Top 12 Most Famous Specialties of Hung Yen Province

Eel Noodle Soup (Bún Thang Lươn) is a dish that captures the essence of rural flavors, a well-known specialty of Hung Yen. This colorful dish combines a variety of ingredients with unique tastes, creating a delicious, aromatic masterpiece. A bowl of eel noodle soup typically contains ingredients like pork roll, fried eggs, eel, pork belly, and noodles, blending perfectly to create a flavorful and tasty dish.

The broth for eel noodle soup is made by simmering fresh river crabs along with bone marrow. The crabs are roasted slightly to release their natural fragrance before being added to the broth, which is then cooked slowly. A touch of shrimp and a hint of sá sùng (sea worm) adds a spicy kick, while a dash of shrimp paste enhances the flavor and leaves a subtle aromatic finish. The scent of roasted crabs combined with the richness of bone marrow broth creates a deeply satisfying and addictive taste. Phố Hiến's eel noodle soup is the most famous in Hung Yen, so don't miss this unique dish if you have the chance to visit this historically rich region!

"Lac Dao land, where the spirits rise
Nam Bang’s finest wine resides here".

With these two lines of verse, you can already begin to understand the allure of Lac Dao Wine. A signature liquor from Hung Yen, it originates from Ngọc Village in Lạc Đạo Commune, Văn Lâm District. Lac Dao wine has a high alcohol content, yet its fragrance is rich, smooth, and easy to drink without causing headaches, dizziness, or any discomfort (unless you drink too much, of course).

Over the years, the people of Lạc Đạo have carefully preserved the secrets of their traditional brewing methods. From selecting and fermenting rice to choosing the water source, crafting the yeast, and distilling the liquor, every step requires precision, care, and dedication. This is why it’s often referred to as a “secret recipe,” producing a unique, potent wine that cannot be found elsewhere.

Nowadays, many households in Lạc Đạo have started using medicinal herbs to make the yeast, enhancing the wine's fragrance and strength. This process has been honed over years, as local brewers believe that making the yeast is the most important step in the art of turning rice into fine wine, a tradition they strive to preserve at all costs.

If the famous longan fruit of Hung Yen is renowned, then longan blossom honey is equally loved as a treasured local specialty. This honey is naturally harvested from the nectar of longan flowers, with bees collecting nectar from the blossoms of the longan trees, resulting in a honey that is incredibly fragrant and smooth. Known as one of the highest-quality honey varieties, longan blossom honey has numerous benefits, especially in medicine and beauty care.

A distinctive feature of Hung Yen's longan blossom honey is its vibrant color and exceptionally enticing aroma, available only during a single season each year. After each flower season, the honey is carefully harvested and stored, ensuring it is 100% natural.

Longan Blossom Honey from Hung Yen is certified by the Intellectual Property Office and recognized by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in Hung Yen Province for honey produced from longan orchards in Khoái Châu, Kim Động, Tiên Lữ, and the city of Hưng Yên.

When visiting Hung Yen, one cannot forget the expansive lotus fields, with their delicate fragrance filling the air. As a result, lotus seeds are also one of the region's most cherished specialties. Grown in ponds, ditches, and canals, lotus plants thrive wherever there is water and mud. Thanks to the fertile alluvial soil, the lotus seeds in Hung Yen are particularly large, plump, and flavorful, a unique characteristic that is hard to find elsewhere.

Fresh lotus seeds are big, full, and round, while dried lotus seeds, when peeled and cooked, become soft, fragrant, and flavorful, with no bitterness. Lotus seeds are considered a valuable medicinal ingredient, known for their ability to treat headaches, insomnia, improve skin health, fight aging, provide excellent nutrition, and strengthen the health of pregnant women and new mothers, contributing to the development of smart children.

Additionally, the popular lotus seed and longan sweet soup is a delightful and unique dish from Hung Yen that you should not miss.

Gau Village Sticky Rice Cake (Bánh Dày Làng Gàu) originates from Cửu Cao Village in Văn Giang District. This traditional cake is a famous specialty of the Pho Hien region, created to honor the great kings who founded the nation. Visitors to Văn Giang not only enjoy the beautiful landscapes and gardens but can also experience the art of making this cake alongside the locals.

The primary ingredient is golden sticky rice. If the harvest is abundant that year, more cakes are made. The villagers of Gau Village take great care in selecting the rice for the cakes. Once the rice is milled, both the elderly and children are involved in the delicate process of “choosing the best rice.” The rice grains must be plump and firm, with any small or broken grains removed. This ensures that the final product will have a pure, translucent white appearance. The rice is soaked in clean water, then carefully pounded until it reaches a smooth, soft texture, and shaped into round, perfect cakes. The pounding must be done with the right rhythm and pressure, not too strong or too soft. Men and women work together to achieve the perfect balance of firmness and softness.

The filling process is intricate and requires skill, as the filling is made from carefully selected green beans. The beans must be evenly colored and soaked overnight in warm water at around 40°C. After they soften, they are cleaned of skins, steamed, and mashed into a smooth paste. Then, the mixture is shaped into small balls and combined with shredded coconut. Each batch of sticky rice and filling is carefully prepared while still hot, as it cannot be too cold or too hot to handle. This meticulous process is why Gau Village Sticky Rice Cake is one of Hung Yen's most beloved specialties.

If you've tried dishes like stir-fried frog with lemongrass, frog noodle soup, or frog porridge, have you experienced the famous Phuong Tuong Stewed Frog? This dish is served whole, with a rich golden color and a glossy, honey-like glaze that exudes a tantalizing fragrance. While this is a well-loved specialty in Hung Yen, it’s not a dish everyone has the opportunity to try.

Preparing Phuong Tuong Stewed Frog requires meticulous attention and a significant amount of time and effort. The frog’s meat is carefully removed, minced with wood ear mushrooms, pork belly, eggs, and various spices, and then stuffed back into the frog skin before being slow-cooked to perfection. According to experts, the best frogs for this dish are those caught in September and October, as these frogs are plump with fat, having stored up for the upcoming winter. Achieving a perfect stewed frog also requires a detailed process of skinning the frog.

Phuong Tuong Stewed Frog attracts diners with its rich, fatty frog meat, the spicy aroma from dried tangerine peel, pepper, and fermented rice, complemented by the crunch of wood ear mushrooms, and a unique fragrance from fermented shrimp paste.

Just a 45-minute drive from Hanoi along the Red River dike, you'll arrive in Phu Thi village, Văn Giang district, Hung Yen, home to the famous Phu Thi Rolled Cake. Unlike the more famous Thanh Tri or Cao Bang egg rolls, Phu Thi Rolled Cake may seem more understated, but once tasted, it’s unforgettable.

The cake’s skin isn’t as glossy as those from other places because it’s not coated with a thin layer of oil. The filling inside the rice paper is special, made from finely minced lean pork stir-fried with fried onions. The dipping sauce, enriched with some minced pork, gives the dish a rich, savory flavor and an appealing look.

While simple in color and flavor, Phu Thi Rolled Cake stands out for its straightforward yet unique appeal. Give it a try, and you’ll find yourself remembering the soft texture of the cake and the aromatic, savory filling, perfectly balanced by the sweet-sour dipping sauce. It’s a simple dish, but once you’ve had it, you’ll crave it again and again.

The chicken patty originates from Tieu Quan village in Khoai Chau district and is best enjoyed in cool weather. Making this dish is a labor of love. The chicken used must be healthy, large, and raised in the garden for firm meat. The leanest parts of the chicken are carefully selected, with tendons, skin, and bones removed before chopping finely and pounding into a smooth paste.

The meat is pounded by hand for the best texture and flavor. During the pounding process, a bit of seasoning and dried tangerine peel is added to enhance the flavor and give the meat a fragrant aroma. The person preparing the patty must be skillful to ensure the texture is neither too coarse nor too fine, as that would affect the smoothness. Once the mixture is ready, it is combined with egg yolk, fish sauce, pepper, and a hint of ginger. The patties are then placed on a banana leaf and grilled over a charcoal fire, ideally using longan wood for the perfect flavor. The cook must be careful to turn the patties so they don’t dry out or burn.

The patties are served golden and glossy, with a firm texture that doesn’t crack, releasing the delicious aroma of chicken mixed with the subtle scent of tangerine peel. Unlike other dishes, Tieu Quan chicken patties must be savored slowly to fully appreciate the rich, sweet, and savory flavors. They are often served with sticky rice or white rice for a complete meal.

Bánh tẻ from Văn Giang in Hung Yen is a delightful dish crafted from humble ingredients typical of the Northern countryside, such as pork, wood ear mushrooms, onions, and green beans. Despite its simple components, it leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has tasted it. Like many traditional dishes, making bánh răng bừa in Văn Giang requires several intricate steps. The rice is soaked for a few hours, then ground into a smooth paste with limewater. The paste is then gently simmered over low heat, stirred consistently to prevent clumping, and brought to a stage known as 'half-cooked', a crucial point in making the dough just the right consistency.

This part of the process requires strength and precision, as it determines the success of the batch. The dough must not be too thick or too runny, and must be perfectly smooth. After the dough cools, it is shaped into rice cakes, with a flavorful filling of pork and mushrooms wrapped in dong leaves, which adds to the earthy aroma and taste. The result is a soft, aromatic cake that represents the rural charm of Văn Giang. If you ever visit Văn Giang, make sure to try bánh răng bừa, as it is a unique specialty that truly embodies the flavors of the countryside.

Hưng Yên is renowned as the land of longan, particularly for its nhãn lồng, a variety of longan with a flavor that is hard to match. Legend has it that centuries ago, at the Hiến Pagoda in Hưng Yên, there stood an ancient longan tree known as the 'ancestor longan'. Over 300 years old, the tree bore round fruits with small seeds, thick flesh, and a sweet, fragrant aroma. This tree is said to have been the origin of this variety of longan, which has since been cultivated throughout the province.

The dried longan made from Hưng Yên’s nhãn lồng has thick, succulent flesh and is dried by hand in a traditional process that preserves its delicate flavor and sweetness. The longan is crisp and uniquely sweet, making it a special treat for any occasion. This simple yet meaningful gift can be enjoyed on its own or given as a thoughtful present. The drying process ensures the right level of moisture, allowing the longan to stay fresh for a longer time compared to other products. High-quality longan typically does not require preservatives, so it's important to buy from trusted suppliers to ensure the best, safest product for your family’s health.

Tương Bần, a famous delicacy from Bần Yên Nhân Town in Mỹ Hào, Hưng Yên, is a traditional Vietnamese condiment that has become a beloved specialty of the region. While the ingredients are simple and easy to find, the process of making Tương Bần is quite intricate and requires skill to create the perfect sauce.

With a rich golden or reddish-brown hue, Tương Bần is thick and aromatic, pouring smoothly and with a unique, savory scent. The taste is a delightful blend of rich, sweet, and salty flavors, and it has a long shelf life. Tương Bần has captured the hearts of food lovers across Vietnam and is a staple in the culinary traditions of Hanoi, often included in the well-known local phrase: “Dưa La, Húng Láng, Nem Báng, Tương Bần.”

This sauce is an essential accompaniment for dishes such as bánh đúc, bánh tẻ, steamed pork, or pickled vegetables, especially during the hot summer months. Tương Bần is also used in various cooked dishes like braised pork, fish, or stir-fried tofu, making it a versatile and cherished ingredient for both summer and winter meals. It is a source of pride for the people of Hưng Yên and has become so iconic that it is even mentioned in traditional songs and sayings.

Gà Đông Tảo, a renowned specialty of Hưng Yên, has long been famous for its unique features and taste. This breed originates from Đông Tảo village in Khoái Châu District. The most distinctive characteristic of Gà Đông Tảo is its legs, which can be up to ten times larger than those of a normal chicken. The legs have a rough texture with a reddish hue extending from the shank down to the toes. Raising this breed is a meticulous process, which makes Gà Đông Tảo relatively expensive.

This chicken can be prepared in a variety of dishes, such as boiled chicken with herbs, stir-fried chicken with rice flour, or medicinally stewed chicken feet. As awareness of this breed grows, many regions are beginning to raise Gà Đông Tảo due to its economic value and ease of care. Some countries, like the UK and Japan, are also considering importing this rare breed for research purposes.

However, with the rise of hybrid chickens in the market, it can be tricky to identify true Gà Đông Tảo. The best way to tell is by examining the legs, as the authentic Gà Đông Tảo has large, reddish legs. Additionally, the skin of its belly is often rough and has a darker tone, making it easily recognizable by the naked eye.