Savoring the Exotic 'Mini Octopus' Dish in Quang Ninh Province

Belonging to the octopus family, but no bigger than a thumb, locals in Quang Ninh call them 'baby octopuses.' These 'mini octopuses' live hidden beneath the seabed's coral reefs, captured and transformed into delicacies...

When thinking of Ha Long, one immediately conjures up specialty dishes like hand-crushed squid cakes, crispy fried razor clams, crabs, mantis shrimp, or sam dishes. Additionally, there's a dish of hollowed-out mantis shrimp not known to everyone.

The season for long-legged mantis shrimp falls between the lunar months of July and October. To catch these mantis shrimps, fishermen use 'bizarre bowl traps,' a traditional fishing gear, nets, or go poking around in holes.

There are various ways to prepare mantis shrimp, but the most traditional dish is boiled mantis shrimp. The mantis shrimp must still be alive, caught and placed in a basket, rubbed with salt, then thoroughly washed before being put in a pot to boil with sour tamarind leaves and guava leaves. Tamarind leaves soften and remove fishy odors, while guava leaves add firmness and crunchiness to the mantis shrimp.

When boiling, place the cleaned mantis shrimp onto a layer of guava leaves spread at the bottom of the pot, then pour water in. When it boils for the first time, stir it once so that the guava leaves and mantis shrimp mix together.

When the mantis shrimp turns pink and its sensory organs curl backward into small circles, that's when it's cooked.

When cooked, mantis shrimps take on a pink hue, with their sensory organs curling backward into small circles, resembling a multi-petal flower, truly beautiful.

The dipping sauce for mantis shrimp must be shrimp paste mixed with lime, sugar, garlic, and chili. For those with a refined palate or enjoy it with beer, a little sour star fruit or green banana can be added, along with a glass of homemade rice wine, making the dish even richer and more nostalgic.

During the mantis shrimp egg-laying season, locals call it 'sticky rice mantis shrimp.' Sticky rice mantis shrimp is prepared just like regular mantis shrimp dishes, but its color and delicious taste are truly unforgettable.

Unlike salty seas, the waters of Quang Ninh Sea are less salty compared to elsewhere, resulting in fresher and tastier mantis shrimps here.

Though smaller in size, Quang Ninh mantis shrimps are distinctively crunchy and sweeter than regular mantis shrimps. When using mantis shrimps for culinary purposes, people often choose the smaller ones. Among them, rice mantis shrimp is the best type for cooking.

A platter of sticky rice mantis shrimp laid out on the dining table showcases the refreshing green of sour star fruit, the creamy white of ripe bananas, the faint purple of basil leaves, the light green of mint leaves, and especially the enticing pink of the mantis shrimps, adorned with tiny white grains of sticky rice on their bodies.

Mantis shrimps with eggs, locally known as 'sticky rice mantis shrimps.' A plate of sticky rice mantis shrimps is truly multicolored and seductive: the refreshing green of sour star fruit, the creamy white of ripe bananas, the slight purple of basil leaves, the crisp green of mint leaves, the soft pink of mantis shrimps, and especially, the white color of the 'sticky rice grains' on the bodies of the mantis shrimps... All mixed with shrimp paste chili garlic sauce, just right for eating.

When steamed, mantis shrimps turn pink, and their sensory organs curl backward into small circles, resembling a multi-petal flower, truly beautiful. The characteristic colors of the dish blend with the green of guava leaves, the pink of chili sauce, promising plenty of excitement. Steamed mantis shrimps emit a fragrance that is both sweet and crunchy - alongside the bitter taste of guava leaves and the spicy flavor of chili sauce.

According to Dan Tri

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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook