Top 20 Famous Delicacies in Cà Mau

1. Mud Crab Roe

If Ben Tre has creamy coconut worms, Cà Mau also boasts its own delicacy known as mud crab roe, which is 'plump and snow-white'. To savor this dish, diners must wait until the season when it's available, typically from the 10th to the 2nd lunar month. This delectable treat from Cà Mau isn't always accessible; it's only abundant from October to February lunar months to meet the culinary demands of tourists.

Mud crab roe is the larvae of an insect species called chà là, which lives on the branches of chà là trees in the mangrove forests. In the mangrove forests of Cà Mau, where chà là trees abound, mud crab roe can be easily found in abundance. Similar to coconut worms and silkworm pupae, mud crab roe is slightly larger, about the size of a thumb, with a chubby, round, and white appearance.

Whether fried in batter or marinated in fish sauce, mud crab roe always captivates many diners due to its unmatched deliciousness. With its inherent chewiness, freshness, and richness when paired with fish sauce, it surely provides diners with a uniquely delightful experience. If you have the chance to visit Cà Mau, remember to taste this dish to fully appreciate its special flavor.

2. Cà Mau Tubers

Bồn bồn dish seems to be quite familiar to people in the Mekong Delta, or some tourists visiting the Mekong Delta. However, in Cà Mau, bồn bồn dish is still considered a delicious specialty despite its rustic and familiar nature. From the bồn bồn ingredient, people have known how to cook many other delicious dishes such as mixed bồn bồn salad, stir-fried bồn bồn with shrimp, bồn bồn pickles served with braised fish, and sometimes use bồn bồn as a substitute for vegetables.

In particular, in Cà Mau, people often proudly claim that bồn bồn is a type of clean vegetable, grown from alluvium, so there is no chemical that can touch it. Therefore, whether eaten fresh or pickled, bồn bồn is still very delicious, sweet, and crispy, making diners want to keep eating until finished. If used for pickling, bồn bồn pickles are also favored by many for their ability to complement rice and their easy-to-eat nature.

In addition to pickling, bồn bồn is also used as a raw vegetable, blanched in hotpot, ... no matter how it is used, bồn bồn from Cà Mau still retains its sweet rustic taste, along with its special freshness and crispiness.

Arguably, most of the delicious specialties in Cà Mau are concentrated in the U Minh area thanks to its vast brackish mangrove forest, and U Minh Fermented Fish Hotpot is one of them. Fermented fish hotpot may be familiar to you as it is a specialty dish found in all provinces in the Mekong Delta, but U Minh Fermented Fish Hotpot has its own unique flavor, a flavor that only the wild and rustic U Minh region possesses.

U Minh Fermented Fish Hotpot is made from a special type of fermented fish. The fish is deboned and then put into a hotpot with well-seasoned spices. To enhance the flavor of the dish, locals here add finely chopped lemongrass leaves and pounded lemongrass roots to the hotpot, along with a little milk and sugar to make the broth sweet and rich.

U Minh Fermented Fish Hotpot is usually enjoyed with the best freshwater fish such as snakehead fish, large-sized catfish, white catfish, or eel. Some may also include field crab meat, snails, pork belly slices, and more. This dish is served with various characteristic fresh vegetables of the Mekong Delta such as water lily buds, morning glory, water spinach, water mimosa, lotus stem, water hyacinth, and water morning glory. When eating U Minh Fermented Fish Hotpot, you will taste the sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy flavors of various characteristic vegetables from the U Minh forest.

Thanks to abundant resources such as various fish and eels in the water marshes and unique forest vegetables, U Minh Fermented Fish Hotpot is extremely delicious and nutritious. If you have the opportunity to visit the U Minh region, don't forget to enjoy this delicious dish.

Returning to the watery region of Cà Mau, we're sure to indulge in some specialty dishes that are hard to find elsewhere. Besides fresh and delicious seafood, dishes made from mice, insects, and more, there's one delicacy that cannot be overlooked: eel. Particularly captivating is the dish known as eel braised with sawtooth herb, uniquely famous.

Locals here often catch eels in ponds, fields, or areas with plenty of water and straw. The eel is cleaned of mucus, gutted, washed thoroughly, and then prepared for cooking.

Eel can be used to cook various dishes, but in this rural area, there's a type of herb that, when combined, becomes an incredibly wonderful dish: sawtooth herb. This herb grows wild in areas with stagnant water, with green stems and leaves. The herb has a slightly bitter taste, but eel braised with sawtooth herb is a creatively prepared dish that delights many travelers.

Eel braised with sawtooth herb is known as a dish symbolizing the countryside flavor. The crispy-sweet eel, fragrant sawtooth herb, and savory coconut broth can mesmerize diners from the first taste. Besides sawtooth herb, eel can also be braised with betel leaves, another dish that is equally irresistible.

Visitors to Cà Mau should never overlook the incredibly rare and nutritious delicacy highly favored by many – U Minh Forest Honey.

U Minh forest honey is not only pure and fresh but also has a unique, rich flavor of the U Minh region's melaleuca forest. A remarkable feature is its completely natural origin, formed as wild bees collect nectar from melaleuca flowers and some other types of trees.

Due to these characteristics, the honey here is quite rare, and the quantity is limited. However, after trying it once, one can easily recognize its freshness and purity. Even after years, the honey remains unchanged in color, exuding the fragrant aroma of melaleuca flowers. It has many medicinal uses and is highly beneficial for health.

Produced and harvested entirely by hand, without any mixing, to preserve its original flavor, U Minh Forest Honey is trusted and favored by many consumers both locally and internationally.

'First grill - Second roast - Third stir-fry - Fourth boil' is often whispered about in folklore regarding the best cooking methods, preserving the most delicious flavors, and standing atop that list are grilled dishes. Especially when in Cà Mau, if you don't indulge in grilled specialties like grilled shrimp, grilled fish... particularly grilled razor clams with salt and pepper dip, a prominent delicacy of Cà Mau, it's like going to a spa and not encountering serenity.

As a mollusk, razor clams bear resemblance to some other mollusk species like clams or mussels,... However, there are distinguishing features to differentiate razor clams from other mollusks, such as their larger size and smoother shell. Another distinctive feature is the sweet, crunchy flesh, especially in wild razor clams, naturally reproducing in the wild, making their meat even sweeter and tastier. Grilled razor clams are prepared quite simply, just clean the razor clams, prepare a charcoal grill, and then grill them. Depending on individual preferences, some like their razor clams grilled to medium, while others prefer them well-done, almost dried. Regardless of the grilling style, razor clam meat retains its inherent sweetness and crunchiness, not to mention when enjoyed with salt and pepper, enhancing the dish's flavor. Besides grilled razor clams, you can also order various other dishes made from razor clams such as steamed razor clams with lemongrass, braised razor clams with pepper, razor clam stew,... If you get a chance to return to Cà Mau, be sure to indulge in this grilled razor clams with salt and pepper dip dish.

As a creature belonging to the crab family, adapting to the brackish mangrove environment, this is one of those dishes that, although humble, carries the rich flavor whenever Cà Mau cuisine is mentioned. Ba Khia Fermented Shrimp Paste is a quite peculiar dish, as its preparation process takes from five to seven days, not to mention it has a characteristic black color rather than eye-catching hues like many other dishes. The way to eat this dish is also quite unique, as you have to use your 'suction power' to extract the sweet, fresh meat inside each Ba Khia leg. The deliciousness of Ba Khia lies in the freshness of the meat, the balanced taste, and the combination of various spices. Depending on individual preferences, Ba Khia Fermented Shrimp Paste can be served with various other ingredients such as: Vietnamese coriander, mint, culantro, lime juice, or ginger, lemongrass cut into strips, red chili, lime leaves,... besides, fruits like star fruits, young coconut, sour mangoes, guavas,... can also be added. It can be said that Ba Khia Fermented Shrimp Paste is a dish rich in the flavors of the Cà Mau countryside, a famous dish that delights both local and international travelers.

Ba Khia Fermented Shrimp Paste is often eaten with rice, especially when eaten with hot rice, the sour, spicy, salty, and sweet taste along with the warm, sweet rice will leave a lasting impression on those who love to indulge in culinary delights. Additionally, Ba Khia Fermented Shrimp Paste is also eaten with green papaya salad, which is a new and quite interesting way to enjoy it, worth experiencing.

Cuttlefish Egg Cake is a delicious dish from Cà Mau that has been closely associated with the people of the Land of the Cape for generations. This dish is prepared with great care and takes a lot of time. It mainly consists of eggs from various types of cuttlefish such as Sepioteuthis lessoniana, Loligo, and Sepiidae, giving it a unique and delightful aroma that everyone remembers. Depending on the spawning season, the ingredients of this dish may vary. For example, during the spawning season of Sepioteuthis lessoniana, the egg cake will contain more eggs from this species. To make cuttlefish egg cake, one needs to select fresh cuttlefish that are still carrying eggs, then separate the eggs. The cuttlefish eggs, after being separated, will be mixed with seasonings and starch until it reaches the desired consistency.

Cuttlefish egg cake can be enjoyed in various ways: sometimes fried until crispy, sometimes eaten with hotpot, sometimes stewed with pepper and served with steamed rice,... When served, the cake is cut into small pieces, accompanied by various wild vegetables, herbs, and rice paper, dipped in fish sauce or lemon pepper salt. Diners will experience the rich and creamy flavor of cuttlefish eggs blending with the dipping sauce and assorted greens, creating a distinctive dish that cannot be duplicated. To taste the best cuttlefish egg cake in Cà Mau, you must visit the coastal areas such as Khánh Hội, Đất Mũi,... the places where this unique dish originates.

U Minh Forest Young Bee Salad is a unique specialty of Ca Mau. Forest bee larvae salad is often served at restaurants in the U Minh Ha area because the bee larvae in the U Minh forest are fatter and tastier. With the characteristic of 6 months of flooding and 6 months of drought in U Minh, forest bees thrive here, and a beehive can be as big as one or two feet, so the supply of young bees here is abundant. There are many ways to enjoy young bees, such as eating them fresh, enjoying them with honeycomb, making porridge, or stir-frying... especially making young bee salad.

Young bee salad is loved by many for the fresh and fatty taste of young bees, along with the unique flavor and new experience when enjoying it. Harmonizing with the fatty taste of young bees is the right amount of sour and spicy taste of fish sauce, or vinegar sugar water, the crispy and fragrant taste of banana blossom or young coconut core, combined with various herbs... will bring diners an explosion of flavors when enjoying. If you have a chance to visit the U Minh forest, you must try this dish.

10. Keo Fish Porridge - Bitterweed

Ca Mau boasts a variety of delicious seafood, including keo fish. During the season, the amount of keo fish harvested here is plentiful, so locals often prepare a wide variety of dishes, such as dried keo fish, and keo fish stew... Keo Fish Porridge - Bitterweed is not only a popular and nutritious dish, but it is also used by Ca Mau locals as a hangover cure.

Keo fish porridge is a common dish in Ca Mau. After being caught, keo fish are cleaned with charcoal and salt to remove mucus. The white porridge is cooked from rice soaked overnight, seasoned with salt, sugar, fish sauce, ground pepper,... and the keo fish is added last, when the porridge is almost cooked, and cooked until the porridge expands completely, and the fish is just cooked, the flesh is still intact and not mushy. When enjoying, diners are instructed to add a little bitterweed and ground pepper at the bottom of the bowl, then pour the hot keo fish porridge on top. The heat of the porridge will make the vegetables at the bottom crispy and still maintain a certain freshness. Additional fish sauce or soy sauce can be added according to taste. This dish is quite nutritious and easy to enjoy. When enjoying, you can also add a native chicken egg to increase the nutritional value of the dish.

11. Grilled Spiny Eel with Salt and Chili

Adding another grilled dish to today's list, grilled spiny eel with salt and chili will surely satisfy the discerning appetites of diners far and wide. Spiny eel, also known as climbing perch, usually inhabit shallow reefs, marshes, and brackish mangrove areas of Ca Mau, with a peculiar shape but extremely delicious and sweet flesh. It is called with the poetic name that Ca Mau people give: 'Heroes crossing the sea to find islands' to describe how this fish species glides through the water hunting for prey or fleeing danger. Although it is a fish, its ability to move on land with fins like 'legs,' its inherently pugnacious nature, and its constant movement habits have made the spiny eel's flesh firm and as chewy as chicken meat. Its diet mainly consists of small aquatic creatures and small crustaceans. Spiny eel meat has a naturally sweet taste that is very attractive.

Grilled spiny eel with salt and chili is highly favored by diners, with a unique combination of sweet flavor, along with the salty and spicy taste of salt and chili, grilled to a crisp on charcoal. This is a favorite dish at parties, a luxurious treat on the banquet table. When enjoying, grilled spiny eel with salt and chili is often served with common vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce,... dipped in finely crushed salt and chili, with just the right amount of spiciness. This dish pairs remarkably well with rice. With its sweet, chewy texture and lingering aromatic aftertaste, grilled spiny eel with salt and chili will surely leave diners longing for more.

12. Salted Fried Turtle

Turtle is a wild animal commonly found in the mangrove forests of Ca Mau. There are many types of turtles, such as yellow turtles, shell turtles, box turtles, stinky turtles, and mud turtles, but the most delicious ones are the yellow turtles, followed by the shell turtles. Avoid eating stinky or mud turtles because, as their names suggest, they do not smell good. After being caught, turtles are usually kept in a pond for 2 - 3 days to acclimate, making it easier to prepare the meat and remove impurities from the intestines. Although cooking turtle is relatively straightforward, some steps require experienced hands, especially the sectioning process. Turtle blood is also considered nutritious, so if you plan to consume it, it is recommended to mix it immediately after sectioning, while it is still warm and fresh. Turtle blood wine is believed to be as nourishing as snake wine.

Returning to the dish of salted fried turtle. Locals in Ca Mau believe that only yellow and shell turtles are delicious when fried with salt. The salt used must be rock salt, and the pot must be clay to ensure that the fried turtle meat is perfectly flavored. The turtle meat is firm and crispy, and thanks to frying with salt, it becomes sweeter and more fragrant. This is considered one of the specialty dishes served to guests. If you have the opportunity to visit Ca Mau and are treated to salted fried turtle, then you are definitely a special guest in their hearts.

As a dish with a rustic flavor beloved by many, field mouse is a delicacy that the people of Ca Mau often serve to honor special guests. They have various ways to prepare field mouse, such as drying or frying, but the most delicious and cherished is undoubtedly the spicy lemongrass fried field mouse.

With its preference for vegetables and starch, field mouse meat is chewy and fragrant. After trapping, field mice are kept for a day to naturally eliminate impurities before being processed into meat. Once cleaned, the field mouse is drained, chopped, marinated with finely chopped lemongrass, along with delicious fish sauce, MSG, a pinch of salt, sugar, and left to marinate for 15 minutes. Then it's fried in hot oil over a moderate flame, continuously flipped to ensure even golden cooking. When served, spicy lemongrass fried field mouse is accompanied by various greens such as lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, etc. This dish, when paired with hot rice, is truly a match made in heaven.

Another beloved delicacy when visiting the land of Ca Mau is the tiger nail snail, a heavenly gift to this peninsula. The tiger nail snail is a long-shaped snail with a color reminiscent of fingernails. Its meat is incredibly tender, sweet, and delicious, offering a perfect balance of chewiness and richness along with the characteristic aroma of tidal seafood. Tiger nail snails are often grilled with scallion oil, creating a dish that captivates the hearts of snail enthusiasts. Apart from grilling, there are various ways to enjoy them, such as simmering the snail meat with pepper, making porridge with scallions, using them in hotpot, or making salads. Thanks to their freshness and sweetness, tiger nail snails are widely known and a must-try for anyone visiting Ca Mau.

Despite their distinctive appearance, tiger nail snails are relatively easy to prepare. After being caught, they are usually soaked in saltwater, chili, lemongrass, etc., to allow them to naturally expel impurities, ensuring a safer and more hygienic cooking process. To cook tiger nail snails, they are typically blanched in boiling saltwater, then rinsed with cold water to make the meat crispier and easier to cook. This also enhances the sweetness and chewiness of the snail meat. For the freshest and most delicious tiger nail snails, you can buy them at tidal flats or estuaries where they are harvested fresh.

Seafood is one of the trademarks of Cà Mau, well-known to many tourists, and the dishes made from seafood are abundant. This region is abundant, with plenty of seafood that is also used to make dried seafood products. The dried seafood specialties of Cà Mau are beloved for their creativity, meticulousness in processing, and the freshness of the seafood preserved in various dried forms. Notable types of dried seafood include dried shrimp, dried fish, dried squid, etc. There are various types of dried shrimp such as dried tiger shrimp, mantis shrimp, white shrimp, mud shrimp, etc. Almost any fish caught by the people of Cà Mau can be dried. As for squid, the most famous is the dried squid from the Đốc River, made from large and sweet squid.

When talking about the specialty of dried shrimp in Cà Mau, one cannot overlook the Rạch Gốc dried shrimp. Not only known domestically, but Rạch Gốc dried shrimp is also recognized in world markets such as Europe and EU countries. To achieve the product with the characteristic flavor of the forest and sea, the people of Cà Mau have their own secrets when boiling shrimp. Dried seafood dishes in Cà Mau are beloved by diners and highly praised for their distinctive flavor and variety. Delicious dishes from dried seafood include grilled dried seafood, dried seafood salads, etc. If you have the chance, come to Cà Mau and try the various dried seafood dishes.