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When traveling to Đồng Nai, besides its stunning landscapes of the Southeast region, you also have the chance to immerse yourself in the local cuisine deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the area. Dulich9 has compiled a list of delectable and captivating local specialties in Đồng Nai for you to choose from and enjoy during your upcoming trip.
Specialties of Đồng Nai
Stir-fried Bat
If you ever thought bats are nothing but stinky and ugly creatures unfit for consumption, then you must give this incredibly enticing specialty dish from Dong Nai a try. Bats of all sizes, from small to large, can be eaten, but the larger ones offer tender and flavorful meat in abundance.
Catching bats isn't overly difficult but certainly not simple either, as they have quite sharp teeth. Without caution, you might end up with a hand bleeding from their bites. Around the fruit gardens of Long Khanh, there are plenty of eateries serving this delicacy. Whether it's stir-fried bats or grilled ones, they are always favored choices for gatherings among men, so don't miss out!
Traditional delights from Dong Nai are irresistibly appealing.
Biên Hòa fish salad
What are the specialties of Bien Hoa, Dong Nai? Bien Hoa fish salad is the next renowned specialty dish from Dong Nai to grace the culinary scene of this region. Fish such as carp, catfish, and snakehead fish, freshly caught, are cleaned, sliced into bite-sized pieces, and marinated with onions, garlic, lemongrass, and galangal to eliminate any fishy odor.
Thanks to the delicious dipping sauce, various aromatic herbs, and fresh fish, the fish salad is not only fragrant and sweet but also devoid of any fishy taste as you might assume. To savor the Bien Hoa fish salad, head to eateries along the Dong Nai River in Tan Mai ward or Hiep Hoa commune.
Irresistibly enticing fish salad in Bien Hoa.
Chicken rice with salty fish
What delicious specialties can you enjoy while touring Dong Nai? Renowned in the Long Khanh region, Dong Nai offers a memorable dish known as salty chicken rice with fish. The ingredients for this dish consist of three main components: good quality rice, chicken meat, and finely shredded salted fish (the salted fish should weigh over 1kg).
The process of making this famous delicacy in Dong Nai is quite simple. You cook the rice until it's done in a clay pot, let it cool, then fry it together with fish, chicken meat, olive oil, pepper, coriander, and star anise until the rice is slightly crispy. Almost all budget eateries in Long Khanh offer this dish, so you won't need to spend much time searching for a place to eat. Instead of serving the salty chicken rice on plates, it's served in clay pots to keep it hot and enhance its flavor.
Indulge in salty chicken rice at budget eateries in Dong Nai.
Wild forest delight
The name may sound unfamiliar to travelers from the North and Central regions, but for the Southeastern region, especially Dong Nai, wild pineapple is considered a local delicacy. This fruit is only available in the summer, and its price is quite high due to its scarcity and difficulty in harvesting.
On the outside, wild pineapples appear quite small, each about the size of a finger, with wrinkled brown skin. When eating, it's recommended to soak the pineapple in water to let it swell before peeling, then mix it with sugar water and basil seeds to make a refreshing beverage, which is quite effective in relieving thirst. If you're lucky enough to travel around from April to June, you'll come across street vendors selling wild pineapples, so don't forget to taste the unique flavor of this Dong Nai specialty.
Wild pineapples are seasonal and hard to harvest, hence they are rare and expensive.
Fried rice field crickets with fish sauce
One delicacy in Dong Nai that always piques the curiosity of travelers and makes them want to try at least once is fried rice field crickets with fish sauce. During the rainy season, rice field crickets reproduce abundantly, so people in Long Khanh often catch them to eat or sell to local restaurants for serving tourists.
After being fried to crispiness, rice field crickets not only have a fragrant aroma but are also deliciously fatty without being greasy at all. Because this Dong Nai specialty dish is made from insects, some people may hesitate to try or find it daunting, but just give it a try once, and you'll surely love it.
Unique plump and juicy crickets in Dong Nai's culinary scene.
Sour soup with giang leaves
In Dong Nai culinary culture, the Sour soup with giang leaves is indispensable. This Dong Nai specialty dish combines the sourness of giang leaves with the sweetness of the broth cooked with chicken, making it quite easy to eat with rice and less cloying. If you're keen on exploring the unique flavors of Dong Nai cuisine, be sure to visit Long Khanh and savor this Sour soup with giang leaves.
Sour soup with giang leaves is delicious, with the characteristic aroma and taste of the region.
Termite mushrooms
Unlike cultivated mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and straw mushrooms, termite mushrooms grow completely naturally in gardens or forests. After nighttime rains, at the break of dawn, people in Cam My, Binh Son, and Long Khanh districts of Dong Nai province embark on journeys into the forest to search for termite mushrooms to bring home for consumption or to sell in markets.
There's only a short period in the year, around May in the lunar calendar, when people can harvest termite mushrooms. So, if you want to try this incredibly delicious Dong Nai specialty dish, make sure to visit Dong Nai at the right time for your trip.
Termite mushrooms usually appear during the rainy season, growing naturally in moist soil in the forest.
Bitter melon leaf hotpot
As you may know, bitter melon (also known as bitter gourd) has a taste that's not very palatable, so this bitter melon leaf hotpot is only for those who can stomach bitter melons. The young bitter melon leaves are picked, washed, and then immersed in a hotpot broth made from snakehead fish, dried shrimp, or young ribs.
When you first try it, you might find it bitter and challenging to eat, but gradually, you'll taste the sweetness of bitter melon leaves. This traditional dish in Dong Nai is very good for health; it cools the liver and detoxifies the body effectively. If you want to eat bitter melon leaf hotpot, just go to any restaurant serving local specialties in the province.
Bitter melon leaf hotpot can be quite challenging to eat, but once you acquire the taste, you'll surely love it.
Pomelo salad
What specialties does Dong Nai have? Visiting Dong Nai without trying pomelo salad here would be a real shame. This special dish has the sweet and sour taste of pomelo wedges, the spicy kick of river shrimp, pork, and shredded jerky, with a hint of saltiness from peanuts and fresh herbs to enhance the flavor. Locals often enjoy it with rice crackers, adding an extra dimension to the dining experience.
Pomelo salad, rich and fragrant, blends the sweetness of shrimp with the delicious aroma of pomelo wedges.
Steamed balut eggs with coconut water
Balut eggs are a familiar dish for Vietnamese people, but each region has its own way of preparing and enjoying them. In Dong Nai, steamed balut eggs with coconut water are considered a delicious snack, not only attracting locals but also tourists alike.
Specialty dishes in Dong Nai steamed with coconut water create a sweet and savory taste, perfect for enjoying on chilly evenings. Along the Dong Nai River, you can find many sidewalk eateries selling steamed balut eggs with coconut water, so be sure to stop by and enjoy this delightful dish.
Steamed balut eggs with coconut water are a tempting snack in Dong Nai.
Bien Hoa Shrimp Hotpot
Wondering what to eat in Dong Nai? Bien Hoa shrimp hotpot is considered the pinnacle of culinary excellence in this Southeastern province. The sweet and clear broth from bones, paired with meticulously prepared fresh shrimp and fresh vegetables, brings you a delicious and nutritious meal. To enjoy this specialty dish in Dong Nai, you can visit local hotpot restaurants with your family.
Steamed chicken with pomelo
When you visit Dong Nai for fun and to enjoy the local cuisine, don't forget to try the steamed chicken with pomelo. This famous Dong Nai specialty dish is incredibly unique with its two main ingredients: chicken and Tan Trieu pomelo.
The chicken is selected from free-range and hill chickens, with firm meat and enticing golden-yellow skin, exuding a delightful aroma. When enjoyed with a little tangy and spicy dipping sauce, it creates an indescribable yet unforgettable sensation.
The chicken is steamed inside the pomelo peel, so it retains the delicious sweet flavor of the chicken.
Long Khanh Durian
What attractive specialty does Dong Nai offer for tourists? Durian grown in the fertile land of Dong Nai has a unique flavor, aroma, and sweet taste.
In Long Khanh area, there are various new types of durian such as tiny durian, golden rice durian, or durian with a milky aroma. Depending on your preference, choose the suitable type to enjoy or give as gifts to your loved ones!
Durian is a beloved specialty in Dong Nai.
Above are the most enticing specialty dishes in Dong Nai that dulich9.com has compiled for you. If you live and work here and know of other delicious dishes and dining addresses in Dong Nai, feel free to leave a comment to share with everyone. Wishing you a delicious meal and a smooth journey.
Posted by: Old Soul
Keywords: Must-try famous specialties in Dong Nai
