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The Mekong Delta is renowned for its mangrove forests, orchards, floating markets, and more. However, another captivating aspect not to be missed is its unique culinary scene. Let's explore some traditional breakfast dishes from the Mekong Delta with VNTRIP.VN!
Traditional Breakfast Dishes from the Mekong Delta
Grilled Banana with Sticky Rice
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The Mekong Delta boasts various versions of grilled sticky banana. While some places use stacked sticky rice steamed with coconut milk as the casing, the most famous version involves bananas coated in sticky rice flour mixed with coconut flesh, wrapped in banana leaves, and then grilled.
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Banh chuoi su, or banana cake, involves wrapping plantains in a layer of sticky rice cooked to a chewy consistency, with the rice absorbing the coconut flavor evenly, resulting in a fragrant and creamy texture. Banana leaves are wrapped around the outside to infuse the cake with a leafy aroma. Grilling evenly is crucial to avoid burning. When the banana leaves turn golden and emit a fragrant aroma, it's ready. This grilling method enhances the richness and fragrance of the cake.
Grilled Sticky Banana (collection)
The subtle sweetness of banana combined with the rich creaminess of coconut flesh and the nuttiness of roasted peanuts make up this rustic dish from the Mekong Delta.
Corn Sticky Rice
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While the Northern region is known for savory sticky rice dishes, the West is famous for its sweet versions. This corn sticky rice dish is made with corn kernels and glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk until soft and sticky. When cooked, the corn kernels puff up, turning soft and white, with shredded coconut, peanuts, and sesame salt sprinkled on top.
Corn Sticky Rice (collection)
The process of making sticky rice might sound simple, but it requires meticulous care. Corn kernels are soaked in lime water to remove the husks and soften the grains. Green beans are also cooked and ground into a paste. Next, the corn is mixed with green beans and glutinous rice until fragrant. In the West, a touch of fried shallots and peanuts is often added for extra flavor and visual appeal.
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This traditional sticky rice dish is commonly found in the markets of the Mekong Delta. You can also spot it being sold from bicycles along the roadside.
Pork Skin Cake
Pork Skin Cake (collection)
At first glance, one might think this dish originates from the North due to its name, which has a strong Northern influence. However, this rustic dish from the Mekong Delta consists of multiple layers of cake made from glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, and coconut cream.
Layered cakes stacked on top of each other (collection)
Typically, people don't use knives to cut the cake because it tends to crumble and stick to the blade. Instead, they use a thin string, swiftly slicing through to create small pieces.
Variations come in many other shapes as well (collection)
Pork skin cakes are easy to eat and perfect for those seeking a light morning treat. These fragrant, chewy cakes infused with pandan leaf aroma will surely leave an impression on those who visit the Mekong Delta.
Palm Sugar Steamed Rice Cake
Traditional dish from the Mekong Delta (collection)
This is also a beloved dish in the Mekong Delta, especially in An Giang, where palm trees thrive. The main ingredients for this cake include rice flour, palm sugar, and coconut milk.
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The rice cake flour is made from the husks of mature palm fruits. They are ground into powder and mixed with rice flour and water. Monitoring the fermentation process is crucial. If the batter is too wet, the cakes won't turn out well; if it's too dry, they won't be fluffy.
Palm Sugar Leaf-Wrapped Cake (collection)
Taking a bite of a steaming hot cake, chewing slowly, you'll experience the sweet, creamy flavor mingling with the subtle fragrance of palm sugar and coconut.
Rice Tube Cake, Orange Cake
These are two traditional dishes from the Mekong Delta that are closely associated with the childhood memories of many. You can see sisters and aunts wearing conical hats carrying trays of cakes on the streets. They walk along, their voices affectionately calling out.
This type of cake is quite sweet and filling (collection)
Orange cakes are made from glutinous rice flour and rice flour, with a filling of mashed green beans mixed with fine sugar. Some add a bit of sweet potato to make the crust crispy and more fragrant.
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As for rice tube cakes, they share similar ingredients with orange cakes but lack the filling. Their ring shape gives them the name 'rice tube cakes' due to the colloquialism of the Mekong Delta. Both types of cakes are sweet and filling, making them perfect for breakfast.
Rice Tug
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When it comes to traditional Mekong Delta breakfast dishes, rice tug is a must. True to its name, before enjoying, you have to tug each glutinous rice grain to shape it like a small lychee. This dish is quite simple to make, with only mung beans, coconut cream, and glutinous rice.
A familiar dish of the people of the Mekong Delta (collection)
After being cooked, rice tug has a yellow hue with a touch of white, giving it a rustic appearance. But once you taste it, you'll never forget it. The glutinous rice is cooked to perfection, fragrant and sticky, mixed with mung beans, sugar, coconut cream, and a pinch of salt. When the pot of rice emits a fragrant aroma of rice and coconut cream, it's ready to be enjoyed.
Durian Sticky Rice
Durian is the iconic fruit of the Mekong Delta. Apart from making smoothies, it's also used to cook sticky rice. The ingredients for durian sticky rice are simple: glutinous rice, coconut cream, and durian. However, the cooking process is intricate, making it one of the rarest types of sticky rice found in the Mekong Delta.
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During the cooking process, the sticky rice is constantly stirred to ensure even cooking. Once cooked, it's transferred to a bowl and mixed with a bit of coconut milk. The durian sauce is prepared by heating coconut milk, then adding durian and stirring well, adding a bit of sugar to taste. Finally, a bit of flour is added to thicken the sauce. When the sticky rice is cooked, it's transferred to a plate, sprinkled with a bit more sugar, and served with the durian sauce evenly spread on top.
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The durian sticky rice has a distinctive aroma. When you take a bite, the soft and sticky rice combined with the fragrance of durian will give you a unique taste experience. Especially for durian enthusiasts, they will be delighted.
Mit leaves sticky rice with crimson
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The last name on the list of traditional dishes from the Mekong Delta region for breakfast is the mit leaves sticky rice with crimson. This dish has an enticing aroma and the purple color of the crimson leaves is eye-catching. You'll surely crave for more after just one bite.
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This dish consists of jackfruit, glutinous rice, pandan leaves, and coconut cream. After cooking the glutinous rice with pandan leaves, we add in large and meaty jackfruit pods. On top of each jackfruit pod, we drizzle some coconut cream, a dash of sesame salt, and shredded coconut. When enjoying, you can eat both the jackfruit and the sticky rice together or just the sticky rice alone.
