Buzz
The specialties of Thai Nguyen showcase the rich cultural heritage of the tea region. With their delicious, unique flavors and variety, these dishes are sure to satisfy the palates of many diners.
1. Bo Dau Square Cake (Bánh chưng Bờ Đậu)
Bo Dau Square Cake is a famous specialty of Thai Nguyen, becoming a source of pride for the local people. This delicacy is meticulously crafted without the need for a mold, yet retains its perfect square shape. The secret to its legendary flavor lies in the combination of fragrant sticky rice from the Dinh Hoa region and clean pork from the indigenous people. In addition to the traditional square cake, the locals have also created variations like gac square cake and cam square cake to meet market demand.
2. Tan Cuong Tea (Chè Tân Cương)
Being home to the 'first-rate tea' region, Thai Nguyen and Tan Cuong are renowned for their tea specialties. The tea leaves are carefully harvested from the lush tea gardens in Tan Cuong. After a meticulous processing method to preserve its natural fragrance, Tan Cuong tea releases a strong aroma when brewed, with a rich flavor and bright yellow color. Drinking it offers a pleasantly bitter taste, providing a relaxing experience for the drinker.
3. Che Lam
Che Lam was once a delicacy exclusively prepared by the Tay people in Thai Nguyen for the Lunar New Year. However, due to growing demand, it is now made throughout the year. While the preparation of Che Lam is relatively simple, achieving the perfect flavor requires careful selection and preparation of the ingredients. The Che Lam made by the people of Thai Hai village (Thai Nguyen) uses ingredients like sticky rice, roasted peanuts, ginger, and sugar, following a unique recipe that gives it a distinct flavor.
4. Cooc Mo Cake
Cooc Mo, which means 'cow horn' in Tay language, is a traditional dish from the Tay people in Thai Nguyen. The cake is wrapped in dong leaves or banana leaves and made from sticky rice mixed with peanuts. The sticky rice is rinsed several times until the water runs clear and then soaked for a few hours to soften. The ingredients are wrapped in the shape of a cow's horn. While the cake has no filling, it retains the rich taste of peanuts and sticky rice. Cooc Mo can be eaten on its own or dipped in sugarcane syrup or honey.
5. Dai Tu Sour Pork (Nem Chua Đại Từ)
Dai Tu sour pork is a famous Thai Nguyen specialty that you must try. The main ingredients include pork, garlic, pepper, rice powder, guava leaves, and wine. What makes this sour pork special is the use of lean pork, which creates its unique flavor and exceptional crunch. It is wrapped in beautiful banana leaves, keeping the nem fresh and flavorful. When visiting any market in Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen, you will find stalls selling this delicious sour pork. It makes for a great gift for loved ones or friends.
6. Ngai Cake
Ngai Cake is a unique dish that adds a distinct flavor to Thai Nguyen's cuisine. The cake is made from fragrant sticky rice and uses mugwort leaves during the grinding process, giving it a special taste and vibrant color. Ngai Cake comes in two varieties: one with a filling and one without. The filling is typically made from mung beans or peanuts, and in some areas, the filling is made from ground roasted sesame seeds mixed with sugar.
7. Ant Egg Cake
Ant Egg Cake is a distinctive dish from the Tay ethnic group in Dinh Hoa, now a famous Thai Nguyen specialty. From April to May each year, the Tay people go into the forest to collect black ant eggs, the key ingredient for making this cake. The cake has a chewy texture, a pleasant fragrance from the sticky rice flour, the nutty flavor of the fig leaves, and the rich taste of wild ant eggs, creating a unique culinary experience.
8. Uk Ky Sticky Rice Paste
Uk Ky Sticky Rice Paste is a well-known specialty from the Uk Ky commune in Phu Binh district, Thai Nguyen province. The paste is carefully crafted using traditional methods passed down through generations. The main ingredients include sticky rice, soybeans, and salt. What makes Uk Ky Sticky Rice Paste special is the use of a unique variety of sticky rice called 'Thau Dau,' which is only grown in the Uk Ky and Xuan Phuong communes, giving the dish its distinctive flavor.
The finished paste has a smooth, creamy texture and a golden, glossy color. This paste is often used as a dipping sauce for various dishes or as a key ingredient in stews and steamed dishes, making it irresistibly delicious.
9. Dinh Hoa Lam Rice
Dinh Hoa Lam Rice is a traditional delicacy from the mountainous region of Thai Nguyen. It is made from high-quality sticky rice, which is placed inside young bamboo tubes and roasted over an open flame. Once cooked, the rice emits a fragrant aroma, with the scent of both the sticky rice and the bamboo blending together. Lam rice is typically served with sesame salt or grilled chicken, and many visitors to Dinh Hoa seek to bring this rustic dish home as a souvenir.
10. Ha Chau Black Starfruit
Ha Chau Black Starfruit is a precious specialty from the Phu Binh area of Thai Nguyen. The starfruit tree is a hardwood plant that can live for over a hundred years, with flowers blooming in February and fruits ripening in July. The unique climate and soil in this region make the starfruit here exceptionally special, offering a sweet and rich flavor that is hard to find elsewhere.
To prepare the starfruit, the process usually begins by simmering the fruit to soften it, then separating the flesh from the seeds. The fruit’s flesh is often paired with sesame salt or sticky rice paste. It is also used in a variety of dishes such as starfruit sticky rice, meat and fish stews, and starfruit salads.
11. Bình Long Tofu
Bình Long tofu is a beloved dish in the An Long village, Bình Long commune, Thái Nguyên province. This area is renowned for its traditional, delicious tofu-making process. Bình Long tofu is crafted through a perfect blend of sour water and soybeans. The beans grown in Bình Long are round and sweet, offering a distinct taste when used in tofu preparation.
During the cooking process, the tofu is pressed into large molds, resulting in thick, square-shaped tofu pieces that are neither too firm nor too soft. A unique feature of Bình Long tofu is that it is not cut into small pieces but rather sliced into large blocks. It has a rich, creamy flavor, making it perfect to eat while still warm, especially when dipped in shrimp paste with lime for an unforgettable taste.
12. Hùng Sơn Rice Noodles
The residents of Hùng Sơn prepare noodles using a special type of rice called Định Hóa 'bao thai' rice. The rice is carefully selected, rinsed, soaked for 8 hours, and then ground into flour. The flour is filtered multiple times and left to ferment overnight. It is then spread out into thin sheets, dried, and cut into noodles. Hùng Sơn rice noodles are known for their chewy texture and pleasant aroma, ensuring that even if overcooked, they won’t become mushy.
13. Thùa Lâm Shrimp Rolls
Thùa Lâm Shrimp Rolls are a must-try specialty for visitors traveling to Thái Nguyên. This is a famous dish from the people of Thùa Lâm village. Its rustic and unique flavor has captured the hearts of both local and distant diners. The rolls consist of simple ingredients like shrimp, eggs, lean pork, fatty pork, and vegetables. The shrimp is fried to a golden crisp. What makes this dish special is that it is not wrapped in rice paper but instead uses green onions to encase all the ingredients. When eaten, it is dipped in a tangy, spicy chili fish sauce that enhances the flavor.
According to Mytour.vn
***
Reference: Mytour.vn Travel Guide
Mytour.vnJune 10, 2024
