The food - fruit granary of Southeast Asia

The Mekong Delta is a land enriched by fertile alluvial soil and an intricate network of canals and channels, renowned for its vast stretches of lush paddy fields, sprawling fruit orchards, abundant produce, and its people who are generous and spirited, sincere and rustic. This place is also an ideal ecotourism destination, boasting numerous national parks, bird sanctuaries with countless species of birds and rare animals and plants.

Thanks to favorable weather conditions and sediment deposition from the Tien and Hau rivers, the Mekong Delta is the largest agricultural production region in the country, particularly known for its rice fields and various fruit trees such as rambutan, star apple, mangosteen, durian, banana and more. There is a saying that goes, "Above the rice, beneath the fish" illustrating the local eating habits, as everyone growing up here is accustomed to having fish and shrimp with their daily meals.

"The land where birds perch," the Mekong Delta is home to various ethnic communities such as the Kinh, Khmer, Cham, Chinese, bringing a diverse and colorful blend to the cultural and spiritual life. For example, in religious rituals, while the Vietnamese offer rice, cakes, the Chinese offer “sweet soup" (also known as Chinese floating cake) and to cakes, and the Cham people use "dipagon" cakes made from glutinous rice mixed with coconut shreds.

From late July to November every year, when the flood season arrives, the Mekong Delta adorns itself with a charming, rustic, and alluring beauty, attracting curious adventurers. The floodwaters bring along schools of perch and lady carp fish, as well as the blooming of water lilie and common sesban, like gifts from heaven and earth. With such a wealth of fresh produce, the skillful hands of the local people have created numerous dishes that leave a lasting impression on visitors with just a taste of their flavors.

Unique flavors of the people in the Mekong Delta

The cuisine of the Mekong Delta, though rustic and simple, combines a harmonious blend of flavors.

In particular, the locals always aim for the highest taste: for example, the specialty "kho quet" is a uniquely delicious and enticing fish sauce dish, combining the distinctive flavors of saltiness, spiciness, richness, and sweetness; when it comes to spicy dishes, they must be intensely spicy, such as the fiery hot chicken hotpot or the fiery beef vermicelli soup from Bac Lieu with chili, lemongrass, star anise, and cinnamon; and when it comes to sweetness, it must be as sweet as the "sweet soup" dessert or “sweet cakes”, and the local people have various sweet treats like steamed banana cakes, "pia" cakes, Thot Not Khmer palm sugar cakes, and even sweet "banh duc" cakes.

Utilizing the abundant natural resources, such as the vast coconut groves that have become part of the local folklore in the saying "My hometown has many green coconut isles, Chau Thanh, Thanh Phu, Giong Trom, Mo Cay," coconuts are used in many dishes, including fresh coconut braised meat, fresh coconut rice, banana simmered in coconut, fish paste cooked in coconut milk, crab simmered in coconut milk, and more…

Another familiar ingredient in the daily meals of the people here is fermented tofu, a versatile ingredient used to prepare braised dishes, grilled dishes, and hotpot. Some people call fermented tofu the "Asian cheese" because of its rich and creamy taste. Among the dishes made with fermented tofu, duck hotpot with fermented tofu is a must-try, with tender and flavorful duck meat, soft and chewy taro, fragrant broth with the creamy taste of fermented tofu, balanced with refreshing water spinach.

The people of the Mekong Delta region have a special skill of transforming a single ingredient into various dishes. For example, they can create a range of dishes using just snakehead fish, from dried snakehead fish to snakehead fish rice noodles, then mud-covered snakehead fish, grilled snakehead fish, steamed snakehead fish, sour snakehead fish soup, braised snakehead fish, and fermented snakehead fish sauce. This demonstrates that the people here are not only food enthusiasts but also skilled and talented chefs.

Certain dishes must be tasted in the riverine region

Starting from the end of July, the floating season begins, during which nature generously bestows the Mekong Delta with abundant fresh and nutritious produce such as lady carp fish and common sesban - the two main ingredients that create the famous lady carp fish and common sesban hotpot. Lady carp fish is caught in the rivers and canals, with a delicious aroma and tender flesh, while its fatty belly balances perfectly with the distinct flavor of common sesban, which is crispy and fragrant, yet rich and savory, capturing the essence of the region. This hotpot is often served with a variety of fresh and colorful local greens, becoming the most remarkable dish in the Mekong Delta that enchants every visitor.

If you have the opportunity to visit An Giang, don't forget to try a bowl of Long Xuyen fish noodle soup, with golden and succulent pieces of fish, clear broth made from vermicelli roots, fatty snakehead fish, and local greens like common sesban. The highlight of this dish is the meticulously prepared fermented shrimp paste, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled until its irresistible fragrance fills the air. When enjoyed hot, Long Xuyen fish noodle soup will leave an unforgettable impression.

Another intriguing dish, known as Phu Quoc mixed noodles, catches attention with its name. It is called mixed noodles because this dish is accompanied by a self-made dipping sauce, consisting of kumquat, chili, sugar, and seasoning powder, which is stirred until well-blended, turning into a vibrant orange color. Moreover, the dish is filled with a variety of enticing toppings such as minced fish cakes, fresh shrimp, dried shrimp, combined with a sweet and savory broth, creating a simple yet impressive flavor that lingers.

During your exploration of the Mekong Delta, you should not miss the Chau Doc fermented fish sauces - the most extraordinary specialty of An Giang's water region. With a history of nearly 150 years, Chau Doc fermented fish sauces are made in various distinctive flavors. With its long-standing heritage, Chau Doc fermented fish sauces have become not only a renowned dish but also a culinary symbol of the Mekong Delta. To fully savor the pure sweetness of Chau Doc fermented fish sauces, visitors can directly taste them to experience the authentic flavors of different types of fish and shrimp combined with unique spices. Additionally, fermented fish sauces are used to prepare popular dishes such as braised fish, fish sauce hotpot. Lady carp fish sauce, sac fish sauce, snakehead fish sauce,... are outstanding specialties that attract many visitors as souvenirs for their Mekong Delta trips.

The common feature of the dishes in the Mekong Delta region is that the ingredients are carefully seasoned and marinated to enhance the flavors and stimulate all the senses. With the combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and MAGGI seasoning, anyone can easily prepare authentic and flavorful specialties that embody the soul of Vietnamese culinary culture.

For the people of the southwestern region, these dishes are also a reflection of their deep connection to the land of rivers and water. They are rustic, simple, and sincere, demonstrating their appreciation for every grain of rice, every seafood, and every produce from the sea, the river, and the land.

U Minh Ha National Park, Ca Mau.