli, Nam Dinh fish vermicelli. But when it comes to Thanh Nam Bamboo Vermicelli, travelers find it strange because of the name of this dish.
Thanh Nam Bamboo Vermicelli (Image source)
Thành Nam Bamboo Vermicelli is exclusively found in Nam Dinh. When mentioning this dish, travelers will immediately envision vermicelli resembling the shape of chopsticks. It's not wrong to say that this dish stands out from others. Thành Nam vermicelli strands are as big as the head of a chopstick, white, soft but firm without being sticky.
Travelers relish a bowl of vermicelli with large, white strands along with a flavorful, clear broth with crab pieces, accompanied by a few strands of water mimosa and raw vegetables. A bowl of vermicelli emanating the fragrant aroma of the broth with a sprinkle of dried chili on top will easily melt travelers' hearts because of this unique dish.
A bowl of vermicelli emanating the fragrant aroma of the broth with a sprinkle of dried chili on top will easily melt travelers' hearts (Image source)
For only 25,000 VND – 45,000 VND per bowl, which is affordable for travelers, there is no reason not to try this dish.
4. Nam Dinh's Savory Sticky Rice
Nam Dinh's Savory Sticky Rice is a name that may sound unfamiliar to travelers stepping foot in Nam Dinh. However, it is a renowned dish, no less famous than Nam Dinh's Gai Cake.
Nam Dinh's Savory Sticky Rice (Image source)
Nam Dinh's Savory Sticky Rice consists of white sticky rice served with delicious, hot char siu pork and Chinese sausage combined with a flavorful sauce that is incomparable to any other sticky rice dish. Travelers just need to mix the bowl of sticky rice well to enjoy the extraordinary taste. The fragrant stickiness of glutinous rice, the savory sweetness of Chinese sausage and char siu pork, combined with the spicy, rich flavor of the sauce.
Fragrant stickiness of glutinous rice, the savory sweetness of Chinese sausage and char siu pork combined with the spicy, rich flavor of the sauce (Image source)
Savor the delicious and affordable Xoi Xiu for only 15,000 VND per bowl, and you'll remember its distinctive flavor forever. Visit Hang Sat Street or Hoang Van Thu Street to try this dish.
Stop by to try Xoi Xiu now (Image source)
5. Lang Kenh Steamed Rice Rolls
Banh cuon Lang Kenh, a traditional delicacy of Nam Dinh, has been a beloved dish for generations. Visitors are easily drawn not only by the aroma of steaming banh cuon but also by the irresistible allure of this age-old recipe.
Irresistible Banh cuon Lang Kenh (Image source)
The allure of Banh cuon lies in its pristine white color. Scoop up each thin, smooth piece, sprinkle with savory filling and fragrant fried shallots, roll it up neatly, then place it on the plate. Just try the first few pieces dipped in the aromatic sweet and sour dipping sauce, with a hint of spicy chili, and you'll taste the traditional flavor of Banh cuon Lang Kenh.
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With just one serving of banh cuon priced at 10,000 VND, visitors can easily indulge in this delicious dish.
6. Nam Dinh Gai Cake
Mentioning Gai Cake is mentioning the birthplace of these delicious, fragrant, and sweet cakes. This is the prominent specialty of Thanh Nam, Nam Dinh.
Nam Dinh Gai Cake (Image source)
The filling of the cake is a combination of gifts from young rice fields blending together: From green beans, peanuts, lotus seeds, coconut, and fatty pork. These ingredients create a unique flavor, with the aroma of rice, sweetness of lotus seeds, and coconut.
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To make the delicious Gai Cake last longer, the gai leaves and glutinous rice are the key elements for the traditional Nam Dinh Gai Cake that every visitor here wants to try. To experience the unforgettable traditional flavor, sweet and rich.
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The price of Nam Dinh Gai Cake ranges from 6,000 to 11,000 VND per cake depending on the type. Don't hesitate to visit Bà Thi Gai Cake Shop to buy some lovely pairs of cakes as gifts.
7. Fish grilled in pot
Fish grilled in pot is a traditional dish that every family in Nam Dinh has on their dining table during Tet holiday. This specialty dish stands out not only because of its unique name but also because of its special cooking method.
Fish grilled in pot (Image source)
After being cleaned and seasoned, the fish is placed in an aluminum pot with a layer of straw and banana leaves underneath and surrounded by bricks. Then, the area around the pot is continuously burned for 30 minutes, and a thick layer of husk is spread over the top of the pot, which is then burned for an additional 4 to 5 hours.
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Because grilling the fish evenly without burning it requires great care, ensuring the fire remains uniform to cook the fish evenly. The sight of golden-brown, fatty, fragrant fish pieces makes tourists want to eat them immediately. Achieving such a delicious dish relies on skilled hands and perseverance in grilling the fish. This dish requires a lot of time to cook to perfection.
The sight of golden-brown, fatty, fragrant fish pieces makes tourists want to eat them immediately (Image source)
If you happen to visit Nam Dinh, whether early or late, don't refuse this dish!
8. Xiu Pao Cake
Xiu Pao Cake is also one of the delicious rustic specialties of the people of Nam Dinh. Just by seeing Xiu Pao Cake, you will notice its resemblance to cream puffs with its small, round shape.
Nam Dinh Xiu Pao Cake (Image source)
Xiu Pao is a type of cake with a thin crust similar to baked mooncakes but softer and more fragrant. It is kneaded meticulously and carefully from wheat flour. The filling of Xiu Pao includes char siu, eggs, flour, a bit of pork fat, and some characteristic spices of Nam Dinh people.
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Travelers only need to see the chefs marinating pork with garlic, Chinese five-spice powder, a little oil blend, and adding a touch of fragrant honey when grilling until it turns golden. When the cake is taken out of the oven, the aroma of the baked cake blends with the scent of the meat, making it irresistible for travelers.
The aroma of the baked cake blends with the scent of the meat, making it irresistible for travelers (Image source)
That's why Xiu Pao cake has become a familiar dish for people in Nam Dinh, as well as for children, not only because of the distinctive aroma of the cake but also because of its small and convenient size for takeaway or school snacks. With only 5,000 VND per piece, the small and lovely Xiu Pao cake fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, tempting travelers to buy one immediately to enjoy.
9. Lychee Cake
Lychee Cake is also a specialty taste of the people in Nam Dinh. When hearing the name Lychee Cake, many travelers might think that it is made from lychee fruit or longan. However, Lychee Cake is made from the famous sticky rice of Nam Dinh.
From sticky rice, eggs, sugar, and pork fat through the skilled hands of the maker, round and shiny cakes are created
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Preparing this specialty dish is no easy task. With skilled hands, a mixture of glutinous rice, eggs, sugar, and pork fat is shaped into small, round cakes resembling lychee fruits, and they glisten with a golden hue.
Lychee Cake (Photo collection)
Once you try this Lychee Cake, you'll never forget its taste. Lychee Cakes quickly spread across the Vietnamese market, not just in Nam Dinh city. Priced at only 70,000 - 100,000 VND per package, travelers can buy them as gifts for family and friends.
10. Siu Chau Candy
Nam Dinh's specialties aren't just limited to Beef Pho or Nam Dinh Gai Cake; many travelers who visit Nam Dinh are unaware of Siu Chau Candy, an unusual local delicacy.
Siu Chau Candy (Photo collection)
When you think of candy, you might imagine something sweet, chewy, and crunchy, much like peanut candy. Siu Chau Candy is made from peanuts, sesame seeds, malt, and sugar. However, what makes it delicious is the skillful hands of the candy maker. It's all about delicacy, precision in temperature, and balancing ingredients to achieve the perfect sweetness, freshness, and the distinctive flavor of Nam Dinh.
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During every holiday or simply on leisure days, just a piece of Siu Chau Candy, enjoying the crispy and chewy candy, its sweet and refreshing taste, then sipping a cup of tea, chatting with family or friends truly makes travelers cherish those meaningful moments. For only 45,000 VND – 100,000 VND per package, travelers can bring back a little gift for their family and friends.
11. Rice Puff Candy
Rice Puff Candy has become a familiar treat for both children and adults in Nam Dinh. Travelers may wonder why it's called that. Perhaps because when looking at Rice Puff Candy, travelers can easily imagine it resembling the beloved snack of the Northern people.
Rice Puff Candy (Photo collection)
The ingredients of Rice Puff Candy include: peanuts, sugar, rice puff, and vanilla. However, making delicious Rice Puff Candy is not a simple task. It all depends on the skillful and meticulous hands of candy makers. The candy has a milky white outer layer surrounding the fragrant peanut filling inside, just enough for travelers to enjoy without being overly sweet.
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12. Simmered Sweet Soup
Simmered Sweet Soup is also a specialty of Nam Dinh, requiring only a few ingredients to make this dish. But just mentioning the name of this dish alone reveals the taste of the land, the sky, and the people of Nam Dinh.
Simmered Sweet Soup Nam Dinh (Photo collection)
Made from green beans through the skillful hands of the cook with just the right amount to create plates of sweet soup that are not too sweet, just perfect. Travelers who try a piece of soft, fragrant, refreshing sweet soup will truly taste the rich, distinctive flavor of the people of Nam Dinh up close.
Simmered Sweet Soup, satisfyingly delicious (Photo collection)
Just experiencing that flavor alone leaves an unforgettable impression on travelers. Whether it's summer days or festive occasions, enjoying a piece of simmered sweet soup with hot tea alongside family truly makes travelers cherish these warm, wonderful moments.
These excellent suggestions will help travelers have a comfortable and satisfying trip with Nam Dinh's specialty dishes. If visiting Nam Dinh, travelers can book accommodation on the mytour.VN system here and enjoy these dishes right away!
