Top 10 Must-Try Specialties When Visiting Ca Mau

Aside from fried field rat with lemongrass and grilled fish, another well-known dish representing the rustic flavors of Ca Mau is eel stew with oregano. Eels, a type of freshwater seafood, are combined with oregano, a wild herb found in local ponds. The dish is cooked in a traditional clay pot, showcasing the simplicity and earthy essence of the region's culinary heritage. Ca Mau is rich in agricultural products, so visitors will never go hungry for local specialties. These dishes are often the familiar flavors that locals enjoy in their everyday lives. A pot of eel stew with oregano, fragrant and rich, may seem simple, yet it has captivated the hearts of many. Moreover, this dish is considered a beneficial remedy in traditional medicine, known for helping with nutrition, joint pain, hemorrhoids, and spine issues.

Ca Mau Eel Stew with Oregano wouldn't be complete without its special dipping sauce. This sauce is made from coconut milk and fermented soybean paste. The paste is finely ground and mixed with minced lemongrass and chili. After adding coconut milk, a pinch of salt and sugar, the mixture is stirred until it forms a thick, creamy consistency. A sprinkle of roasted peanuts completes the dish.

Locals in the Mekong Delta prefer a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce, but for Ca Mau's eel stew with oregano, they insist on using this unique sauce. It has a delightful combination of sweet, salty, creamy, and fragrant flavors. The distinct taste of this simple yet delicious dish is something that cannot be fully described in words. You must try it yourself to appreciate the special flavors.

This is a truly unique seafood dish from the people of Ca Mau. As the local saying goes, "Catching squid is tough but fun – craving squid eggs, we fish all day long." Squid egg cakes are deep-fried to a golden brown, with a distinctive aroma unique to the region. The cakes are sliced into finger-sized pieces and served with fresh herbs and rice paper on the side. Wrap the cakes in the rice paper and dip them in fish sauce or a mixture of salt, pepper, and lime – a delicious combination. This local specialty offers a delightful contrast of soft herbs, chewy rice paper, and the crispy, savory richness of squid eggs.

Squid eggs are naturally tasty and can be enjoyed simply by grilling, steaming, or stir-frying. However, the fried squid egg cakes will never disappoint. Each bite is golden and perfectly seasoned, and when paired with fresh herbs and a dip of salt and pepper, they are incredibly satisfying. The tender, sweet flavor and the rich, mouthwatering texture of the squid eggs will leave you craving more. The fresh herbs balance the dish and cut through the heaviness of the fried coating, making it impossible to stop eating.

This is a simple, traditional dish that perfectly represents the southern riverine culture of Vietnam. However, the grilled snakehead fish from Ca Mau has a distinct and unique flavor. The fish, freshly caught from the river, is washed and then skewered with bamboo or rattan sticks, pierced from head to tail. The fish is then buried in dry straw, set on fire, and cooked until the embers are gone.

The beauty of grilled snakehead fish lies in its simplicity – the fish is not scaled, gutted, or marinated. It is caught, cleaned, and skewered before being placed in the straw, where it is roasted over an open flame. Once cooked, the charred skin is scraped off to reveal the tender, fragrant white flesh of the fish.

For larger fish weighing 700-800 grams or more, it’s recommended to slit the fish’s mouth and pour water inside to ensure even cooking. This method helps the heat create steam inside the fish, cooking it thoroughly. Another key aspect of this dish is that only straw can be used to cook the fish, as it imparts a special aroma and prevents any smoky flavors from overpowering the delicate taste of the fish. Once cooked, the fish can be served with a sour, sweet, and spicy dipping sauce typical of the Mekong region or with tamarind dipping sauce. For a more elaborate version, it can be grilled over hot coals, topped with scallion oil, and served with fresh herbs and rice paper rolls.

Spicy Chicken Rice Cakes is a famous dish that should be on your list when visiting the southernmost region of Vietnam. The people of Ca Mau have come up with a unique combination of rice cakes and chicken curry, creating a dish that is representative of the peaceful southern countryside. A plate of these fragrant rice cakes is topped with savory chicken curry, finely chopped chicken meat, gizzards, and blood sausage, then garnished with fresh herbs for an extra kick. The essence of this dish lies in the spicy and aromatic curry sauce. Most restaurants in Ca Mau offer two filling choices: chicken curry and pork meatball curry, or both.

The rice cakes are served on a plate, and you carefully separate the strands. Then, you add bean sprouts, basil, lettuce, blood sausage, pork meatballs, and chicken on top. The vendor ladles a thick, hot curry sauce over the dish, allowing the cakes to soak up the rich and spicy flavors. When eating, squeeze a bit of lime and dip it in chili salt for a delightful experience. The curry flavor fills your mouth, layering sweetness and heat so strong that it might bring tears to your eyes and sweat to your forehead. It’s spicy, but it doesn’t overpower the rich, sweet flavors of the meat and sauce, which is what makes this dish special. Additionally, the pork meatball version is just as unique.

Stone Crabs from Ca Mau are a wild species that cannot be farmed. To enjoy this local delicacy, people must catch them by hand. They only need a basket and a flashlight. In the evenings, they walk along the canals, shining the flashlight on the grass to spot the crabs. When they see one, they simply grab it. Catching crabs is easy because they are attracted to the light. Their eyes are sensitive to bright lights, and when exposed to a flashlight, they freeze, waving their claws in place. It takes only an hour or two each evening to catch a good amount, and in addition to eating them, locals also sell them to restaurants and bars for extra income. Thanks to this, visitors can savor salted stone crab when they come to Ca Mau.

There is a saying: the firmer the crab shell, the better the meat. Stone crabs have a hard shell, which ensures the meat is delicious. Many delightful dishes have been made using this ingredient, including beer-steamed stone crabs, stone crab noodle soup, crab porridge, and, of course, the signature salted stone crab. The reason why salted stone crab is considered a specialty is due to the cooking method, which minimizes heat impact on the meat, preserving its fresh, sweet, and rich flavor. After being salted, the crabs turn a reddish color, with tender, slightly chewy white meat. The crabs give off a mouthwatering aroma and have a sweet taste. Salted stone crab is usually served with Vietnamese coriander and a special chili-lime salt for dipping.

Bee Larvae Salad has long been considered one of the top dishes in Ca Mau. The bee larvae in the U Minh region are plentiful and known for their rich, creamy flavor that’s incredibly delicious. These larvae, which are harvested cleanly from the local environment, can be used to make a variety of dishes such as bee larvae porridge, stir-fried larvae, and, of course, bee larvae salad. The salad is especially popular among visitors due to its delightful combination of the earthy taste of the larvae and the freshness of local herbs. The larvae are boiled in hot water, cleaned, and are then ready to be transformed into a delicious dish.

Bee larvae are cleaned and set aside. Then, sauté onions until fragrant, add the larvae, and stir-fry with a bit of fish sauce, pepper, and sugar to enhance the flavors. Once done, the mixture is set aside. For the salad, thinly sliced banana flowers are washed in a weak vinegar solution, drained, and then mixed with the larvae. Ground peanuts, chopped chives, and aromatic herbs are added, and everything is tossed together. A splash of sweet and sour fish sauce is added to create a dish where all the savory, sweet, and creamy flavors come together in perfect harmony.

Located in the far southern part of the country, Ca Mau was once a wild, uninhabited land. It wasn’t until the late 17th century that humans began to settle and cultivate the land, transforming it into a fertile region abundant in local products that other areas can’t compare to.

For many visitors to Ca Mau, Bun Bi may seem unfamiliar as the region is often associated with dishes like Bun Mam, Bun Bo Nam Bo, Bun Ken, or fish noodle soup. However, skipping Bun Bi when visiting Ca Mau is truly a missed opportunity. What makes Bun Bi so appealing is not only the pork skin, grilled sausage, and roasted meat but also the fact that you must sip the accompanying fish sauce to fully appreciate the dish’s rich flavors.

Bun Bi is considered a popular breakfast dish, known for its thick, chewy noodles served with shredded pork skin, grilled meat, and steamed pork sausage. The pork skin is golden and aromatic, and the pork used for the skin should be lean thigh meat, seasoned well and fried to perfection. The pork belly skin is boiled with a little ginger to eliminate any odor and sliced thinly. Roasted rice is then ground or crushed into a fine powder to create “thinh” (roasted rice powder). Once all the ingredients are prepared, they are mixed together to create the essential pork skin component of the dish. The success of Bun Bi largely depends on the cook’s skill in mixing the pork skin mixture.

A key component of Bun Bi is the fish sauce, which adds its distinct flavor to the dish. The fish sauce must be carefully balanced with salt, chili, sugar, and sourness to both marinate the ingredients and be sipped after finishing the dish. Many locals recommend extracting fresh lime juice with care, separating the flesh like that of a pomelo, then mashing and straining it to get the juice. The lime juice is then mixed into a hot sugar and fish sauce blend, along with minced garlic and chili. Bun Bi is served in four layers: vegetables, noodles, meat (grilled sausage, roasted meat), and pickled vegetables, topped with crushed peanuts and drowned in the flavorful fish sauce. When eating, customers mix all the ingredients together to enjoy the harmonious fusion of flavors. This dish would not be complete without the addition of fresh bean sprouts, herbs, and sliced cucumbers.

The people of Ca Mau are highly skilled in preparing field rats in various delicious ways such as dried rat meat, braised rat, or fried rat. However, fried field rat with lemongrass and chili is the most popular dish to pair with rice, offering a truly irresistible flavor.

This dish evokes deep nostalgia for those who are far from home, reminding them of their roots. While this dish, like others made with exotic ingredients such as grub worms, may not appeal to everyone, it remains a beloved local specialty. The field rats are cleaned and drained, then marinated with finely chopped lemongrass and chili, along with salt, monosodium glutamate, and other seasonings. A good quality fish sauce with a bit of sugar is added to balance the flavor. After allowing the mixture to marinate for about ten minutes, the rats are fried over low heat, turning golden brown while being stirred consistently to ensure they cook evenly.

Anyone who tries fried field rat with lemongrass and chili will remember its unique taste. For Ca Mau natives who are away from home, this dish serves as a comforting reminder of their homeland. It’s best enjoyed with freshly cooked rice, with the fragrant rice perfectly complementing the flavorful fried rat. The combination of the freshly harvested rice and the savory, aromatic rat meat creates a truly memorable eating experience, one that captures the essence of Ca Mau’s culinary heritage. It’s often said that no trip to Ca Mau is complete without trying this ‘masterpiece’ of local cuisine. If you ever find yourself in this southernmost region of Vietnam, be sure to give this specialty a try.

When visiting the U Minh region, be sure not to miss the famous and delicious U Minh Fish Hotpot, a dish that rivals other hotpots found throughout the beautiful Mekong Delta. Fish hotpot is a beloved, down-to-earth dish from southern Vietnam, and the main ingredient is fermented fish, or 'mam'.

The Vietnamese often prepare fermented fish by simmering or steaming it, following Khmer culinary traditions, before transforming it into a hotpot dish similar to those enjoyed by the Chinese. While the pungent aroma of fermented fish can be off-putting for some, it is a scent that once you get used to, becomes addictive. When made with skill, like the U Minh Fish Hotpot, it becomes a sensory experience that stimulates your sense of smell, taste, sight, and touch. Every sense will be overwhelmed as you journey through the unique flavors of Ca Mau cuisine.

Fish hotpot is a staple of the Mekong Delta, so it’s no surprise that U Minh Fish Hotpot has become a renowned dish, almost a culinary symbol of Ca Mau. The secret to its popularity lies in the distinctiveness of U Minh’s fermented fish. This region boasts an extensive collection of local ingredients, both common and rare, skillfully combined by the region’s talented chefs. With over 10 types of ingredients, including fermented snakehead fish, snakehead fish, eel, shrimp, and lotus flowers, this hotpot is a treasure trove of flavors. The recipe is meticulous, requiring precise measurements of each spice. A trip to Ca Mau would be incomplete without tasting the U Minh Fish Hotpot, a true highlight of the area’s gastronomy. It’s said that to truly experience Ca Mau, you must try this dish, especially since the hotpot broth uses fermented snakehead fish, which gives it a delightful, aromatic richness.

Deep-fried tilapia is a popular dish throughout Vietnam. However, in Ca Mau, visitors can experience a unique and much tastier version known as crispy deep-fried tilapia. The fish is cleaned, then fried whole in a hot pan. Once cooked, it is removed to drain excess oil, then placed on a plate and served with fresh greens. The crispy, flavorful tilapia is even more delightful when wrapped in rice paper with fresh herbs and dipped in a special ginger fish sauce.

Crispy deep-fried tilapia is made by keeping the scales on, washing the fish (which can be gutted or left whole), and briefly dipping it in salty water to make it extra crispy when fried. The oil is heated in a pan, and the fish is fried until golden and crispy, then drained and served on a plate with herbs, fresh chives, cucumber, and tomatoes. It must be enjoyed with a tangy tamarind fish sauce or a savory fish sauce with garlic and chili to bring out the perfect combination of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. The rich, crispy fish paired with the aromatic fish sauce makes it a memorable dish.