Top 10 Unforgettable Dishes in Thai Binh

Crossing the Tan De Bridge leads to Vu Thu District in Thai Binh, home to Dai Dong Village in Tan Hoa Commune, known as the birthplace of the renowned black cake. The ingredients are simple and local, including black plant leaves, glutinous rice, sesame, peanuts, mung beans, winter melon, coconut, sugar, and pork. However, crafting these cakes requires meticulous attention and dedication to the craft to achieve their unique deliciousness.

The first critical step is preparing the black leaves. Fresh leaves are stripped of veins and stems, dried under the sun until crisp, soaked in water (the longer they soak, the softer the cake), and boiled for about 12 hours before being drained and pressed to remove excess water. The glutinous rice used must be of the finest golden-hued variety, washed, soaked, and ground into fine powder with a smooth texture. Only pure white sugar is used. The black leaf powder, rice powder, and sugar are mixed in specific proportions to achieve a glossy, smooth texture.

The filling is made of mashed mung beans mixed with peanuts, sesame, shredded coconut, candied winter melon, and a touch of banana oil. Before wrapping in dried banana leaves, the cakes are coated with a layer of fat and sprinkled with sesame seeds to ensure a glossy finish. Dai Dong Black Cake in Thai Binh captivates with its alluring fragrance, rich flavor, and a distinctive sweetness that leaves an unforgettable impression.

Nem Nam is a specialty of Thai Binh, particularly from Vi Thuy Village in Thai Duong Commune, Thai Thuy District. What makes this dish unique is its preparation as a raw delicacy, contrasting with the fermented nem varieties found elsewhere. According to the villagers of Vi Thuy, only the freshest pork is used. The meat, still warm from the butchering process, is not washed in cold water. The tender portion near the spine is finely chopped for over an hour until the meat, bone, and marrow meld into a pinkish hue.

The chopped pork is mixed with finely pounded ingredients such as Diem Dien fish sauce, purple garlic, fresh lime juice, white sugar, monosodium glutamate, pepper, and fresh chili. It is then combined with shredded pork skin and roasted rice powder. The mixture is firmly molded into compact portions to ensure no separation of meat or skin. The generous use of garlic helps eliminate harmful bacteria, making the dish safe to consume without fermentation or additional lime juice. It can be enjoyed immediately after preparation.

Nem Nam offers a medley of flavors—sweetness from the raw meat, crunch from the bone, richness from the marrow, fattiness from the lard, and chewiness from the skin—all enhanced by the spicy, tangy, salty, and sweet seasonings. The aromatic blend of garlic, lime, fish sauce, roasted rice powder, and lime leaves creates an unforgettable taste. Typically served with leaves like fig, guava, or dill, Nem Nam is the perfect pairing for beer, making it a favorite among locals.

Unlike traditional rice rolls filled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms, the shrimp rice rolls from the coastal town of Diem Dien in Thai Binh feature golden shrimp with delicate, paper-thin shells. These shrimp are sweet, fragrant, and abundant, making them the perfect filling for these rolls. While the name might evoke images of luxurious rolls served in high-end restaurants, the shrimp rice rolls sold at Gu Market are a humble yet delightful local dish filled with finely minced shrimp meat.

Located at the heart of Diem Dien Town, Gu Market is a bustling hub offering a variety of seafood and other goods. Deep within the market, amidst noodle, porridge, and dessert stalls, you’ll find shrimp rice roll vendors. These vendors are easily recognizable by the packed tables and neatly arranged bags of rolls ready for takeaway. Shrimp rice rolls are available both morning and evening, accompanied by the distinctive call of local vendors: “Fresh rice rolls here, Diem Dien shrimp rice rolls!”

Visiting Thai Thuy, Thai Binh without trying the famous Diem Dien Fish Salad is akin to never truly experiencing the region’s essence—or so food enthusiasts claim! What makes this dish so special? The nhệch fish is neither a typical fish nor a snake, nor an eel. With its elongated body and white belly, this creature thrives in both saltwater and freshwater. While nhệch can be prepared in various ways, Diem Dien locals hold fish salad as their number one specialty. Numerous restaurants in the area offer this traditional delicacy.

Freshly caught nhệch is meticulously cleaned using lime water to remove slime and firm up the flesh. After drying, the fish is gutted, washed, and its head and tail are removed. The bones are extracted, and the meat is sliced into thin pieces. The key step is marinating the meat with ingredients like finely ground galangal, toasted rice powder, lime juice, and ground pepper. Achieving the perfect flavor requires a precise balance and a touch of culinary mastery. Once seasoned, the meat is wrapped in clean cheesecloth and pressed to remove excess liquid. This ensures each slice is infused with flavor, firm, and chewy. Finally, the meat is mixed again with seasonings for a perfect fish salad.

Fish salad is served with an assortment of leaves such as cúc tần, vọng cách, đinh lăng, mùi tàu, basil, cassava, fig leaves, banana blossoms, green bananas, starfruit, and chili. These accompaniments add a mix of sour, spicy, bitter, and aromatic notes. The dish is paired with a signature Diem Dien fish sauce. Each bite—a meticulous wrap of salad and leaves dipped in the sauce—reveals a medley of sweetness, crunchiness, chewiness, and fragrance, making it an unforgettable culinary experience.

The renowned Ben Hiep Rice Dumplings from Quynh Phu, Thai Binh, stand proudly alongside other regional delicacies such as Nguyen Village’s sticky cakes, Vu Thu’s gai cakes, Thai Thuy’s rice cakes, and Te Village’s rice pudding. Known for their distinctive shape and flavor, these dumplings have gained popularity both locally and beyond.

The origins of these dumplings are unclear, but they have long been a beloved staple, versatile enough to serve as a light snack or a satisfying meal. In earlier days, passengers traveling between Hai Phong and Nam Dinh by boat would often encounter women and children selling these iconic dumplings, neatly bundled in clusters of 5 or 10, wrapped in vibrant banana leaves. Though the ferry services have ceased, the legacy of Ben Hiep Rice Dumplings lives on, finding their way into rural markets and beyond.

Crafted from fine rice flour, the dumpling filling is made with minced pork shoulder mixed with wood ear mushrooms, dried onions, pepper, fish sauce, and salt. The dumplings are shaped like a cupped hand, wrapped carefully in banana leaves, and boiled for 45 to 60 minutes. Their light, non-greasy texture makes them an ideal meal replacement or a delicious treat to change up your usual menu. These dumplings continue to carry the authentic taste of generations past while delighting modern palates.

Located along the coast, Thai Thuy district is renowned not only for its rich cultural heritage and eco-tourism destinations like Black Islet, the coastal mangrove biosphere reserve, and the Nguyen Duc Canh Memorial Site but also for its signature seafood dish: jellyfish salad.

According to local fishermen, jellyfish are translucent like glass, soft as leaves, and display vibrant hues of blue, pink, and pale purple. Composed of 95% water, a jellyfish dries to paper-thin transparency after 12 hours in the sun. The jellyfish season peaks in April and May when they form colorful carpets on the sea surface. Historically, jellyfish were harvested, cleaned, and preserved in mangrove brine for long-term storage or sale at local markets. Over the past decade, jellyfish salad has gained global recognition as a culinary delicacy, leading to a thriving jellyfish processing industry in Thai Thuy, with fleets collecting and numerous facilities producing export-quality products.

Crafting jellyfish salad requires meticulous preparation. Freshly caught jellyfish are cleaned and cured with alum salt. The salted jellyfish are later compressed into sheets, similar to thin rice crackers. Compared to traditional mangrove brine methods, alum salt curing yields firmer and crunchier jellyfish. The cured jellyfish is thinly sliced, blanched, and arranged on a plate alongside blanched onions, shredded chicken, dried squid or beef jerky, peanuts, grated coconut, lime leaves, and fresh herbs. The perfect jellyfish salad is crunchy, flavorful, and dry, with every bite offering a medley of savory fish sauce, nutty peanuts, creamy coconut, and a hint of oceanic squid. A cooling and refreshing dish, Thai Thuy’s jellyfish salad is a must-try summer treat that lingers in the memory of anyone lucky enough to taste it.

The main ingredients for cooking banana blossom vermicelli soup include vermicelli, pork leg, pork ribs (or bone broth), wild betel leaves, minced pork, and banana blossoms. The minced pork is seasoned with spices, pepper, and onions, then wrapped in wild betel or perilla leaves to create flavorful rolls. Pork ribs are simmered to create a rich broth, while pork legs are cooked in the same broth until tender but still chewy. The soup broth takes on a unique cloudy hue from the banana blossoms, setting it apart from other variations.

Once the bones are thoroughly simmered, the pork rolls are added to the broth until cooked, then removed. Thinly sliced banana blossoms are added to the pot, cooked until tender, and combined with a few slices of tomato. The broth is then seasoned to taste. To prepare the perfect bowl of banana blossom vermicelli soup, the banana blossoms should be soaked in rice water to reduce bitterness and prevent the soup from becoming overly murky. The dish is served with white vermicelli, a slightly cloudy broth from the banana blossoms, slices of tender pork leg, flavorful pork rolls, and fresh herbs.

This dish boasts a sweet broth from the simmered bones, the rich flavor of pork leg, a gentle tang from the banana blossoms, and a fragrant touch from the wild betel leaves. It can be enjoyed with vermicelli or as a soup with rice. Accompanying the dish with morning glory, fresh herbs, and banana blossoms pickled in vinegar enhances its appeal. This rustic dish is a favorite in local markets, alongside fish soup and fish vermicelli. Its unique combination of banana blossoms' slight bitterness, pork's richness, and the betel leaves' aroma will leave a lasting impression.

When talking about Thai Binh's specialties, the first thing that comes to mind is undoubtedly the iconic Cay Cake. This unique treat is exclusive to Thai Binh, as it was once offered to the king by the local villagers. Traveling from Thai Binh City along National Highway 39 to Dong Hung District, you'll reach Nguyen Xa Commune. There, the delightful aroma of glutinous rice, molasses, and candied fruits fills the air, signaling your arrival at the birthplace of this exceptional cake.

Made entirely from locally sourced ingredients such as glutinous rice, candied winter melon, coconut, sesame, and peanuts, Cay Cake captures the essence of the region. Its unique flavor comes from the harmonious blend of natural components, offering a chewy, fragrant, and slightly sweet taste that is unmatched elsewhere. A perfect Cay Cake combines the soft, sweet glutinous rice with the crunch of peanuts and sesame, balanced by the spiciness of fresh ginger and the chewiness of candied coconut. Pairing it with a hot cup of tea enhances the experience, making it a true delight.

Wherever Thai Binh natives go, they carry Cay Cake as a gift, a token of their hometown's pride. During festive occasions, New Year celebrations, and ancestral worship ceremonies, Cay Cake is a staple on family altars, symbolizing a deep connection to their roots and traditions.

Among the specialties of Thai Binh, one cannot miss the delightful Turmeric Cake, crafted from the fragrant golden glutinous rice grains of the fertile fields of this region. This unique cake is found predominantly in the southern communes of Tien Hai District and select areas in Kien Xuong District. The main ingredients are rice flour and turmeric powder, but through the skilled hands of local artisans, these simple components are transformed into small, golden-yellow cakes with an inviting aroma.

Turmeric Cake is known for its distinct flavor and nutritional value, making it a comforting treat that does not overheat the body. Its filling consists of fragrant sautéed spring onions and wood ear mushrooms. The cake is best enjoyed hot, especially in chilly weather, offering an unmatched sense of warmth and satisfaction. For those returning home after years away, the taste of Turmeric Cake brings back fond memories of peaceful village markets, colorful Tet festivals, and the loving presence of grandmothers and mothers in their cherished homeland.

Quỳnh Côi Fish Soup is a proud culinary treasure of the people of Thai Binh. Unlike the typical noodle soups, Thai Binh's version uses rice crackers, giving this soup its unique identity that cannot be replicated. The rice crackers for this soup must be made from rice harvested during the previous season, ensuring the noodles are thin, smooth, and chewy for the perfect texture. The fish used must be fresh. After being cleaned, the fish is deboned, cut into pieces roughly half an inch thick, and marinated with high-quality fish sauce, pepper, and turmeric extract.

The fish is left to marinate for about half an hour, then grilled over hot charcoal to achieve a fragrant, slightly crispy skin while keeping the flesh tender inside. Once grilled, the fish is deep-fried until golden and crispy. For pieces that still have bones, the fish is finely chopped with shallots, pepper, and fresh chili to create a savory, crunchy filling. The bones and fish heads can be boiled to make a clear, sweet broth that forms the base of the soup.

Seasonal ingredients are added to the soup, with summer bringing in water spinach and garlic shoots, while colder months feature celery or the herb called cúc tần. In the morning, a warm bowl of Quỳnh Côi Fish Soup is a beloved dish that captivates anyone passing by or visiting Thai Binh, leaving them with an unforgettable experience of local flavors.