Explore An Giang through 10 delightful dishes, including the 'mind-blowing turkey'

It's rare for people to travel in winter, but for adventurous souls like me, every season is a travel season.

Explore An Giang through 10 delightful dishes, including the 'mind-blowing turkey'

How can you resist the allure of Tra Su cajuput forest in An Giang when it turns lush and mesmerizingly beautiful in October or November, during the flood season?

An Giang has never been more charming than it is now. My recent 5-day trip may have been short, but it was enough to refresh my soul and thoughts.

A beautiful sunny day is even more wonderful when you're sitting in a small boat gliding gently on the water covered with tiny, fresh green water lilies, surrounded by the lush cajuput forest, with the melodious chirping of birds somewhere in the background. Or climbing up Cô Tô mountain, lost in the enchanting scenery of hills and mountains, sitting by the peaceful Hoai So lake, lost in wandering thoughts. Sometimes, all youth needs is moments like these.

And the cuisine of An Giang is also very adept at pleasing its guests, satisfying them with a variety of specialties that leave a lasting impression. Kudos to whoever created such simple yet delicious rustic dishes that are so satisfying.

The broken rice at Lý Tự Trọng street is the best in Long Xuyên city. My first peaceful morning in An Giang became memorable and lovely thanks to this famous plate of broken rice.

Unlike some broken rice restaurants in Saigon, the grilled meat here is thinly sliced, not overwhelming for the eater but rather unique. Besides the meat, the broken rice plate here also includes deliciously caramelized pork skin. The plate of broken rice is quite simple as it doesn't have many side dishes, just ribs, eggs, shredded pork skin, and pickled vegetables.

Bún cá Châu Đốc – near Bồ Đề pagoda

Having traveled quite a bit, I've noticed that some regions in Vietnam have fish noodle soup (bún cá). But each time I discover a new one, it feels like I'm being led to a whole new world. Like with bún cá Châu Đốc, the distinctive feature lies in the shrimp paste blending with the broth, creating a unique flavor.

The broth is clear, with a sweet taste from the fish bones, and is also rich in flavor from the shrimp paste, and especially not fishy at all. Not only that, there are slices of fish and enticing roasted pork, a variety of accompanying vegetables, but the dish wouldn't be complete without the water lily flowers typical of the Mekong Delta. And you know, when eating fish noodle soup, you can't go without a bowl of salt, chili, and lime. Just describing it makes me want to rush to An Giang to enjoy a bowl of fish noodle soup and then come back.

Fermented fish hotpot – across from Long Xuyên bus station or Châu Đốc market

Without a doubt, fermented fish hotpot is the soul of Mekong Delta cuisine. Just a taste of this dish, no matter where I am, brings back vivid memories of my experiences in this beloved land. But to taste fermented fish hotpot right in a Mekong Delta province like An Giang is the real deal, isn't it?

Our group stopped by a fermented fish hotpot restaurant across from Long Xuyên bus station and didn't hesitate to order a large hotpot. The pot was boiling hot, with vibrant red shrimp contrasting against fresh green vegetables. A sip of the broth revealed a savory, sweet, salty, and fragrant taste of Châu Đốc fermented fish sauce... The happiness of a traveler is as simple as that.

Buffalo hotpot – National Highway 91

Not aiming for the top spot in the list of nutritious meat dishes, I just know that buffalo meat, especially buffalo hotpot, is incredibly delicious and continues to haunt me until I return to Saigon.

At first, because I was used to eating beef, I was a bit hesitant about buffalo meat. But my local friend insisted I try buffalo hotpot to 'get a taste of An Giang'. When the piping hot pot of buffalo hotpot was served, its seductive aroma wafted up, and I had no more doubts. The fresh, half-black, half-red buffalo meat was placed in the hotpot, along with lemongrass and chili to enhance the flavor, along with a variety of very fresh vegetables.

When scooped into a bowl with fresh noodles, I was completely stunned because buffalo meat doesn't have the strong flavor of beef but its fragrance and sweetness are no less; eaten with sweet and sour fermented rice dipping sauce, it's irresistible.

Seven-course beef – Sam Mountain

Exploring the Sam Mountain area from morning till evening, feeling both tired and hungry, we were fortunate to have the famous seven-course beef to satisfy our hunger. I can't find the right words to describe the feeling of enjoying these delicious beef dishes when I was starving.

The seven-course beef includes dishes such as boiled beef innards, beef served with thin rice noodles, beef porridge, shredded beef with bread, stir-fried beef with red leaves, beef steak, and beef sautéed with vegetables. Being in a large group, we weren't shy to order a lot to eat to our heart's content. The beef here is tender, naturally sweet, so no matter how it's cooked, it's delicious, like the stir-fried beef with red leaves which combines the sweet taste of beef with the sour and sweet taste of red leaves, the spicy aroma of powdered pepper, the pungent taste of chili, the rich flavor of roasted peanuts, and coconut milk.

Rice ball cake – Chợ Mới market

Arriving at Chợ Mới, I was a bit surprised by a spherical, large, eye-catching brownish-yellow food item, neatly placed on a plate and as big as a street lamp. Asking the seller, I learned that it was rice ball cake.

The glutinous rice grains of the rice ball cake are both chewy and fragrant, with a golden color, fragrant, and very delicious when dipped in chili sauce, soy sauce, or sometimes eaten without fully appreciating its deliciousness. The dish becomes even more wonderful when we eat it with crispy, sweet roast chicken, which is handmade so it retains its fragrance and distinctive flavor.

Rice noodle soup with 'kèn' fish – Phan Văn Vàng Street

All these dishes still can't fully express the quintessence and soul of An Giang cuisine if you haven't tried the rice noodle soup with 'kèn' fish in Châu Đốc. The broth is bright yellow and cloudy, so at first glance, I thought it was... curry noodles.

The unique flavor of the 'kèn' fish noodle soup comes from many fresh ingredients such as firm and sweet wild carp to create sweetness for the broth, fried shallots, spices like curry powder, star anise, cinnamon, fish powder, and kroeung powder – a Khmer spice. A bit of lettuce, banana flower, bean sprouts, and cinnamon make the noodle bowl even more special, making me crave it even after eating.

Steamed rice cake with palm sugar

This cake has recently become very popular in Saigon because it's not only delicious but also cheap, making it a perfect choice for a light snack.

Curious about the recipe for making the cake, I learned that for the cake to be delicious, the rice flour must be processed from the special Nàng Nhen rice – a variety only grown in the Seven Mountains region, and the palm sugar used in the cake must be thick, not thin. A proper palm sugar cake should have a natural yellow color, a fragrant smell, and a sweet, rich flavor. Perhaps that's why my luggage on the way back was filled with many steamed rice cakes with palm sugar as gifts for my family and friends.

Cold-soaked palm sugar

Visiting the land of palm sugar and forgetting to enjoy cold-soaked palm sugar would be a waste. Pure fresh palm sugar water has a sweet, refreshing taste, perfect for sipping and enjoying the rich, fragrant, and sweet palm sugar pulp. The sweet, fragrant water along with the palm sugar pulp feels like a drink that not only energizes but also refreshes.

Source: Yan.vn

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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook