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Not only in Phú Quốc, Kiên Giang also boasts numerous culinary destinations and a paradise of enticing specialties. Below are the Top 20 specialties from Kiên Giang – Rạch Giá – Hà Tiên by LIMODY.VN that will surprise and satisfy you.
1. Kiên Giang Specialty Steamed Hủ tiếu
The first dish brought to you by LIMODY.VN is the Hà Tiên specialty, steamed hủ tiếu, which will surely impress. Typically, you will enjoy either noodle soup or dry noodles with various toppings such as pork, shrimp, and fresh herbs,...
However, in Hà Tiên, Kiên Giang, hủ tiếu is elevated to a new level with its origins traced back to Cambodia but has undergone creative processes and fusion to become an indispensable delicacy of the locals in this region.
The exquisite steamed hủ tiếu stands out as each strand of noodles is marinated with coconut milk and steamed, resulting in noodles that are both creamy and sweet in flavor. The accompanying ingredients, such as fried pork patties, ground pork sausage, pork, and vegetables, are arranged on top of the noodles, creating a perfect daily dish.
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2. Kiên Giang Specialty Bún Kèn
Bùn kèn, a specialty of Hà Tiên created by the Khmer people, is a unique dish. It consists of noodles cooked with coconut milk or used as a soup base.
Just by hearing this, diners can easily imagine the creamy, savory flavor and refreshing aroma of the dish. Bùn kèn mixed with coconut milk and accompanied by various ingredients is rich and flavorful, seasoned with a variety of spices such as minced mullet fish, curry powder, chili, lemongrass, cashew oil, salt, and more.
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3. Kiên Giang Specialty Bún cá Rạch Giá
Bún cá, a delicacy on the list of specialties in Rạch Giá that you should try. Although it's just a simple dish and very affordable, bún cá includes a wide variety of ingredients, and the flavor of the noodle bowl is completely different from bún cá elsewhere.
Bún cá Rạch Giá features fresh snakehead fish, deboned and tender, with a sweet, unspoiled taste. Moreover, the noodle bowl is fragrant with various ingredients such as turmeric, lemongrass, chili, ginger, accompanied by many typical local greens like sesbania flowers, banana flowers, herbs, and more.
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4. Kiên Giang Specialty Bánh canh with minced stingray
Always ranked as one of Kiên Giang's top-quality specialties, bánh canh with minced stingray offers every diner a perfect, satisfying bowl of noodle soup that will make you nod in delight. The standout feature of this dish is the flavorful broth made from various seafood like tuna, dried shrimp, pork meat, and bones, creating a sweet, rich broth.
Enjoying bánh canh with minced stingray comes with a side of fish cakes and tuna meat, and what's even more special is that each bowl of bánh canh comes with a large stingray fish, so if you're a seafood enthusiast, don't miss out on this dish!
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5. Kiên Giang Specialty Bánh tằm xíu mại
Next up, LIMODY.VN presents a delightful snack to fill your hungry stomach and satisfy your cravings: Rạch Giá's specialty, shredded tapioca dumplings. The tapioca is finely shredded and prepared in the familiar way, with each strand coated in a creamy, fragrant coconut sauce.
This dish features a combination of refreshing salad, generous chunks of minced pork, shredded pork, spring onions, sweet and sour dipping sauce, a hint of chili, and a bowl of coconut cream for diners to adjust the flavor to their liking.
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6. Kiên Giang Specialty Shredded Chicken Bread
Exploring the stunning beach area at night, when your stomach starts rumbling, you'll find a comforting local delicacy in Rạch Giá, readily available to rescue you: shredded chicken bread. Although it's just bread from street vendors, its quality rivals that of any fancy dish.
The bread is freshly baked, crispy on the outside. Inside, the chicken is marinated with salty and spicy flavors, shredded into strands, combined with fresh herbs, pickles, onions, pate, and a rich, glossy sauce, making the late-night bread even more enticing.
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7. Kiên Giang Specialty Hà Tiên Sticky Rice
As a representative face of the enticing and diverse specialties of Hà Tiên, Hà Tiên sticky rice has long been an indispensable daily dish, even for the locals. Hà Tiên sticky rice comes in two types: savory and sweet.
The common point is that the sticky rice is cooked from glutinous rice with coconut milk, resulting in a chewy, fragrant, creamy, and subtly sweet taste. The difference is that sweet sticky rice is served with ripe mango, which is also the most popular choice among diners. As for savory sticky rice, it is accompanied by richly flavored dried shrimp, finely chopped and evenly spread on the surface of the soft white sticky rice.
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8. Kiên Giang Specialty Xiêm Sticky Rice
Similar to Hà Tiên sticky rice, Kiên Giang specialty Xiêm sticky rice is also made from fragrant glutinous rice originating from Thai or Cambodian rice. A plate of Xiêm sticky rice is soaked in cloudy white coconut milk, giving off an irresistible aroma of glutinous rice and coconut milk.
However, Xiêm sticky rice is not served with mango or dried shrimp but with boiled eggs and mung beans, plus a little palm sugar. It is this combination that provides a full range of savory and sweet flavors, stimulating the taste buds.
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9. Kiên Giang Specialty Pandan Leaf Tube Cake
Once you're in Kiên Giang, you can't miss the renowned specialty, pandan leaf tube cake. These cakes are packed in short round bamboo tubes or wrapped in soft green leaves. When unwrapped, they reveal a faint green color, adorned with scattered coconut flakes.
Pandan leaf tube cakes are made from glutinous rice, colored with pandan leaves to achieve their attractive appearance. They're filled with shredded coconut, a bit of sugar, and, of course, coconut milk. Afterward, they're placed in bamboo tubes and cooked until done. Pandan leaf tube cakes have a refreshing taste, with hints of coconut and fragrant pandan leaves, melting softly on the tongue.
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10. Kiên Giang Specialty Shrimp and Pork Stuffed Tapioca Cakes
If you're fond of dishes made from rice, glutinous rice, etc., then try Kiên Giang's specialty - the essence of Southern Vietnamese cuisine: shredded tapioca cakes. Shredded tapioca cakes have a relatively simple preparation method but their flavor is extraordinary. Just knead glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and tapioca flour together, then cut into strands resembling vermicelli. Boil them in hot water, then coat them with a glossy layer of coconut milk.
On a plate of shredded tapioca cakes, add some shredded vegetable salad, finely shredded pork jerky, and a bowl of spicy and sour dipping sauce, and you've got yourself a delicious snack. Unlike shrimp and pork stuffed tapioca cakes, regular shredded tapioca cakes are often eaten with more roasted pork.
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11. Kiên Giang Specialty Cylindrical Glutinous Rice Cakes
Yet another delightful gift from Kiên Giang that can melt hearts is the cattail leaf-wrapped cylindrical glutinous rice cake, known as cattail leaf-wrapped tet cake. Essentially, it's just like a regular tet cake, but instead of being wrapped in banana leaves, it's wrapped in cattail leaves, hence the name cattail leaf-wrapped tet cake.
Inside, the filling consists of glutinous rice, green beans, fatty pork, pepper, just like in a square glutinous rice cake. Additionally, the aroma of pandan leaves infuses the glutinous rice, giving it a natural fragrance, while the savory filling adds an extra layer of appeal to this cake.
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12. Kiên Giang Specialty Palm Sugar Caramelized Puffed Rice Cake
Truly, the palm sugar caramelized puffed rice cake is the quintessential specialty of Kiên Giang. These round, golden cakes covered with small banana leaves wrapped around the base, often displayed in many market stalls, have become a familiar sight ready to tantalize the taste buds of any passerby.
Made from palm sugar, rice flour, and the indispensable ingredient: coconut milk, these cakes, when steamed, exude a fragrant, mildly sweet, and tender texture. Each petite cake is perfectly bite-sized, ensuring you can indulge without ever getting tired of them.
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13. Richly Flavored Sour Soup with Turmeric and Snakehead Fish Specialty
The intriguingly named specialty of Rạch Giá, the sour soup with turmeric and rich snakehead fish, certainly piques the curiosity of diners, making it a prominent symbol in the list of coastal delicacies. The hotpot is filled with various ingredients, but the highlight is undoubtedly the rich snakehead fish, symbolizing the waters of Hà Tiên.
Even after being cooked, the rich snakehead fish retains its freshness, succulence, and robust flavor. Another distinctive feature lies in the sour broth, prepared with plenty of lemongrass and turmeric. This results in a glossy yellow broth reminiscent of Thai hotpots, with a tangy, fragrant aroma that complements the natural flavors of the fish and seafood. The sweet-sour taste is refreshing and suits all palates.
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14. Mushroom Hotpot Specialty
If you've had your fill of greasy dishes and are craving something light and refreshing, head straight to the hotpot restaurant and order the specialty mushroom hotpot from Rạch Giá. It's a wonderfully soothing and effective remedy for culinary fatigue.
True to its name, the mushroom hotpot is a 'full-topping' set filled with a variety of mushrooms, each offering unique textures and flavors. Diners can enjoy crunchy mushrooms alongside a selection of vegetables, seafood, or beef, complemented by side dishes like kimbap, French fries, kimchi, and more, creating a harmonious feast for the senses.
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15. Specialty Pickled Herring Salad
Not limited to just Phu Quoc Island, in other areas like Ha Tien and Rach Gia, there exists a fresh and delicious specialty of Kien Giang that countless diners seek day and night - pickled herring salad. Carefully selected from the freshest fish, chefs skillfully remove any fishy odors, retaining only the refreshing taste of the sea.
The salad boasts a sweet and tangy flavor with a hint of spice, thanks to the blend of aromatic herbs, chili vinegar, and a bowl of irresistibly tasty dipping sauce. What's more, the salad is generously garnished with grated coconut and crushed peanuts spread across the plate, adding a delightful texture and richness to every bite.
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16. Specialty Banana Flower and Razor Clam Salad
Adding to the array of Kien Giang specialties, a unique and novel salad emerges, distinct from the pickled herring salad yet equally exquisite: banana flower and blood cockle salad. Just from its name, diners can envision the main ingredients of this dish: blood cockles and banana flowers.
Blood cockles must be thoroughly cleaned of any dirt on their shells and then steamed. They are then mixed with finely shredded banana flowers, seasoned with spices like those used for salads to achieve a sour, sweet, spicy, and slightly salty flavor, accompanied by the fragrant aroma of fish sauce. The salad combines the chewy texture and sweetness of the cockles with the crispness and fragrance of banana flowers, along with a touch of green papaya, dried shallots, fresh herbs, and more, creating a delightful harmony of flavors.
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17. Specialty 'Cá xỉu' Fish
The specialty dish from Ha Tien known as 'cá xỉu' might have an unusual name that sparks curiosity among many, leading numerous tourists to seek out and experience this delightful dish. 'Cá xỉu' is characterized by its small size, long whiskers, and slightly chewy yet crunchy texture that is quite enjoyable.
Typically prepared as a salad, salted, or stir-fried with a variety of spices such as chili, pepper, fish sauce, etc., 'cá xỉu' emits a fragrant aroma and offers a well-rounded, enticing flavor. Due to the abundance and even distribution of this fish species, diners can indulge without worry, as it is unlikely to run out of season and can be enjoyed at numerous eateries throughout Kien Giang.
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18. Specialty 'Sim wine'
Surely many are familiar with the specialty fermented drink from Phu Quoc, sim wine, but did you know that in the list of Rach Gia's specialties for gifting, there is also the presence of sim wine? Sim wine from Rach Gia is naturally fermented 100% using traditional methods.
The sim fruits harvested must be meticulously selected, only the ripest and sweetest ones are chosen. After marinating according to traditional methods, the wine is left to ferment. As a fruit wine, sim wine offers many health benefits and has a moderate alcohol content, suitable even for women, providing numerous beauty benefits as well.
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19. Specialty Honey
A specialty gift from Kien Giang that Limody.vn recommends is 100% natural honey. Due to its extraction from nature, the process of obtaining honey is quite challenging, hence the price for this specialty item is not cheap.
Yet, Kien Giang honey is always in high demand. It has a brownish-yellow color, astonishing smoothness, and a delicious aroma that few honeys can match. Moreover, this type of honey contains many beneficial compounds for health and women's beauty.
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20. Specialty Phu Quoc Fish Sauce
Finally, when it comes to specialty products to bring back from Kien Giang – the windy coastal region, one cannot overlook fish sauce – the quintessential dipping sauce in every Vietnamese household. Fish sauce is meticulously brewed, refined, and naturally reaches a level of sweetness and a distinctive aroma that once tasted, one cannot resist. Kien Giang fish sauce is smooth, golden, and simply accompanying it with plain rice and boiled dishes is enough to transform mundane daily meals into flavorful, enticing feasts.
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Alongside the Top 20 specialties of Kien Giang – Rach Gia – Ha Tien provided by LIMODY.VN, we hope you have a fresher perspective on the rich culinary scene of this beautiful province.
THUY LINH
Posted by: Do Thi Phuong My
Keywords: The Most Exquisite Top 20 Kien Giang Rach Gia Ha Tien Specialties as Perfect Gifts
