Tay Ninh is a dry and hot region, located in southwestern Vietnam. It’s famous for being the home of the Cao Dai religion and many unique specialties that you should try at least 1 time when coming here.
What is the specialties of Tay Ninh?
1. Salt shrimp
Tay Ninh is not a coastal province or the best type of shrimp, but Shrimp Salt there is still one of the most famous specialties. The ingredients to make shrimp salt requires very simple, include salt, shrimp, meat, garlic, chili… These ingredients are mixed, roasted over the fire without adding a chemical substance, and dried in the sun to smell the salt before we can see the salt. It should not be too dried or too wet. After completion, the shrimp salt can be used as a companion of many dishes, especially fresh fruits.
2. Trang Bang Bread soup
Trang Bang Bread soup made in Trang Bang town, Tay Ninh province , served with boiled pork, tapioca noodles, and local herbs. The most important thing is the broth which stewed from bone and traditional spices of the region. Additional to the bread soup cake are the herbs like sprouts, chilli, lemon, and many other type of vegetables. There are many places try to mimic this special dish but only in its origin can help you enjoy the truly flavorful.
3. Trang Bang dew-wetted rice paper
Referring to Tay Ninh without mentioning this rice paper is a mistake. Trang Bang dew-drying rice paper here is extremely famous in Vietnam . To make these seemingly simple rice paper cakes, it takes a lot of work and effort from the maker. From the step of selecting ingredients to spread the cake, drying the dew, people put all their efforts into this.
Dew-drying rice paper with bacon, the herbs, some other vegetables, sauce is a favorite dish many people love, especially on hot summer days.
4. Black Virgin Mountain snail
This seasonal snail is a rare species, living in caves in Black Virgin Mountain. The hunting season falls on Janurary (Lunar Calender) when they go out for food and look for a lover. With the source of food from medicines and herbs, the snails provide many nutritions and can help to cure some diseases. No need to clean a lot, the snail can be turned into many type of dishes such as grilled, steamed with lemongrass or ginger, fried tamarind… all bring an irresistible taste. The snail’s meat is tough and crispy sweetness that makes this dish so special. You can use with fish sauce, shrimp sauce, or any sauce that you like.
5. Black Virgin Mountain lizards
This is considered a unique specialty of Tay Ninh mountains and forests. Black Virgin Mountain lizards belongs to the gecko family and has white lines on its back. They live mainly in the hollows and appear more from April to August.
During the hot season, they go out to expose with the sun and that is a great chance for local people huting them. Also, figs or termites are effective lures for lizards get out of the cave.
Ba Den mountain lizard can be processed into many different dishes, but in order to fully enjoy the flavor, it is necessary to mention the crispy mountain lizard. The unique combination of vegetables and tamarind sauce makes this famous specialty of this land.
6. Grapfruit rolls
People often call grapefruit rolls is vegetarian rolls because of the ingredients that make them. The local people are indeed creative to be able removed the bitterness of the grapefruit skin and mix it with sliced raw papaya, star fruit, chili pepper, Erythrina orientalis leaves, banana leaves…
A perfect roll has a pink color mix with a little red. The rolls have to be not too toug or too soft at the same time. The taste combine of salty, sour, sweet, spicy.. all in one.
7. Tay Ninh veal
Beef is available everywhere, but in Tay Ninh, the veal beef is naturally grazed, the chewy, pink and fresh beef is processed into many dishes.
Having a taste of the delicious fresh veal marinated with spices grilled on embers to feel the delicious taste will certainly not disappoint you.
Source: collected by An
