Top 14 Most Unique and Unusual Specialty Dishes in Vietnam

Bac Cake is a traditional dish famous in the villages of Giang Xa and Luu Xa. The cake is described as having "golden pistils, with red and white petals in between." This dish is typically made during important holidays, festivals, and special occasions. Legend has it that Bac Cake was once a royal offering, made for the king by the locals. There is an old saying in the region: "No matter how much a husband complains or a wife nags, eating Bac Cake will bring harmony back to the couple."

The name Bac Cake comes from the method of preparation: frying it in hot oil. The locals from Giang Xa mispronounced the word “fry” as “bac,” but despite this, Bac Cake is not the same as a fried cake. It consists of three layers: two outer layers of cake with a mung bean filling inside. To make a perfect Bac Cake, the ingredients are carefully selected: glutinous rice, gac fruit, green beans, brown sugar, pork fat, banana leaves, and the string used to tie the cake. The rice is soaked for 2-3 hours before being finely ground, with gac fruit mixed into half of the dough to give it a striking red and white marbled color.

The ideal Bac Cake has thin, even layers of white and red dough. After about two hours of steaming in banana leaves, the cake is cut into slices about 2-3 cm thick. When you cut it, the cake resembles a flower with golden pistils and red and white petals. Not only beautiful, but Bac Cake’s three-layered structure symbolizes unity and harmony. Its delightful flavor, blending the aromas of rice, pork fat, banana leaves, and the richness of mung beans, leaves a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.

Don Cake, also known as Tet Cake, is a must-have dish in many Central and Southern Vietnamese homes during the Lunar New Year celebrations. The name 'Don' comes from its long, cylindrical shape with both ends evenly rounded, resembling a stick. The ingredients for Don Cake include glutinous rice, green beans, and fatty pork belly or pork shoulder. To make a perfect Don Cake, it needs to be tightly wrapped so that the rice and filling do not mix.

Don Cake is a traditional dish in the cuisine of both the Kinh people and some ethnic minorities in Southern and Central Vietnam. It is similar to the northern Banh Chung in terms of ingredients and cooking methods, but it differs in shape and is wrapped in banana leaves instead of dong leaves. Like Banh Chung, Don Cake is most commonly eaten during Tet, and holds the same importance in southern and central regions. However, you can also find Don Cake year-round, with variations made with banana or black bean fillings.

Rice Cracker Cake, or Crackers Cake, is a popular and easy-to-find snack in central Vietnam. This dish consists of a thin, crispy rice cracker, which is topped with a hot, soft rice cake. The combination of the soft, smooth, slightly chewy texture of the rice cake and the crunchy, fragrant cracker creates a delightful contrast. The dish is even more flavorful when dipped in a savory fermented fish sauce, infused with the refreshing tang of pineapple and the spicy kick of garlic and chili.

Rice Cracker Cake has three layers: two crispy, toasted rice crackers on the outside, with a soft rice cake in the middle. All ingredients are made from clean, polished white rice, soaked in water for 2-3 hours to soften, then ground into a smooth flour. The flour is mixed with water to form the right consistency. The rice cake is made over an open fire, using large, flat willow wood that burns slowly and efficiently.

The rice cake is then cooked by placing a round bamboo frame covered with fabric over a pot of boiling water. A thin layer of the rice mixture is poured onto the fabric, and the lid is closed. After about one minute, the steam cooks the cake. Using a long bamboo stick, the cook carefully removes the soft rice cake from the frame, and the fresh, soft rice cracker is ready to serve.

Fried Cake is a unique deep-fried dish from the ancient capital of Hue. The preparation is similar to the southern Vietnamese dish, Banh Xeo, but with a distinct shape. Fried Cake is round, made in a small cast-iron skillet with a flat bottom (about 15cm in diameter and 2-3cm deep). Unlike Banh Xeo, which is made into a thin, wide pancake and folded in half to cover the filling, Fried Cake is cooked into a round shape, served crispy on the outside and filled with various ingredients. It is typically eaten with fresh herbs and a dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime, garlic, and chili (similar to the Banh Xeo sauce).

The filling consists of river shrimp, ground pork, eggs, and fatty pork belly—simple yet delicious. The batter is carefully mixed to ensure the cake is both crispy and chewy, while the key to the flavor lies in the special dipping sauce made from over ten ingredients, including soy sauce, peanuts, sesame, pork liver, and shrimp paste, creating a rich, thick sauce that diners often praise for its delicate and skillful preparation.

When fried, the cake has a beautiful golden color and is served hot, folded neatly on a pristine white plate, accompanied by vibrant green lettuce, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, sweet starfruit, and sour tamarind. With one bite, the crispiness melts in your mouth, and the harmonious blend of flavors—sweet, savory, sour, and spicy—creates an unforgettable taste experience. Who could resist such a delicious dish?

Khọt Cake is a unique delicacy from Vung Tau. The locals named it "Khọt Cake" because when the cake is removed from the mold, a flat, long spoon is used to tap it, producing a distinctive "khọt khọt" sound as the spoon strikes the mold. This humble dish uses simple ingredients, and its batter is made purely from rice flour, without the addition of coconut milk or other types of flour. While the process is straightforward, making the perfect Khọt Cake requires precision and skill.

The key to making perfect Khọt Cake lies in the batter. The rice flour must be mixed with water in the right proportions. If the batter is too thick, the cakes will turn out dense and crumbly; too thin, and they will be too delicate and flavorless. The ideal Khọt Cake is crispy on the outside, yet retains a chewy, satisfying texture inside.

The filling is made from fresh shrimp, which are peeled, cleaned, and left to drain. On top of the shrimp filling, golden crispy shrimp crumbs are added, enhancing the flavor and visual appeal of the cakes. Each Khọt Cake is topped with a whole shrimp, its pink body contrasting beautifully with the white batter, with a sprinkling of dried shrimp powder scattered around the plate for a touch of color and extra flavor.

This is a traditional cake from Thai Binh. The name "Cay Cake" comes from the yellow sticky rice grains that, after soaking, are mixed with red gac fruit, steamed, pressed into a sticky mass, cut into small cubes, and dried to a color resembling that of a crab's egg. Cay Cake captivates with its ivory-colored appearance, speckled with golden grains. When eaten, it offers a sweet taste from the sugar, a slight heat from ginger, the richness of sticky rice, and the chewy fragrance of young green rice.

The process begins with selecting high-quality rice (yellow flower sticky rice). The rice is roasted into puffed rice, ground into flour, and rolled into small balls. The balls are then shaped into finger-sized pieces, coated with red gac fruit to create the crab’s red hue, and with gardenia fruit to create the yellow color. They are then fried until crispy, mixed with malt syrup made from sweet rice sprouts, coconut jam, sesame seeds, and roasted peanuts. The mixture is stirred over low heat until it reaches the desired sticky consistency, then packed tightly into rectangular wooden molds lined with sesame seeds, peanuts, and coconut jam. Once the cake cools, it is removed from the mold, cut into small pieces, and packaged. These boxes of Cay Cake are placed on altars during the Lunar New Year, alongside traditional cakes like bánh chưng and bánh dày, and offerings of fruits.

Chắt chắt are small, bivalve mollusks, quite similar to clams but smaller in size. They are typically found in brackish and freshwater regions in Quang Binh and Quang Tri. Due to their scarcity elsewhere, Chắt chắt has become a local delicacy in this area, particularly in the Gianh River region of Quang Binh, which is famous for its Chắt chắt.

Preparing Chắt chắt requires a bit of effort. The first step is to wash them thoroughly in several rounds of water, then drain them. Afterward, boiling water with a pinch of salt is poured over the Chắt chắt. As the water boils, chopsticks are used to stir them gently, causing the shells to open and the flesh to separate. Once cooked, the Chắt chắt are drained and placed in cold water to loosen the meat, a process similar to rinsing rice. This method ensures that the meat is extracted quickly and efficiently. The Chắt chắt can now be used in various dishes, with the cooking broth being perfect for soups or porridge, offering a sweet, rich flavor. Because the Chắt chắt are so small, people often joke that you need to eat hundreds of them to feel satisfied.

Don is a unique dish that captures the essence of Quang Ngai's culture and lifestyle. Its taste varies depending on personal preferences, but it’s guaranteed to provide a fresh and unforgettable experience for your palate. When visiting Quang Ngai, make sure to try this special dish. Don is a type of mollusk, with a shell that is half dark and half light yellow, shaped like an oval, roughly the size of an adult's pinky finger, and a bit more than an inch long. The shell is thinner than that of other shellfish, while the flesh is yellow with pink tentacles surrounding it. Don lives deep in the sand, about 5 cm below the surface, and only surfaces once a year when the water reaches a height of about one meter.

Don is found only in two major rivers in Quang Ngai: the Tra River and the Ve River. These mollusks are scattered throughout the riverbeds, riverbanks, and most abundantly near the river mouths. Don thrives in sandy environments, and the best time for collecting them is during the dry season, typically from April to May, though they may also appear in July. Harvesting Don is a challenging task; during high water, collectors often have to immerse themselves for hours without catching much. Despite the difficulty, Don is considered a refreshing, nutritious, and affordable dish. Some popular ways to prepare Don include Don soup, Don porridge, and Don salad. A more extravagant way to enjoy it is by stir-frying Don’s internal organs with noodles, rice vermicelli, or rice paper. This dish is also often served to guests, offering a rich and authentic taste of Quang Ngai’s culinary heritage.

Bánh Cóng from Soc Trang has an irresistible aroma, with a crisp texture combined with the rich and nutty flavors of mung beans, shrimp, and pork that tantalize your taste buds. In Soc Trang, bánh cóng is a familiar dish, but the most famous variety comes from Đại Tâm village in Mỹ Xuyên district, Sóc Trăng. The unique method of preparation involves frying the dough in a small cylindrical mold that resembles a tiny coffee cup, about 10 cm tall. The ingredients are layered inside the mold in this order: a batter mixture, mung beans, stir-fried meat, another layer of batter, and finally, one or two shrimp placed on top. The mold is then dipped into hot oil for 2-3 minutes, allowing the bánh to crisp up and easily slide out.

The bánh puffs up to a golden brown color, releasing a mouthwatering fragrance that will make your mouth water. Bánh cóng is typically served with fresh herbs and fish sauce. You can either eat it whole or cut it into smaller pieces for easier consumption. The eating style is similar to that of bánh xèo – wrapping the crispy bánh in a fresh herb leaf, dipping it into fish sauce, and savoring the combination of crunchiness, richness, and nuttiness that will have you craving more.

Bánh Tằm Bì - a Delicacy from Bạc Liêu is a dish with delicate white strands, shaped like silkworms, and is both fragrant and simple to make. This dish is a true representation of the rustic flavors of the Mekong Delta. The bánh tằm bì noodles are always pure white, made from the finest rice grown in Bạc Liêu. The rice is soaked for 3 days and then ground into a fine paste. The next step involves mixing the paste with tapioca flour, a crucial stage in ensuring the noodles' perfect texture and color.

The coconut milk used in this dish is extracted from young coconuts, giving it a sweet and rich flavor. A small amount of tapioca flour is added to the coconut milk, which is gently heated until it becomes creamy and white like milk. Salt and sugar are then added to balance the savory and sweet flavors. The sweet fish sauce is also uniquely prepared by combining fish sauce with coconut water, then adding finely chopped garlic, chili, and lime. This sauce is both sweet and salty, complementing the dish perfectly. The bì consists of boiled pork skin and finely chopped pork, mixed with roasted rice powder. Pre-made bì is commonly available at local markets. Fresh herbs, lettuce, cucumbers, and bean sprouts are essential accompaniments to this dish, adding freshness and crunch.

'Cap Na' Pig (also known as 'Lung' pig in some areas) is a unique breed found only in the highlands, particularly abundant in Lai Châu. These pigs are incredibly resilient, foraging for roots, herbs, and leaves from the forest. Piglets are active from birth and begin to wander independently after just a few days, following their parents for only a short time. Due to their diet of natural plants and slower growth rate, they typically weigh between 10 to 15 kilograms. However, the meat of the 'Cap Na' pig is exceptionally flavorful, making it a sought-after local delicacy.

There are various ways to prepare the 'Cap Na' Pig, including boiling, steaming, roasting, smoking, stir-frying, or even making a wild vegetable salad with it. One of the most common dishes is roasted 'Cap Na' pig. The tender roast pork has crispy, golden skin, a thin layer of fat, and soft, flavorful lean meat that is both fragrant and sweet. What makes this pig even more special is the small and tender bones. Except for the larger bones, the smaller ones are edible, adding to the unique eating experience.

Siu Chau Candy is a traditional delicacy from Nam Định, well-known for its unique flavor and long history. It is similar to peanut brittle, but with a more intense and delightful taste. The ingredients are simple: peanuts, sugar, and malt syrup. The peanuts and sesame seeds are roasted and de-shelled. Then, sugar is boiled with malt syrup over high heat, and once it reaches a boil, the peanuts and sesame are added and stirred together. The hot candy mixture is poured onto a tray dusted with rice flour to prevent sticking, flattened, and then cut into small rectangular pieces that are perfect for snacking.

The secret to Siu Chau Candy lies in its simple yet authentic recipe, passed down through generations. The peanuts are carefully selected, and cooked with malt syrup in a traditional copper pot. The candy is cut while still hot, wrapped in rice flour, and left to cool, giving it a distinctive aroma. These small, irregularly shaped pieces are coated in a light layer of rice flour and have a satisfying crunch. The rich, roasted peanuts blend harmoniously with the sweet malt syrup, offering a delicious contrast. One of the standout qualities of Siu Chau Candy is that it never sticks to your teeth, and its delicate fragrance is subtle and pure. Once you've tasted Siu Chau Candy, you'll find other peanut sweets less appealing.

Bamboo Root Cake is a popular treat, but the bamboo root cake variety is unique to An Giang. The name comes from the distinctive air pockets that appear when the cake is cut, resembling bamboo roots — a feature that regular cakes do not have. According to the bakers’ experience, the more 'bamboo roots' a cake has, the tastier it is. Bamboo root cake is especially common in the Tân Châu region of An Giang. The cake has a rich coconut milk flavor, a subtle sweetness from palm sugar, and a distinct tang from the fermented dough. Its golden honey color is visually appealing.

To make the cake, high-quality rice is soaked in cold water, and a special type of yeast, made from a mix of Chinese medicinal herbs, is added. Once the rice softens, it’s rinsed, and the yeast is ground into a paste and mixed into the rice, then blended into a smooth batter. The batter is left to ferment for several hours wrapped in cloth. After fermentation, palm sugar syrup is made, cooled, and mixed into the batter, which is then allowed to ferment further. The batter is poured into small bowls or molds, leaving enough space for the cake to rise. A thin layer of oil or fat is applied to prevent the cake from sticking, making it easy to remove when it’s done.

Cu Đơ Candy is a famous peanut candy from Hà Tĩnh Province. Its origin dates back to a poor man who, at his firstborn son's wedding, had nothing to offer the guests except sugarcane honey and raw peanuts. He ingeniously created this new candy by roasting the peanuts and mixing them with honey. This creation was initially called 'Cu Hai'. Later, the French colonizers called it 'Cu Đơ', and the name has stuck ever since.

Cu Đơ candy is made primarily from peanuts and sugarcane honey. The honey and roasted peanuts are mixed together in a pan and simmered over low heat. The mixture must be stirred continuously to prevent the honey from burning. Sometimes, ingredients like ginger and malt syrup are added to make the candy crunchier and more aromatic. Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, it is poured onto pre-cut round rice crackers, which are then pressed together to form a sandwich. Afterward, the candies are stacked, typically five to ten pairs, and wrapped under layers of peanut candy, making it easy to unwrap with your hands. This method ensures the candy stays fresh, crunchy, and easy to enjoy without the mess of peeling off wrappers.