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Ben Tre, a region in the Southwest of Vietnam with resilient people who fought bravely in the resistance against the French and American invaders. This land is filled with warmth and hospitality, offering breathtaking sceneries and delicious specialties that captivate the hearts of travelers. If you're visiting for the first time, you might be wondering what delicious specialties Ben Tre has to offer. That's why our article here will help you answer the question: What to Eat When Visiting Ben Tre?
Smashed Bananas - Ben Tre
Rich, sweet, and fragrant... Smashed bananas in Ben Tre are not just a simple local snack but also considered a unique specialty, a perfect blend of bananas and coconut. These are two renowned products of the Ben Tre region, harmoniously combined to create this delightful delicacy.
Smashed Bananas - Ben Tre
Ben Tre has long been known as the capital of coconuts. Coconuts are ubiquitous in the lives of the people here, playing a key role in creating many delicious dishes with fragrant, rich, and creamy flavors. Moreover, bananas and coconuts form a harmonious duo in Vietnamese cuisine. Without coconuts, bananas alone cannot bring out the full flavor of a dish. Despite being just a snack enjoyed during the late afternoon, smashed bananas in Ben Tre are incredibly enticing, becoming a favorite treat that many people fondly remember.
Coconut and banana are a perfect match in Vietnamese cuisine. Any dish with bananas must include coconuts to enhance its aroma and taste. The people of Ben Tre have ingeniously combined these two ingredients to create a beloved delicacy. Although it's just a snack, it's irresistibly attractive and capable of leaving a lasting impression.
Smashed Bananas - Ben Tre
To make this dish, only ripe Xiêm bananas are chosen, which locals in the Mekong Delta region often refer to as 'ripe and fragrant.' The reason for this choice is that at this stage, the bananas are just tender enough, neither too firm nor too mushy, making them perfect for grilling.
The bananas are peeled, split in half, and grilled over a fire for about 5 minutes to remove excess water. Then, they are taken off the fire and wrapped in plastic wrap or placed on a cutting board to be lightly smashed. Next, the smashed bananas are placed back on the charcoal grill, turning them over to cook evenly on both sides. When the opaque white color turns into a pale yellow, the bananas are cooked. This step requires delicate handling; otherwise, the bananas will burn and lose their flavor.
Once the bananas are grilled, the next step is to prepare the coconut cream sauce. Coconut milk is extracted from dried coconut meat, heated on the stove, and stirred. Sometimes, a little cornstarch is added to thicken the sauce. Typically, people also add a bit of shallot, salt, and sugar to enhance the flavor and aroma. The bananas are then arranged on a plate, and the coconut cream sauce is poured over them to complete the dish.
When enjoying Ben Tre smashed bananas, they are served on a plate, and vendors will ask if you'd like the coconut cream sauce poured over them or served separately in a bowl for dipping. This dish is best enjoyed on cool, rainy days. Sitting under the coconut trees or beside the river, enjoying the cool breeze while eating is a delightful experience. The price of a plate of smashed bananas is very affordable, ranging from just a few thousand to tens of thousands of dong for a satisfying meal.
If you ever have the chance to travel to the Mekong Delta and visit the homeland of Ben Tre, don't forget to stop by the stalls selling smashed bananas. Enjoying this humble dish is a way to experience the essence of this homeland.
Ốc gạo (rice snails) rice pancakes – Ben Tre
Rice snails rice pancakes, a favorite rustic dish of the people of Con Phu Da (Chợ Lách district, Ben Tre province), especially during the Doan Ngo festival (the 5th day of the 5th lunar month). In the journey of exploring Ben Tre, if you have the opportunity to visit Chợ Lách, you cannot miss the famous rice snails rice pancakes.
Ốc gạo (rice snails) rice pancakes – Ben Tre
Considered a rustic dish but valued because it's not always the season for rice snails, and only the Phu Da islet in Cho Lach is blessed with this seafood resource with an annual yield of over 20 tons. The rice snail season runs from the 4th to the 7th lunar month, with the fattest, most delicious snails in the 5th lunar month.
Rice pancakes batter is mixed evenly with turmeric powder and various spices (salt + sugar + MSG + coconut milk + finely chopped green onions) to taste, with an egg added to ensure the pancakes are soft, fatty, delicious, and easy to remove without tearing. Rice snails are evenly distributed in the batter, with shredded turnips added to add sweetness to the pancakes, making rice snail rice pancakes not greasy. Besides rice pancakes, rice snails are also used to make many other delicious dishes such as boiled rice snails dipped in lemongrass fish sauce; rice snail rolls with grated coconut on rice paper; rice snail and corn salad mixed with banana flowers…, all are fantastic. Except for boiling whole rice snails, other dishes require removing the snail meat from the shell. The upper part of the rice snail meat is sweet and crispy, while the lower part is slightly bitter, but no one discards this part because the bitter taste makes the rice snail uniquely delicious.
Rice pancakes with rice snails – Ben Tre
Preparing dishes with rice snails is not difficult, but the most challenging part is soaking and cleaning the rice snails. Soaking and cleaning rice snails takes a lot of time, and only after boiling and removing the snails can they be cooked. Now people have figured out a trick to clean snails more quickly, which is to put the freshly caught rice snails in a bowl of water with a few ripe chili peppers for a few hours to make the snails release sand, then boil them with some crushed lemongrass stalks until cooked. Use a thorn to remove the snail gut and place it in a bowl. Place a piece of green mustard leaf in the left palm, scoop up a piece of rice pancake with snail meat and a piece of raw vegetable, roll it up, dip it in a bowl of lemon fish sauce, garlic, and chili, then slowly enjoy. The sweet, crispy taste of snail meat combined with the fatty, fragrant taste of rice flour creates a truly enticing 'Southern characteristic' dish…
Visitors can learn about Phu Da Islet in Cho Lach District on the boat trips organized for tourists to go around the islet to see rice snail harvesting and clam digging. Listening to the local people here conscientiously exploiting and conserving the 'gifts from the sky,' we are also delighted to preserve a unique ecological area. Enjoying watching rice snail harvesting, then savoring the flavors of each dish made from rice snails and clams, tourists never forget Phu Da Islet every Doan Ngo festival.
Apart from rice snail rice pancakes, Ben Tre's specialties include coconut worms, sliced flour soup, coconut root salad, coconut worms… Forget about life's worries and work's busyness, travelers should embark on a trip to Ben Tre to enjoy its specialties.
Coconut worms – Ben Tre
When mentioning Ben Tre, people immediately think of the peaceful countryside with delicious coconut candies. Not only that, here also has a specialty dish that is not always available and not everyone dares to try, that is the 'coconut worm of Ben Tre.'
Coconut Worms – Ben Tre
Coconut Worms in Ben Tre are the specialty of this land. It is considered a unique dish, bearing the characteristic flavor of this region. Coconut worms are not only clean but also very fragrant, delicious, and rich because they absorb the freshest part of the coconut tree. However, not everyone dares to eat this dish. At first glance, coconut worms look similar to young larvae, soft-bodied, white in color. They wriggle and crawl around, which can be intimidating. Therefore, for those who see them for the first time, they may feel scared and hesitant to eat.
Every year, during heavy rainy seasons, coconut worms begin to thrive. They choose healthy coconut trees, bore holes, and lay eggs. After a period of time, the eggs hatch into larvae. These larvae will start to develop by feeding on coconut root salads until they have absorbed all the nutrients from the tree. At this point, coconut worms become plump, fat, and ready for harvest. People usually cut down coconut trees to catch coconut worms. Coconut worms are used as ingredients for many delicious dishes.
Coconut Worms – Ben Tre
Coconut Worm Delicacies - Ben Tre
One of the delicious dishes with a very simple way of cooking that we must mention is the coconut worm with chili and fish sauce. The processing method is very quick, you just need to prepare a bowl of wine, then put the coconut worms in it to remove dirt. Next, rinse with clean water. Mix a delicious and spicy fish sauce, and then add the coconut worms to enjoy. The plump and juicy coconut worms in the bowl look very attractive. Just take one and taste it, you will surely be captivated and never forget it. The sweet, rich, and savory taste blends perfectly with the spicy flavor of the chili and fish sauce.
If you have the opportunity to visit the Mekong Delta, and if you have the courage to try this special coconut worm dish, then give it a try to experience the rich and fragrant taste that this nutritious dish brings, my friend!
Coconut Rat - Ben Tre
Coconut Rat - Ben Tre
A rather amusing fact is that nowadays, Ben Tre is also known for a specialty dish made from a coconut pest, called coconut rat. The coconut rat is similar to a field rat, but it only lives on coconut trees, feeding on the sweetness of coconuts, resulting in its meat having a sweet taste and a firm, chewy texture.
To catch coconut rats, people have to use techniques to disturb their nests and make them run onto coconut leaves, then use sticks to catch them. After catching the coconut rat, it is processed similarly to other rat species. However, to preserve the sweet and fragrant taste of the coconut rat, people in Ben Tre often cook it by steaming or grilling.
When coconut rat meat is cooked, it emits a unique fragrance that cannot be mistaken, with a tender texture and a rich flavor due to the coconut essence infused into each piece of meat. Initially, those unfamiliar with coconut rat dishes may feel quite apprehensive. To mitigate this, coconut rats are often presented on banana leaves (of course, already chopped into small pieces) for aesthetic appeal, making them look rustic and more palatable. Typically, coconut rats are steamed with salt, pepper, and lime, or with chili salt, accompanied by a few sprigs of pungent Vietnamese coriander.
Coconut Rat - Ben Tre
Today, coconut rat has become a delicacy, so people also elevate coconut rat to a different level, moving away from its rustic origins and adding sophistication to its preparation to include it in the list of gourmet dishes at eateries and restaurants.
Experience the Mekong Delta, and you can't miss Ben Tre, the land of thousands of coconuts. The coconuts here are sweet and refreshing, contributing significantly to our country's coconut supply. With its rich and authentic flavor, Ben Tre's coconut rat cuisine is a must-try when visiting the land of coconuts.
Exploring the Mekong Delta, one cannot overlook Ben Tre, renowned for its endless coconut trees. The coconuts here are delightfully sweet and refreshing, serving as a major source of coconut products in our country. Ben Tre's coconut rat delicacies, with their distinct Western region essence, are not to be missed when visiting this coconut paradise.
Coconut Core Salad - Ben Tre
Ben Tre is renowned as the homeland of coconuts, boasting a rich and diverse ecosystem where coconuts are abundantly cultivated and utilized. The sweet and refreshing flavor of various coconut varieties in Ben Tre has inspired the creation of numerous distinctive local dishes. Coconut core salad is among the hundreds of delicious dishes crafted from coconuts that the people of Ben Tre have introduced to the local cuisine to delight visitors.
Coconut Core Salad - Ben Tre
Coconut core is a nutritious and affordable food, beneficial for health, digestion, and rich in minerals. From coconut core, various dishes can be prepared such as stir-fried coconut core with shrimp, coconut core soup with meatballs, and more. However, perhaps the most worth trying is coconut core salad.
Coconut Core Salad is a luxurious dish among the people of Ben Tre province because to prepare it, one must cut down a coconut tree to harvest the tender white core. Throughout the rural streets and alleys of Ben Tre, coconut trees abound. Wherever you go, you'll encounter tall coconut trees casting cool shade and laden with ripe fruit. Perhaps that's why dishes here often incorporate coconut to enhance their flavor.
Coconut Core Salad - Ben Tre
Coconut core salad is typically found at tourist destinations, upscale restaurants, and eateries in Ben Tre, often served on special occasions and celebrations. The ingredients for coconut core salad with shrimp and pork include: coconut core, freshwater prawns, pork belly, Vietnamese coriander, roasted peanuts, fried shallots, carrots, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, garlic, and chili. Firstly, the coconut core is sliced into small, bite-sized pieces and soaked in cold water with a little lime juice to maintain its white color.
Next, the freshwater prawns and pork belly are boiled until cooked through, then the prawns are peeled and the pork belly is thinly sliced, while the carrots are shredded. The most important step in mixing the salad is to prepare a bowl of lime juice and sugar dressing with a rich sweet and sour flavor, then gently mix it into the mixture of coconut core, prawns, pork belly, carrots, and Vietnamese coriander so that the flavors meld. When serving, the salad is plated and topped with roasted peanuts and fried shallots. This salad is even more enticing when paired with chili garlic fish sauce and prawn crackers.
Coconut Core Salad with Shrimp and Pork not only captivates diners with its visually appealing presentation, boasting vibrant colors from the white coconut core to the red of carrots and the green of Vietnamese coriander, but also delights with its rich, refreshing, and flavorful taste. That's why this dish often graces the menus of various events such as weddings, funerals, baby showers, or simple gatherings and hospitality sessions in this Land of Coconuts.
Shredded Dough Cake Soup - Ben Tre
Shredded dough cake soup is one of the most famous and delicious specialties of Ben Tre. It's unclear when this unique dish originated, but whenever you visit the 'land of coconuts,' everyone wants to immediately savor a bowl of fragrant, steaming shredded dough cake soup.
Shredded Dough Cake Soup - Ben Tre
Ben Tre's Cut Noodle Soup is aptly named because the noodles are all hand-cut in a traditional manner. Made from rice flour, the noodles are prepared from dry rice, soaked and ground into flour. Before kneading, the flour is drained to remove excess water. Experienced makers then divide the dough into small portions and roll them out thinly using a glass bottle. Subsequently, the dough is sliced into small strands with a long, thin knife, with skilled hands ensuring uniformity and beauty in the noodles.
The sliced dough is then placed into a pot of boiling water. Adding the dough before the water boils will cause it to gradually become sticky and disintegrate. While cooking, the cook occasionally stirs to prevent the noodles from sticking together or to the bottom of the pot. When the noodles float to the surface, it indicates they are cooked.
Like many other noodle soups, Ben Tre's Cut Noodle Soup is served with broth. As the noodles are added to the broth, they release a sticky substance from the rice flour, resulting in a cloudy and slightly viscous broth. This is a characteristic feature of Ben Tre's Cut Noodle Soup, differing from conventional noodle soups where the broth remains clear when the noodles are added. However, nowadays, to avoid overly cloudy broth, many places serving Ben Tre's Cut Noodle Soup remove the noodles from the boiling water and soak them in cold water for about 5 minutes to remove excess starch. This results in a clearer broth. Nevertheless, some believe that doing so diminishes the distinctive cloudy and slightly viscous texture of Ben Tre's Cut Noodle Soup, altering its traditional flavor.
Ben Tre's Cut Noodle Soup
Banh Canh Cut Noodle Soup in Xứ Dứa has various variations such as cooked with: chicken, pork knuckles, shrimp, clams, especially mussels, and mussel coconut broth is also a characteristic of Ben Tre. However, the most common version is duck meat. According to many locals, duck meat will produce a delicious Banh Canh soup because the meat is tender and lean. Duck meat is marinated and sautéed until firm before adding to the broth, then the cut noodles are added. When the noodles are cooked, add some green onions and pepper, enjoy with a bowl of ginger fish sauce, visitors will feel the rich sweetness from the broth, the chewy texture of the noodles blending with the fragrant and tender duck meat.
Banh Canh Cut Noodle Soup is a unique dish with the distinctive flavor of coconut milk, the delicious aroma of the noodles, the sweetness of duck meat, shrimp, mussels, clams, etc., making many people far from home remember their roots, childhood memories with a bowl of fragrant Banh Canh. If you have the opportunity to travel to Ben Tre, remember to enjoy this special Banh Canh dish to see that besides the coconut trees and the warm hearts of the locals, there are also delicious dishes that attract distant guests.
Coconut Rice - Ben Tre
In each region, there are special rice dishes that make diners ecstatic such as rice cooked in bamboo tubes, rice cooked in clay pots, rice wrapped in lotus leaves, etc. When visiting Ben Tre, diners cannot miss the coconut rice dish.
Coconut Rice - Ben Tre
Ben Tre, the land of coconut, is not only famous for its coconut candies, coconut wine, and especially for its sweet and refreshing coconut water, becoming a pure thirst-quenching drink that everyone craves. Moreover, from the coconut, through the delicate hands of the locals, the everyday simple rice dish has been elevated to an extraordinary specialty with Coconut Rice.
To cook this dish requires sophistication as it takes nearly two hours to make delicious rice. The coconuts are cut halfway across the top to pour out the water, and the cut piece is used as a lid to cover. Good rice is rinsed with water and then rinsed again with coconut water to drain. Put the rice into the coconut and pour in just enough coconut water, then cover tightly. If there is too much coconut water, the rice will be mushy, and if too little, it will be dry and hard to eat, so pouring the coconut water requires experienced hands.
Coconut Rice - Ben Tre
Unlike rice cooked in bamboo tubes, directly burned over fire, where one splits off the charred layer on the outside when eating, coconut rice cooked with coconut water is steamed in a pot, so the fragrance and sweetness are all infused into each grain of rice. When the rice is cooked, it turns slightly pale yellow due to absorbing oil from the coconut kernel.
Coconut rice has a rich, fatty taste, so it's best enjoyed hot, especially when paired with freshly roasted coconut shrimp. After peeling and cleaning the shrimp, marinate them with sugar, salt, and seasoning powder for a while. Then, place the shrimp in a pan and stir-fry them until the coconut milk turns reddish, indicating that the coconut shrimp dish is done. At this point, the shrimp meat marinated in coconut milk will have a crispy, chewy texture. The fun part of eating coconut rice is eating it directly from the coconut, not in a bowl. With its cute, ivory coconut shell and the fragrant scent of coconut mingling with the rising smoke, all senses can fully appreciate the taste of the dish.
Visiting Ben Tre means visiting the land of coconuts, where surely everyone will indulge in some dishes made from coconut. With this unique coconut rice dish, it creates a sense of familiar food but painstakingly processed to become a culinary culture of this land.
What to eat when visiting Ben Tre? Above are the irresistible specialties of Ben Tre. If you have the chance to set foot in this land, don't forget to try these unique and unparalleled dishes. You will surely have the most wonderful experiences. Wishing you a complete and amazing trip to Ben Tre.
Published by: Hà Thuỳ Dung
Keywords: What to eat when visiting Ben Tre?
