Top 10 Delicious Fish Dishes You Should Try When Traveling to Dong Thap

Visiting Dong Thap, especially during the flood season from late August to November, you'll encounter a special and nutritious type of fish called Linh fish.

Aside from the abundance of Linh fish during the flood season, there's another unique countryside flower called crazy weed. The combination of Linh fish and crazy weed creates many delicious and enticing dishes. When traveling to eco-tourism destinations and garden tours in Dong Thap, you'll often be served with a special dish made from Linh fish and crazy weed. That's braised Linh fish with crazy weed hotpot.

The ingredients for this dish mainly consist of 2 types: Linh fish (choose fresh, plump white Linh fish), crazy weed, young tamarind leaves, accompanying spices (salt, sugar, seasoning powder). The braised Linh fish with crazy weed hotpot is prepared quite simply but also requires the delicate touch and skill of the chef. Firstly, clean the Linh fish and crazy weed, then rinse the tamarind leaves gently and add them to the hotpot water, season with appropriate spices. When the hotpot water boils, add the Linh fish and crazy weed. Wait until the fish is cooked and then serve with noodles.

This is a dish with a harmonious combination of sweet, refreshing flavors, and abundant nutrients from the fresh, golden crazy weed, offering a natural countryside taste. Braised Linh fish with crazy weed hotpot is undoubtedly a dish that leaves a lasting impression on anyone visiting Dong Thap.

The bitter melon fish porridge dish is now sold all over the country, allowing those who are far from home to taste the flavors of different regions. However, to experience the authentic flavor of wild snakehead fish and southern bitter melon, you have to come here. Dong Thap will treat you to a unique porridge meal like no other.

The rice chosen to cook the porridge is a sticky rice grown right on the vast Dong Thap Muoi plain. This type of rice has a certain stickiness and when toasted, it releases the aroma of fresh rice while the porridge grains remain plump and not overly dry. The people of Dong Thap rarely choose farmed snakehead fish for bitter melon fish porridge; they strive to find a bunch of wild snakehead fish that are small but firm and fragrant. The fish is cleaned, seasoned, and must have spring onions and pepper, giving the dish a rich flavor. The snakehead fish is gently cooked in the porridge pot over a carefully controlled fire so that when it is brought down, it is just cooked enough to keep the flesh intact without breaking, absorbing the fragrant rice flavor while remaining chewy, soft, and sweet in the broth.

The attractive point that makes the brand of bitter melon fish porridge is the plate of fresh green vegetables, full of lushness, freshly picked from the garden. These natural vegetables are pesticide-free but incredibly fresh. This type of bitter melon is especially bitter, making newcomers hesitant to try, but once they withstand the initial bitterness, its aftertaste is unforgettable. The steaming hot porridge bowl is added with pepper, ginger, cilantro, and spring onions, both eye-catching and aromatic. Enjoying bitter melon fish porridge with a cup of freshly ground soy sauce seasoned with spices or simply with pounded river fish sauce and added chili peppers.

The combination of bitter taste and the aroma of vegetables blends perfectly with the toasted rice, snakehead fish, and the aroma of the sauce in every spoonful of porridge.

The fermented fish hotpot is typically enjoyed with various ingredients such as snakehead fish, tilapia, and more, but the fermented fish hotpot made with ba sa fish has an exceptionally unique flavor. It leaves a lasting impression with its irresistibly enticing aroma, with the fish soaking in the rich and sweet broth melting on the tongue. The fermented fish hotpot is placed on a gas stove, ensuring the broth maintains its heat, while a variety of vegetables are immersed, each contributing its distinct flavor to the pot, making the fermented fish broth even more appealing. The harmonious blend of fermented fish and ba sa fish creates an exquisite taste, with the broth enriched by the fatty texture of the fish meat, while the ba sa fish pieces exude a salty aroma, complementing the rich flavor of the broth.

Aside from offering impressive tours, the 'pink lotus land' of Dong Thap also captivates visitors with its delicious local specialties. If you're already familiar with dried snakehead fish, dried catfish, and dried basa fish, this Dong Thap pink gourami dried fish will surely surprise you.

Pink gourami, also known as red tilapia, is a delicious and nutritious white-fleshed fish, rich in protein and vitamins A, B, and D. Dong Thap is one of the largest sources of pink gourami in the country, leveraging its abundant natural resources to create the irresistible specialty Dong Thap pink gourami dried fish.

Fresh fish are scaled, filleted to remove bones, thoroughly washed, marinated with spices, and then sun-dried on bamboo trays placed about 1 to 1.2 meters above the ground, ensuring dryness, cleanliness, and absence of any harmful substances. Dong Thap pink gourami dried fish has a fragrant and savory taste, combining the natural flavor of fish with spices to create a delicious and enticing snack. Properly made Dong Thap pink gourami dried fish has a subtle sweetness, the spiciness of ground chili, and the chewiness of the fillets. Grilled or fried Dong Thap pink gourami dried fish, served with pickles, is truly irresistible, making it a delightful dish for any meal, especially when paired with rice wine or beer.

In addition to the enticing dish of hotpot with Linh fish and wild flowers as mentioned above, Linh fish is also the main ingredient for another delicious dish: braised Linh fish with pepper.

The ingredients for this dish are quite simple, mainly including: fresh Linh fish (must choose fresh and plump fish), caramelized fish sauce used to create the fresh color for the braised fish, purple onion, chili pepper, spring onion, fish sauce, and seasoning such as salt, sugar, and broth powder.

This dish is very popular in family meals as well as in the menu of distant travelers when visiting Dong Thap. This Linh fish dish is not too complicated to prepare. The Linh fish, after being gutted and cleaned, is drained and marinated with garlic, chili, a little salt, sugar, broth powder, and pepper. Braised Linh fish with pepper is best cooked in a clay pot. When braising the fish with a little water, fish sauce creates a gentle aroma and thickens the sauce, simmering over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, then garnishing with some spring onions, pepper, etc. Braised Linh fish with pepper served with hot rice and raw vegetables is truly perfect.

The catfish has always been reminiscent of An Giang province, but for a long time, Dong Thap has also been famous for this delicious fish. Thanks to creativity in farming and processing, Dong Thap farmers easily bring catfish back to their land. From there, abundant supply has encouraged local mothers to show off their skills in making new and delicious dishes. One of them is the unforgettable catfish hotpot with fermented tofu.

Travelers to Dong Thap will be treated to a variety of delicious and exotic dishes, with the catfish hotpot with fermented tofu always topping the list. A slightly large catfish with some fat and plenty of meat is the best choice. Too small fish are not tasty enough, while too large ones can be overwhelming. The right size is crucial. Clean and slice the fish carefully, marinate with spices, sauté garlic for fragrance, and marinate in fermented tofu for a long time to develop a rich aroma. This dish needs a bit more sugar to balance the salty taste of the tofu and make the fish more flavorful. The fish dipping sauce is simmered from the fish bones, with added pork bones for sweetness, and seasoned to taste. The sauce may make the broth slightly cloudy, but it enhances the flavor significantly.

A charcoal stove in the middle of the table with a fragrant hotpot and a plate of fish and a basket of fresh vegetables nearby make diners eager to taste the deliciousness. Catfish hotpot with fermented tofu goes well with both noodles and rice. If you are treated to this dish in Dong Thap, you will surely be captivated by the delicious, rich, and slightly sweet taste of the hotpot, making you forget the way back home.

Alongside the abundant source of linh fish, especially during the flood season, Dong Thap also has a naturally beloved fish known for its gentle nature - snakehead fish. When visiting the land of pink lotus - Dong Thap, you cannot miss out on the specialty dish combining snakehead fish and lotus. That is Grilled Snakehead Fish Wrapped in Lotus Leaves.

Fresh snakehead fish is cleaned and grilled over charcoal until evenly cooked on all sides. Then, it is enjoyed immediately while still hot. As soon as the fish is taken out of the grill, it is split into halves, sprinkled with pre-roasted peanuts, drizzled with a bit of scallion oil, and the tender, fragrant, and smoky white fish meat is rolled in young lotus leaves and dipped in tamarind fish sauce.

The special touch of Grilled Snakehead Fish Wrapped in Lotus Leaves lies in the grilling technique and the secret recipe for the tamarind fish sauce. If the dipping sauce is delicious, it will create a unique highlight for this dish compared to other regions.

Fried Crispy Elephant Ear Fish is a delicious and exotic dish that not everyone knows about. If you're tired of ordinary dishes when traveling to Dong Thap, you must seize the opportunity to enjoy this unique dish. Elephant ear fish originates from the Mekong Delta, but it has become closely associated with the specialty of Dong Thap over time. You can easily find this dish in any local restaurant or rustic homestay in the land of pink lotus.

Elephant ear fish is nutritious, gentle, and has a tantalizing flavor. Despite its unattractive appearance, its taste is incredibly special. Once you've tasted it, you'll find it unforgettable. The large fish is skillfully cleaned and fresh before being deep-fried until golden and crispy over high heat. The outer layer of the fish is crunchy, while the inside remains moist, retaining the sweet flavor of fresh fish. Chefs skillfully arrange the fish on plates, making it look lively and incredibly appealing.

Depending on the restaurant or guest's preference, Fried Crispy Elephant Ear Fish can be served with various types of vegetables and dipping sauces. Some places serve it with fresh aromatic herbs, while others drizzle it with fragrant scallion oil and sprinkle it with crunchy peanuts. Skilled chefs can carve onions or carrots into decorative flowers to enhance its visual appeal.

But regardless of the accompaniments, the delicious dipping sauce cannot be forgotten. It could be spicy garlic chili sauce or tangy sweet soy sauce. Fried Crispy Elephant Ear Fish is often enjoyed with steamed rice, fresh rice noodles, or rolled in rice paper, all equally delicious.

Have you ever heard this folk saying: “To eat Braised Gunnera Bud with Fermented Shrimp Paste, you must come to Dong Thap and indulge your craving”? This humble and rustic dish is closely associated with the hardworking life of the local people here. However, thanks to its distinctive flavor, this Braised Gunnera Bud with Fermented Shrimp Paste has been utilized as a specialty dish to treat distant travelers.

The gunnera buds are harvested from ponds, gardens, or previously from fields filled with white gunnera during the flood season. The buds are brought home, stripped of their outer layer, soaked in water to become white and reduce bitterness. Then, they are drained and cut into bite-sized pieces.

For the best braised shrimp paste, you should choose a fermented fish paste with a long, delicious, and mildly fragrant taste. Although Braised Gunnera Bud with Fermented Shrimp Paste is a simple dish, you won't be disappointed after tasting it because of the harmonious combination of fragrant shrimp paste and crispy gunnera buds. It's undoubtedly a delicious dish with a rural flavor that you can't miss when traveling in Dong Thap.

Instead of opting for braised snakehead fish with pepper or snakehead fish hotpot, we can also choose a dish called Sour Soup of Gunnera Bud with Snakehead Fish, which is equally appealing.

For this dish, we need two main ingredients: snakehead fish and gunnera buds, along with cilantro, rice paddy herb, bird's eye chili, fermented rice, cooking oil, minced garlic, and common spices for seasoning. Sour Soup of Gunnera Bud with Snakehead Fish is prepared as follows: gut and clean the snakehead fish, wash the gunnera buds and let them drain. Saute minced garlic until fragrant, add water and bring to a boil, then add fermented rice (a special souring agent in Dong Thap and some provinces in the Mekong Delta). Season with appropriate spices according to taste. Then add the snakehead fish to the sour soup, the fish cooks quickly, and when it's almost done, add the gunnera buds, cilantro, rice paddy herb, and chili for extra flavor.

With Sour Soup of Gunnera Bud with Snakehead Fish, we not only enjoy a delicious dish but also have the opportunity to explore new flavors, bringing a fascinating and unique culinary experience to family meals or special occasions.