Top 10 Must-Try Local Delicacies When Visiting Hà Tĩnh

This is the most distinctive specialty of the impoverished Hà Tĩnh countryside, offering a sweet taste derived from nature and life. At first glance, the name Sweet Peanut Candy might surprise you. In reality, it's a type of peanut candy or, as locals call it, peanut fudge with a traditional recipe. However, Sweet Peanut Candy has a much more unique flavor compared to traditional peanut fudge. The candy, round like a mirror, looks rough but exudes a deep and rich aroma.

To make Sweet Peanut Candy in Hà Tĩnh to the proper standard, the cook must go through various steps like fanning the cake, selecting peanuts, grinding ginger, stirring honey, and more. Especially, the firewood must be carefully chosen to ensure a large and steady flame. The main ingredients of cu đơ include peanuts, honey, malt, and ginger. Some may add coconut milk to enhance the fragrance. From these easily found ingredients, the people of Hà Tĩnh have created a secret recipe that produces the renowned and sought-after specialty. Sweet Peanut Candy is a harmony of crispy outer rice cake, sweet and elastic honey layer, crunchy peanuts, and a hint of spicy ginger aroma. The cu đơ feels substantial and firm to the touch. When you bite into it, the cake has just the right chewiness, with the ginger's spicy, nutty flavor complementing the sweetness of the honey and peanuts.

Imagine yourself in the fall or winter, sitting and chatting with family, friends, or loved ones, enjoying a few pieces of Sweet Peanut Candy and a pot of green tea, combining the sweet and fragrant taste—truly wonderful. The round candy, with the aromatic scent of sugarcane honey blending with the crunchy peanuts and a layer of sesame rice cake, is a unique sensation.

Invite to Phúc Trạch, my hometown/ Sweet pomelo dessert awaits those familiar faces.

If the North is famous for Diễn pomelo, Doan Hung pomelo, and the South is known for Năm Roi pomelo and green-skinned pomelo, then the Central region has Phúc Trạch Pomelo. This renowned type of pomelo is cultivated in Phúc Trạch commune, Hương Khê, Hà Tĩnh, by the hardworking and simple hands of local farmers. You might not know, but Phúc Trạch Pomelo is one of the seven precious fruit trees in our country.

Characterized by its round shape, the pomelo's width and height are nearly equal. The fruit stem is not protruding, and the base is slightly concave. The peel is neither smooth nor rough, with green and yellow colors. The flesh inside is light pink or white. The pomelo's segments are crispy, juicy, and the taste is a delightful combination of sweetness, sourness, and a hint of bitterness, leaving an unforgettable impression.

The positive effects of pomelo on health make the value of Phúc Trạch Pomelo increasingly appreciated. It not only carries the characteristic delicious taste but is also rich in vitamins A, C, ... various essential minerals and trace elements beneficial for health. Moreover, it has many other health benefits.

Not only is it nutritionally valuable for its sweetness, Phúc Trạch Pomelo is also easy to preserve. Fresh pomelo lasts a long time without the need for any preservatives. To preserve pomelo, some families bury it in damp sand or apply lime to the stem and then store it in a cool place, keeping the pomelo for 3 to 5 months. The peel may become slightly dry and discolored, but the quality of the pulp inside remains unchanged. Additionally, the thick and hard peel makes it less prone to damage during transportation.

The Phúc Trạch Pomelo season only lasts for about three months (7th, 8th, and 9th lunar months), so if you want to choose the best quality and authentic Phúc Trạch pomelo, it's advisable to visit during this period.

According to the locals in Hà Tĩnh, “Ram” is a term used to refer to fried nem in common language, and “Bánh mướt' is another name for “bánh cuốn” or “bánh ướt”... Bánh mướt is a favorite dish of the people in Hà Tĩnh. In the North, people often roll Bánh Mướt with meat filling, with more fat in the batter. However, for the people of Hà Tĩnh, the filling for Bánh mướt is pork sausage or chicken soup. Additionally, when frying, no extra fat is added; it is left as it is.

The main ingredients for making Ram are nothing unfamiliar. Just a bit of dong vermicelli, a little finely minced lean meat, beat in some fresh chicken eggs, add some crushed shallots, and season with pepper, salt, and chili. Don't forget to add some fresh herbs. Mix everything, marinate a bit for better flavor, and you have the filling for Hà Tĩnh's Ram. The fried Ram is crispy, not easily broken, with an eye-catching golden color and a filling of meat, herbs, and cilantro inside. Pair it with bánh mướt or rolled cakes, and it's perfect.

Bánh mướt is made from pure sticky rice flour grown by the locals. The rice is ground into powder, mixed with salt, warm water poured in, kneaded for firmness and smoothness. Skillful bakers know how to use the right amount of flour; the cakes are thin but tough, both white and fragrant. Even after grinding, the dough cannot be immediately spread into cakes; it has to settle in water for about 2 hours or more, a process called dough fermentation. Fermenting the dough allows the cakes to expand and become fluffy when spread, creating a chewy texture when eaten.

The combination of these two elements creates a dish that is both simple and refined, crispy yet chewy, rich but not overwhelming, making it a must-try for anyone visiting Hà Tĩnh.

Clam is a characteristic and common dish in every family along the La River (Đức Thọ, Hà Tĩnh). In the La River region, there are two types of clams with distinctive colors: bright yellow and dark black. The bright yellow clams live in sandy riverbed areas, while the dark black shells live in muddy areas. After bringing the clams to the shore, the women will pick up the debris and soak the clams for about 8-10 hours to clean them of impurities.

La River Clam is sweet, firm, and tastes delicious and fresh when eaten. The selected clams, round and plump after being thoroughly cleaned, are poured into a pot. When boiling, the clam pot is stirred evenly, and when all the clams open their shells, the pot is taken off the heat. Boiling clams may seem like a simple task, but it requires precision and skill, as an improper boiling process may not completely remove the clam's intestines. The firewood for boiling must be dry to produce a strong flame, ensuring even boiling of the clam pot.

Clam is a simple, rustic dish with a rich hometown flavor. Moreover, from clam water and clam intestines, various other dishes can be prepared. Just cook clam water with vegetables for a delicious, refreshing soup. If you don't have fresh vegetables, just crush a few pieces of ginger, add some shrimp paste or fish sauce, boil it, and you have a hot clam soup to serve with rice. In addition, there are other dishes such as: Clam stir-fried with bean sprouts sandwiched in sesame rice paper, clam and clam water cooked with water spinach, common mallow... a meal with a hot clam soup and a plate of eggplant is unmatched. Clam has a unique and special aroma, delicious and refreshing, making it one of the most popular dishes in the summer.

Returning to the Nghi Xuân coastal area, the birthplace of the Great Poet Nguyen Du, will introduce us to many dishes made from the sea, showcasing the unique culture of the fishermen in this village, especially the deep-sea fish salad.

Deep-sea fish is one of the types of fish in the 'eel' family, its shape is quite similar to freshwater snakehead fish but the meat inside is firmer and more fragrant. This fish, with its beautiful appearance, is used to prepare many delicious dishes and is one of the famous specialties of Hà Tĩnh loved by many.

According to studies, deep-sea fish contains a lot of essential vitamins and nutrients for the body. The nutrients in deep-sea fish include: vitamins (A and B), minerals, Omega3,... When you prepare it with other foods in a nutritious diet, a healthy lifestyle will be good for the body.

The uniqueness of the deep-sea fish salad of the people in Hà Tĩnh lies in its very clean preparation. The fish meat will be marinated with lime juice to naturally cook the meat. The marinating liquid will later be reused to make a dipping sauce. Eating deep-sea fish salad must have aromatic herbs and various leaves such as water lettuce, Indian copperleaf, mango leaves... along with green mango, sour star fruit, thinly sliced ​​green bananas. When eating, roll the fish with the rolled rice paper along with the herbs, dip it in the broth, and you will feel the fatty taste of the fish, the crunchy coconut, the spicy taste, the sour taste, and the sweetness all combined in a very special way.

At first glance, porridge soup may look like udon or vermicelli, but those who have been to Hà Tĩnh and tasted this dish will be impressed by its sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.

The main ingredient that makes this dish special is wheat flour. 100% of the noodle strands are made from wheat flour, so they are soft and just chewy enough. The dough mixing formula for porridge soup is in a certain ratio, cut short with 2/3 chopsticks, making it very easy to eat. The dough is rolled into strands like vermicelli and then soaked in broth made from simmering pork bones, accompanied by Vietnamese pork sausage, pork, a bit of beef, and shredded tamarind leaves, creating a unique dish.

One of the most important factors that create the special flavor of porridge soup is the broth. The broth is stewed from bones and various fresh sea fish, making it very sweet. The porridge strands are soft, small, and very easy to eat. Especially, the fish cake here is made from sea fish, so it is very sweet and chewy, extremely delicious. The porridge soup here also includes various types of pounded fish if customers want to add more. A hot bowl of porridge soup, with some green onions, a bit of spice from chili, all ingredients blend together to create a porridge soup that makes people remember fondly after eating once.

People here often enjoy porridge soup in the cold season, as it is both crispy and warm when sipping a bowl of porridge soup filled with the aroma of coriander, green onions; adding the spicy taste of chili and pepper warms both the literal and metaphorical hearts. Another interesting thing about porridge soup is that it does not come with additional vegetables like soup cakes. Vegetables are simply aromatic herbs served on the side. Depending on individual tastes, they can add crushed pomegranate seeds to the porridge soup, which is also very delicious. Some places even offer crispy fried bread to accompany the diners' choices.

Hearing the name alone is enough to make people curious and eager to enjoy. Vũng Áng, Kỳ Anh is the most developed coastal economic area in Hà Tĩnh, famous for the seafood dish leaping squid. Leaping squid in Vũng Áng is considered one of the famous squid species in Hà Tĩnh. This nickname comes from the fact that after being caught and brought ashore, these squids often perform a 'leaping dance' accompanied by a delightful popping sound.

Leaping Squid Hà Tĩnh has a sparkling and captivating appearance, and the squid's eyes will continuously blink while leaping, something you can hardly see in other squid species. Leaping squid is cultivated in the cages of the restaurant in the seawater environment. When customers order, the inflated, lively squids swimming around are scooped up for processing. Customers can even go to the restaurant's cage area to witness the process.

There are many ways to prepare leaping squid. Even simple processing of live squids still retains a unique and salty taste. The squid meat is crispy, crunchy, chewy, and has a sweet aftertaste. The most popular is still the whole steamed squid dipped in mustard or ginger fish sauce, wrapped in betel leaves. There is also squid salad soaked in lemon water, dipping in fish sauce. This dish has no fishy taste; instead, it has a sweet, chewy, and refreshing taste. That's how the leaping squids of Vũng Áng conquer the taste buds of diners.

At night, especially from around April to August of the Gregorian calendar, fishermen go out to sea to catch squids, then release them into aquaculture cages to keep them alive. You can plan your visit to Vũng Áng during this period to enjoy the best quality squids.

When in Hà Tĩnh, many popular and beloved local dishes are worth mentioning, and one of them is sesame rice cracker. Black sesame rice cracker has a unique flavor distinct from other rice crackers found in different regions. The cracker is generously coated with black sesame seeds on both sides. When grilled, the aroma of sesame blends with the spicy scent of other spices like garlic, pepper, creating an unforgettable rich and distinctive flavor, a true specialty of Hà Tĩnh.

You may encounter this rice cracker in various places, but none compare to the deliciousness of the ones from the Provincial Market, Cay Market, or Hội Hà Tĩnh Market. Thick and wide, with a layer of black sesame covering the top, these crackers are crispy, slightly fatty, fragrant, and never dull. Imagine holding a piece of cracker, breaking it into bite-sized pieces, and dipping it into a dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime, and spicy chili, maybe even a few drops of cà cuống (black water beetle essence). It's deliciously perfect. Another interesting way to enjoy it is to pair it with banana blossom salad or sautéed clams...

Aside from being a popular snack, this cracker is also rich in nutrients, promoting health. For those working night shifts, just grilling a few pieces of sesame rice cracker can provide a non-greasy and wakeful late-night snack. It's a perfect choice for those who prefer a light diet or want to incorporate black sesame into their daily meals. Black sesame rice cracker goes well with other dishes such as minced eel, eel with lemongrass and chili, eel stir-fried with bananas, eel stir-fried with eggplant, sautéed clams...

Steamed rice cakes are not exclusive to any region. This dish can be found throughout the country, from Huế to Nghệ An, Quảng Bình... However, Hà Tĩnh steamed rice cakes carry a unique and distinctive flavor. Whether served hot or cold, this delicacy never fails to make tourists' mouths water.

Hà Tĩnh steamed rice cakes come in two main types, commonly known as dry steamed rice cakes and wet steamed rice cakes. The dry version involves boiling the rice cakes and then drizzling a dipping sauce over them, served with fried shallots and chopped green onions. The wet version, on the other hand, is prepared differently. Similar rice cakes filled with fresh shrimp are cooked in a broth made from bones and vegetables, resulting in a fragrant and flavorful broth.

The special feature of Hà Tĩnh steamed rice cakes lies in the taste of the fish sauce. It's sometimes hard to understand how the locals can create such a delicious dipping sauce. The ingredients are simple, using only fish sauce, filtered water, and various spices, yet they meticulously measure and balance them to achieve the perfect salty-sweet flavor. This dipping sauce cannot be found anywhere else but in Hà Tĩnh.

To enjoy Hà Tĩnh steamed rice cakes, place the rice cakes on a plate, drizzle the well-prepared dipping sauce over them, and sprinkle fried shallots on top. The dish is served with fresh herbs and a sweet-sour dipping sauce, creating a harmonious flavor profile. The unique ingredients and the way it's enjoyed contribute to the distinctive taste of Hà Tĩnh steamed rice cakes. Whether eaten hot or cold, the cakes are delicious, slightly chewy, and bursting with flavor.

When visiting Hà Tĩnh, don't forget to stop by any roadside eatery to savor the local specialty, Hà Tĩnh grilled pork vermicelli. This dish is a harmonious blend of sophistication and simplicity, combining the refreshing taste of vermicelli with the rich aroma of soy sauce and the succulence of grilled pork.

A basic serving includes white vermicelli, grilled pork, soy sauce, and fresh vegetables. Diners mix the vermicelli with soy sauce and enjoy it with the grilled pork. The flavors do not overpower each other, allowing diners to distinguish each component of the dish. The grilled pork used for this dish is neither too lean nor too fatty, often taken from the shoulder. It is marinated for a few hours with lemongrass, shallots, and a splash of lime juice to ensure even absorption. Notably, the restaurant only grills the pork when customers arrive, keeping it tender and preserving its succulence, avoiding dryness and toughness.

Hà Tĩnh grilled pork vermicelli, while not a new creation, showcases the local touch with a distinctive feature—soy sauce. The accompanying condiment for this dish is not fish sauce or bone broth like in the Northern region, but soy sauce, locally known as 'chẹo.' Chẹo is made from soy sauce, mixed with crushed roasted peanuts and combined with chili, garlic, and sugar, creating a savory, spicy, salty, and sweet flavor that enhances the taste of the pork and complements the freshness of the vermicelli.

A serving of Hà Tĩnh grilled pork vermicelli is very affordable, and it is available all day, allowing tourists to choose a convenient time to indulge in this delightful dish.