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Unlike many other majestic destinations in the S-shaped land, the gentle Thai Binh, as its name suggests. Across the province are smooth, flat rice fields, numerous rivers, lakes, and a cool climate. The attraction of Thai Binh lies in its historical and cultural relics, festivals, traditional games, folk dances, and a variety of specialty dishes that you can enjoy when visiting this land of rice fields. What to eat when visiting Thai Binh? In this article, let's explore the famous delicious dishes of Thai Binh when you have the opportunity to visit this region!
Jellyfish Salad - Thai Binh
Food enthusiasts always pass on word of mouth, that going to Thai Thuy, Thai Binh without tasting jellyfish salad is like a wasted trip... At the coastal area of Diem Dien, Thai Thuy, Thai Binh, there are dozens of restaurants and eateries serving traditional jellyfish salad.
Eel Salad - Thai Binh
Eels, with their long, white bodies resembling snakes, eels, or lampreys, can live in both saltwater and freshwater, and can be prepared in various dishes, but making salad is the best. The smaller the eel, the better the salad because the bones are soft, the meat is tender, and sweet.
Eels are cleaned, heads and tails removed, bones removed, only the flesh is thinly sliced, squeezed with crushed ginger, then mixed with fragrant roasted rice flour, lime, and ground pepper. Eel salad is served with various leaves such as coriander, mint, dill, basil, Vietnamese balm, lettuce, fig leaves, water lily leaves, water lily flowers, banana flowers, and green peppers, dipped in sweet and sour sauce.
Eel Salad - Thai Binh
Savoring each piece of eel meat wrapped in various leaves, dipped generously in sauce, chewing thoroughly will make you feel the sweet, crispy, chewy, fragrant, sour, spicy, pungent, astringent, and savory flavors, truly encapsulating the essence of Thai Binh.
Jellyfish Salad Thai Thuy - Thai Binh
Thai Thuy is a coastal district, not only famous for its long-standing cultural history, many eco-tourism and spiritual cultural attractions such as Den Island, the Mangrove Forest Biosphere Reserve by the sea with many rare birds and seafood species, the Memorial Site of Comrade Nguyen Duc Canh... but also known to many tourists for its specialty seafood dish, jellyfish salad.
Jellyfish Salad Thai Thuy - Thai Binh
Local fishermen here describe jellyfish as transparent as glass, soft as a leaf, displaying various colors from blue, pink to light purple. Jellyfish contains up to 95% water, if left sun-dried for 12 consecutive hours, the entire body of the jellyfish will become as thin as paper. Summer is the jellyfish season, most abundant in April and May, with swaths of jellyfish drifting on the sea surface resembling colorful flower gardens. Jellyfish have no eyes, fins, ears, tails, and no bones. In the past, when people went to the sea and encountered jellyfish, they would catch them, clean them, soak them with vinegar to preserve for several months, gradually eating them or selling them in local markets. However, for about the last 10 years, jellyfish salad has become a specialty dish exported abroad, in Thai Thuy there are even teams of boats collecting jellyfish, and dozens of processing facilities specializing in jellyfish have been established in coastal villages and towns.
To make delicious jellyfish salad, the processing procedure is very meticulous. Jellyfish is cleaned, then marinated with salt. After a period of time, the jellyfish pieces soaked in salt are taken out and pressed into sheets like rice paper. Jellyfish soaked in salt are usually chewy and firm, not slippery like jellyfish soaked in vinegar using traditional folk methods. Careful cuts are made to slice the jellyfish into thin pieces, blanched in boiling water and then arranged on a plate. Onions are finely chopped and also blanched in boiling water, then squeezed dry along with the jellyfish, mixed evenly with shredded chicken, dried squid or beef, peanuts, shredded coconut, lime leaves, a little mint. Delicious jellyfish salad must be crispy, fragrant, and dry after processing, when enjoying it, diners can feel the crispy texture of jellyfish, combined with the rich flavor of fish sauce, the nuttiness of peanuts, the sweet fragrance of coconut, and a hint of sea flavor from dried squid. Jellyfish salad is a cool, refreshing dish; anyone who has ever tasted Thai Thuy jellyfish salad in the summer will surely remember the refreshing taste of this characteristic local seafood.
Salted Jellyfish Thai Thuy - Thai Binh
In the coastal countryside of Thai Thuy, there is also a famous seafood dish called salted jellyfish. Jellyfish is a characteristic seafood of coastal areas, from these jellyfish, many different dishes can be prepared, including jellyfish salad and salted jellyfish. Salted jellyfish is made from fresh jellyfish, cleaned and cut into small pieces; then soaked in barrels, jars or large vats.
Salted Jellyfish Thai Thuy - Thai Binh
The sour salted jellyfish water is made from the fruit of the mangrove apple tree (mangrove apple is one of the types of water trees along the coast). After soaking for 3-4 weeks, we have sour salted jellyfish. When eating, cut the large pieces into evenly small pieces. The dipping sauce for salted jellyfish is shrimp paste mixed with lime, chili... Accompanying vegetables include bean sprouts, basil, Vietnamese balm... When biting into a piece of jellyfish, first you will feel the crispiness, then a bit of sourness, saltiness combined with the unique flavor of shrimp paste, creating an unforgettable taste; eating it once makes you want to eat more..
Quynh Coi Fish Cake Soup - Thai Binh
The sweet, refreshing, and soulful Quynh Coi fish cake soup is considered one of the attractive specialties of Thai Binh. The ingredients for making fish cake soup are very simple, all are products from the rice fields such as fish, vegetables, rice,... but they have a unique and attractive flavor that cannot be found anywhere else.
Quynh Coi Fish Cake Soup - Thai Binh
Formerly, the fish ingredient in this dish used by the people of Quynh Coi was fat and golden crucian carp, firm flesh caught from the fields below. The fish bones and heads were simmered with pig bones to create sweetness for the broth. The fish meat was filtered separately, marinated and then seasoned with delicious fish sauce, onions, ginger, and pepper. Nowadays, crucian carp is rare so eateries can choose to use other fish like carp or tilapia as substitutes, marinated with turmeric powder to give the fish a eye-catching golden color, then grilled and fried crispy, emanating an irresistible aroma.
A bowl of fish cake soup with long, firm, thin noodles specially made from the traditional craft village of Quynh Coi, with a rich and fragrant taste of the firm and fragrant fish, ginger and turmeric, as well as the fresh green color of seasonal vegetables (in cold weather there are mustard greens, water spinach, in hot weather there are bitter herbs, morning glory), squeezed with a little kumquat, drizzled with a little garlic vinegar, one bite and you can taste the flavor of the Thai Binh countryside in it.
Thai Binh Rolled Fermented Pork - Vi Thuy Style
Nem Nắm, a specialty of Thai Binh in general and of Vị Thủy village, Thái Dương commune, Thái Thụy district in particular. Here, fermented pork is prepared to be eaten raw. This is a completely different method from the fermented pork found in many other places. According to the villagers of Vị Thủy, to make raw fermented pork, the pork must be fresh and delicious. Just after the pig is slaughtered, while it's still warm, it's not washed with water, and the raw parts of the bones (not chopped ribs) are minced until smooth. Minced for over an hour, at this time the meat, bones, and marrow blend together and have a pink color.
Thai Binh Rolled Fermented Pork - Vị Thủy Style
Mix minced meat with pre-crushed seasonings such as Diêm Điền fish sauce, purple garlic, lime juice, white sugar, seasoning powder, ground pepper, fresh chili. Then mix with sliced pigskin and roasted rice powder. The fermented pork is formed into round balls, firmly rolled so that the meat and skin do not fall out. The garlic is added in large quantities to the pork, helping to kill any bacteria, viruses, or parasites in the meat. Because a large amount of garlic is mixed into the meat, there is no need to squeeze lime into the meat, no need to ferment, it can be eaten immediately after processing.
When eating nem nắm, there's the sweetness of raw meat, the sweetness and crispness of bones, the richness of marrow, the fatness of fat, and the chewiness of skin along with the various flavors of sour, spicy, salty, sweet spices. Then there's the aroma of garlic, fresh lime, fish sauce, roasted rice powder, and lime leaves. Enjoyed with nem are various leaves like banana leaves, guava leaves, or coriander leaves. For gentlemen drinking beer, nothing is more wonderful than having a handful of nem like this.
Grilled Fish from Thai Xuyen - Thai Binh
Thai Xuyen is a rural area in Thai Binh with a lot of ponds, so the locals here utilize them for fish farming. This is likely the reason why grilled fish has become one of the often-mentioned specialties.
Grilled Fish from Thai Xuyen - Thai Binh
Grilled Fish from Thai Xuyen has long been famous and appealing to diners everywhere. The ingredients are often freshwater fish known for their delicious and firm flesh such as black carp, grass carp, or mudfish. However, the most delicious grilled fish is still black carp.
Marinated fresh fish is cleaned, deboned, and seasoned multiple times with fish sauce, salt, sesame seeds, shallots, lemongrass, chili, white pepper, etc. Finally, the fish is marinated with turmeric to give it a golden color when cooked and sandwiched between two bamboo sticks tightly bound to maintain its shape. The fish is grilled in a pit (about 40 cm deep and 40 cm wide) because it retains heat well. The commonly used grilling charcoal is from jackfruit wood, lychee wood, or longan wood, which enhances the smoky flavor. Grilling time is about 2 - 3 hours depending on the thickness of the fish. While grilling, the griller must check the temperature regularly, ensuring that it is neither too hot nor too cold, to ensure that the grilled fish is both fragrant and tender. The grilled fish is served with a dipping sauce made from Diem Dien fish sauce with added chili and lime.
Cà Ra River Crab Hotpot - Thai Binh
If you've ever been to Thai Binh, you've probably heard of a very special type of crab called Cà Ra. This river crab has a unique sweet and fragrant taste unlike other types of crabs, making anyone who has tasted it once unforgettable.
'Crabs in March, Cà Ra in August' is the time when Cà Ra starts its season, but it truly flourishes in September and October of the lunar calendar. This is when Cà Ra is at its fattest and most delicious. A large Cà Ra crab can weigh up to 200g.
Cà Ra River Crab Hotpot - Thai Binh
Cà Ra crab is prepared in various dishes such as tamarind crab, steamed crab... but Cà Ra crab hotpot is truly a dish that once you've tried it, you'll want to have it again. The broth is fragrant and golden, with the gentle sourness of vinegar and the sweetness of crab roe. What's special is that you get to enjoy the fatty meat of Cà Ra crab in the hotpot, immersed in its aromatic essence. The crabs are put into the hotpot while still alive. Because the crab shell is soft, it cooks quickly and you don't need to use crab crackers like with other types of crabs.
Cà Ra crab hotpot is also served with fresh vegetables such as banana blossom, water spinach, morning glory, and thinly sliced beef tenderloin. But the flavor of this Cà Ra crab hotpot will leave a lasting memory, ensuring you'll eagerly anticipate every future indulgence.
Rươi Kiến Xương - Thai Binh
Venturing into Kiến Xương district, Thai Binh province, you'll encounter another specialty: sandworms. The sandworm season is very short each year, and with limited quantity, they are extremely rare and expensive. Despite their intimidating appearance, sandworms are transformed into numerous delicious and fragrant dishes.
Sandworms of Kiến Xương - Thai Binh
Sandworms are rich in nutrients, a rare delicacy not found in every region and every season. They are abundant in the brackish waters of Thái Thụy, Tiền Hải, and Kiến Xương districts of Thai Binh province. Sandworms are prepared into various dishes such as fermented sandworms, sautéed sandworms with garlic, braised, steamed, and an indispensable dish, sandworm sausage. Sandworm sausage is a specialty of Thai Binh, crafted only by experienced locals to produce a delicious and enticing delicacy.
Bánh giò of Bến Hiệp - Thai Binh
It can be said that Bến Hiệp rice dumplings (Quỳnh Phụ, Thái Bình) can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Nguyễn village rice dumplings, Vũ Thư sponge cake, Thái Thuỵ water fern cake, and Tè village steamed rice cakes. With their unique appearance and flavors, they have affirmed their value and position in the market within and outside the province.
Bến Hiệp rice dumplings - Thái Bình
The type of rice dumplings made from rice flour is never tiresome to eat, it serves as a filling meal, a rice substitute, and a meal alternative. Passed down through generations, it is known that in the past, when the Hải Hà watercraft ran two daily trips between Hải Phòng - Nam Định, Nam Định - Hải Phòng, during which Bến Hiệp was a passenger pickup and drop-off point, people were accustomed to seeing many young women selling rice dumplings. These rice dumplings wrapped in banana leaves, bundled in groups of 5 or 10, were carried by old ladies, young women, and children, brought onto the boat. Now that the passenger watercraft from Hải Phòng - Nam Định no longer operates, Bến Hiệp rice dumplings have spread to various rural markets, extending beyond the village and district.
The rice dumplings are made from sifted rice flour, shoulder meat is used to make the filling along with wood ear mushrooms, dried onions, peppercorns, fish sauce, salt... These rice dumplings have a elongated shape resembling a palm pressed flat with fingers close together, wrapped in banana leaves. They are never tiresome to eat, serve as a filling meal, a rice substitute, and a meal alternative, passed down through generations. They are made from sifted rice flour, shoulder meat is used to make the filling along with wood ear mushrooms, dried onions, peppercorns, fish sauce, salt... These rice dumplings have an elongated shape resembling a palm pressed flat with fingers close together, wrapped in banana leaves. These rice dumplings are boiled for 45 to 60 minutes.
Turmeric cake - Thái Bình
Turmeric cake is quite a unique name, a delicious rustic cake of the people of Thái Bình. Turmeric cake is a specialty that CapaPlace encourages you to enjoy if you have the opportunity to visit this beautiful land.
Turmeric cake - Thái Bình
When mentioning the name turmeric cake, many people will surely reminisce about their childhood. This is a traditional cake, contributing a golden color to the childhood memories of many people living in Thái Bình. The attraction of this cake first comes from the fragrant aroma of turmeric, followed by its captivating golden color, which makes them extremely appealing at first sight, enticing the appetite of diners.
Although not particularly flashy in appearance, these cakes hold a significant position in the culinary culture of Thái Bình. Turmeric cakes are best enjoyed hot, so seize the opportunity to savor them when they are freshly handed to you, still warm, to fully appreciate their delicious flavor.
Cáy Cake - Thái Bình
When mentioning Thái Bình, besides the revered Keo Pagoda and Tran Temple, visitors are also impressed by many delicious rustic dishes. In addition to Quỳnh Côi fish soup, Vị Thủy grilled nem, stirred rice noodles, jellyfish salad, or Bến Hiệp pyramid cake... cáy cake is also considered a humble countryside gift by many.
Cáy Cake - Thái Bình
The name of the cake originates from soaking golden flowers glutinous rice, mixing with red gấc fruit, then compressing, cutting into pomegranate seeds, and drying (it has a yellow color similar to the fish egg hence the name cáy cake). Thái Bình has many places making cáy cakes, but the most famous type is from the Nguyễn village, located in Nguyên Xá commune, Đông Hưng district. This rustic cake demands meticulous processing and craftsmanship. Currently, the entire commune has about 300 households making cakes, with a production capacity of 120-150 tons per month.
For a quality cáy cake, it must ensure a moderate sweetness, fragrant aroma of roasted peanuts, sesame, the richness of pumpkin jam, the fatness of sticky rice, coconut, and the spicy taste of ginger... When biting into the cake, diners will feel the harmonious blend of fragrant, chewy, and rich flavors of the ingredients from the fields. Behind each piece of cake lies a meticulous process, containing the sincere rural essence of the people from Nguyễn village.
The best way to enjoy cáy cake is to savor it with hot green tea on chilly days. The warm tea combined with the hot spicy taste of ginger in the cake will make diners feel warm and content.
Đại Đồng Thorn Cake - Thái Bình
Crossing the Tan De Bridge leads to Vũ Thư district, part of Thái Bình province. Here lies Đại Đồng village in Tân Hòa commune, considered the homeland of the specialty Thorn Cake. The ingredients for Thorn Cake, entirely sourced from the countryside, are readily available such as thorn leaves, glutinous rice, sesame, peanuts, green beans, pumpkin, coconut, sugar, pork... However, the production process of Thorn Cake is quite meticulous. It requires passion and dedication to create these uniquely delicious cakes.
Đại Đồng Thorn Cake - Thái Bình
The first important step is preparing the cake husk. Fresh thorn leaves are peeled to obtain the flesh, removing the veins and stems, then dried in the sun until crispy. Later, soak the leaves in water; the longer they soak, the softer the cakes become. After soaking for about a day, remove the leaves and put them in a pot to boil for about 12 hours, then rinse the leaves again before pressing them to remove excess water... The rice used for the cake must be glutinous rice from the autumn harvest season. Rinse the rice and let it sit for about half an hour to drain the water before grinding. The glutinous rice flour should feel cool to the touch. The sugar used for the cake must be white sugar. The thorn leaf powder, rice flour, and sugar are kneaded together in certain proportions to make the cake smooth and glossy.
The cake filling consists of mashed green beans, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, pumpkin jam, and banana oil. Before being wrapped in dried banana leaves, the cakes are rolled in water oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds to make them shiny, so that when the leaves are peeled off, they are not stuck, and the cakes have a chewy texture. Đại Đồng Thorn Cake - Thái Bình, with its enchanting aroma, richness, chewiness, especially the sweet and profound taste that is hard to forget.
Shrimp Rice Rolls - Thái Bình
Unlike rice rolls elsewhere filled with minced meat and wood ear mushrooms, the shrimp rice rolls of the coastal area Diêm Điền - Thái Bình opt for golden shrimp with thin, delicate shells resembling glossy paper, yet the flesh is incredibly sweet, plentiful, and fragrant to be used as the filling for rice rolls. Despite the name, many mistakenly associate shrimp rice rolls with an aristocratic dish featuring large, round shrimp found in luxurious restaurants, but shrimp rice rolls at Gú market are a popular, affordable dish with finely ground shrimp meat filling.
Shrimp Rice Rolls - Thái Bình
Located in the center of Diêm Điền town, just a few steps from the main road, you can immediately spot a bustling market bustling with people, trading a variety of seafood products; that's Gú market. The stalls selling shrimp rice rolls are deep inside the market, interspersed with noodle soup, pho, porridge, and sweet soup shops, but they are easily recognizable by the crowded dining tables and pre-packed bags of rice rolls placed directly on the tables to serve customers to take away. Shrimp rice rolls are sold at Gú market twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. Here, people are familiar with the distinctive call of coastal women: 'Who wants rice rolls, who wants rice rolls, Diêm Điền rice rolls, shrimp-filled rice rolls right here.'
Vũ Thư's Khuc Cake (Hoo Cake) - Thái Bình
Khuc Cake, also known as Hoo Cake, is one of the indispensable specialties for the Lunar New Year, especially in Song An commune, Vũ Thư district, Thái Bình province.
Vũ Thư's Khuc Cake (Hoo Cake) - Thái Bình
Khuc Cake is made using a special ingredient, which is khuc or cudweed leaves. These leaves are finely ground, squeezed dry, and mixed evenly with rice flour to create a chewy outer layer for the cake. The filling is made from a mixture of minced pork belly, wood ear mushrooms, spring onions, and peppercorns. After being filled, the cakes are steamed for about 30 minutes until cooked. Each cake has a shiny, chewy outer layer with a subtle aroma of cudweed leaves blending perfectly with the rich and flavorful pork filling, leaving a lasting impression on those who taste it.
Wondering what to eat in Thái Bình? Here are the most famous specialties. Some dishes are easy to eat, while others may be a bit challenging for some. However, if you give them a try a few times, you might really enjoy them. If you ever travel to Thái Bình, don't forget to indulge in these famous local delicacies that we've introduced here.
Posted by: Duyên Nguyễn
Keywords: What to eat in Thái Bình?
