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4. Heavenly Ribbon Vegetable
Heavenly Ribbon Vegetable, also known as Mountain Lotus, referred to as 'Phjắc diển' in the Tày – Nùng dialect, thrives in rocky mountain regions. This delicate vine plant easily breaks, with its stems dividing into numerous branches that reach out towards sunlight. Despite its wild growth, it's a rarity.
Heavenly Ribbon Vegetable has become a specialty dish of Cao Bằng. During spring and summer, almost every feast features this vegetable stir-fried with beef, pork intestines, and chicken giblets. Its unique flavor distinguishes it from any other wild vegetable, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who tastes it.
5. Cao Bằng's Sticky Rice with Black Sesame
This dish is a staple in the cuisine of the people of Cao Bằng. As autumn arrives, the Tày – Nùng people head to the forests to pick wild black sesame for making sticky rice. The black sesame used for cooking sticky rice must be ripe, free from pests, and soaked in water at 25-30°C until soft. The flesh is separated from the seeds and mixed with well-cooked sticky rice, resulting in a pinkish-purple hue.
Unlike other types of sticky rice, black sesame sticky rice has a delicate fragrance of glutinous rice blended with the aromatic scent of wild black sesame. The nutty flavor of black sesame complements the chewy grains of sticky rice, making it endlessly enjoyable without feeling overwhelming, and surprisingly, it doesn't cause heatiness even after consuming large quantities. Black sesame sticky rice is a familiar dish to the people of Cao Bằng, and if you ever visit the highlands of Northwest Vietnam, you must try it!
6. Floating Cake
Floating cake is a specialty dish of Cao Bằng that tourists wouldn't want to miss when visiting this region. The cake resembles a donut in appearance, but the filling is made from duck meat instead of minced pork, wood ear mushrooms, or mung beans like traditional donuts. Locals in Cao Bằng call it floating cake or duck floating cake.
The ingredients for making the cake only include glutinous rice flour, regular rice flour, and duck filling; yet, it's a distinctive culinary feature of the Northeast region. Once all the ingredients are gathered, take an appropriate amount of flour, stuff the duck filling in the middle, press the cake together, and then gently release it into a pan of hot oil; fry until the cake turns crispy golden brown on both sides, exuding an enticing aroma; then, remove it to drain excess oil before serving hot. In the cold winter days of Cao Bằng, enjoying freshly fried floating cakes, sweet and savory, seems nothing short of magnificent.
7. Khảo Cake
Khảo cake is a nostalgic treat for every child of Cao Bằng. Simple and humble, made with ingredients like glutinous rice flour, meat, peanuts, and sesame seeds, but the preparation is meticulous and skillful. So, don't forget to try this delicious specialty of Cao Bằng, the fragrant and tasty khảo cake!
The ingredients for making the cake are high-quality glutinous rice, round and plump grains. The locals here use either white sugar or brown sugar to make khảo cake. The filling has the nutty flavor of peanuts and sesame seeds combined with the rich taste of lard. Skillful artisans carefully wrap the cake into rectangular shapes. When you eat it, you'll taste the rich aroma of glutinous rice flour and the sweet flavor of sugar that you'll never forget.
8. Cao Bằng Specialty - Sun-Dried Beef
If you ever find yourself in this remote and vast land, don't miss out on its specialty, the sun-dried beef. Drying is the method used to preserve and stockpile local beef, ensuring longevity while retaining its unique delicious flavor.
Any cut of beef is good for drying, no particular preference. However, the best cuts are the rump and sirloin, both tender and juicy. The meat is sliced into small or large pieces, typically about two or three fingers wide and the length of a palm. It's marinated with salt, ginger juice, and, importantly, white wine. Before marinating, make shallow cuts on the meat to allow the seasoning to penetrate evenly. After marinating, thread the meat onto fresh bamboo skewers and hang them above the stove.
9. Sour Pho - Cao Bằng Specialty
Sour Pho is a Cao Bằng specialty that enriches the culinary culture of the northern mountainous provinces. It features crispy golden pork belly, crunchy julienned potatoes, thinly sliced pig stomach boiled then fried, succulent roasted duck marinated with various spices, and the indispensable aroma of mole cricket leaves. Cao Bằng's pho noodles are fragrant, chewy, and distinctive due to being made from Cao Bằng rice. In addition to the above ingredients, Sour Pho is served with peanuts, herbs, coriander, mint, and thinly sliced cucumbers.
Sour Pho is often served at weddings and ancestral rites to ensure guests are well-fed. If it's your first time trying it, you may not fully appreciate its deliciousness and rich flavors. But once you're accustomed to it, the fragrant spices, sweet and sour broth, and the chewy texture of the pho noodles will leave an unforgettable impression.
10. Black Bamboo Vermicelli
Cao Bằng is renowned for its specialty black bamboo vermicelli made from pure black bamboo flour, delicious and wholesome. With the skill and experience of the locals, they create strands of vermicelli that are shiny, beautiful, crispy, chewy, and carry the distinctive aroma of bamboo flour without the use of any chemicals.
Dong vermicelli is made 100% from red dong roots grown on mountain slopes using traditional methods; naturally dried, without the use of bleach, coloring agents, leavening agents, or other chemicals. When cooked, the vermicelli strands are soft, fragrant, chewy, and refreshing; even after cooking for the second time, the vermicelli remains firm, not sticky or mushy like other types of vermicelli.
So, we've summarized the top specialties of Cao Bằng that travelers can enjoy or purchase as gifts for loved ones. When visiting Cao Bằng, besides exploring its majestic beauty, make sure to experience and taste the local specialties. And don't forget to share your feedback with us.
Posted by: Nguyễn Huyền
Keywords: Top 10 Most Delicious Specialty Dishes in Cao Bằng
