What to eat in Tien Giang – Top specialty you must try

What to eat in Tien Giang – Top must-try specialty

When visiting Tien Giang, in addition to exploring the famous scenic spots of this charming water region, don’t forget to savor the attractive specialties of Tien Giang that leave a lasting impression on visitors from near and far. Let’s explore what to eat in Tien Giang.

My Tho Rice Noodle Soup

My Tho Rice Noodles are a renowned specialty of Tien Giang, famous everywhere. The noodles are made from rice, appearing translucent and having a moderately firm texture when blanched in boiling water. A bowl of My Tho rice noodles usually contains bone, minced meat, pork offal, or seafood, all soaked in broth. Topped with vegetables like chives, lettuce, and bean sprouts, and sprinkled with fried shallots and pepper for a fuller flavor. 

The “soul” of this dish lies in its broth, which is simmered from pork bones and a bit of dried squid, creating a sweet taste. Today, My Tho rice noodles have been diversified into different variations such as squid noodles, bone noodles, mixed noodles, beef ball noodles, vegetarian noodles, and satay noodles.

Banana with Coconut 

Banana with Coconut is a rustic dish that you must try when in Tien Giang. At first glance, it looks like flattened rice flakes, but on closer inspection, there are many differences. The ingredients include green bananas and grated coconut. The preparation process is simple but requires skill and experience.

Snakehead Fish Porridge with Bitter Greens 

This porridge has a distinctive rustic flavor and has cooling and fever-reducing properties. The snakehead fish used must be from the wild, although small, it has firm and fragrant meat. The rice used is moderately glutinous, sweet, and fragrant. The rice is not washed but roasted in a pan until it turns golden and releases a fragrance. 

The fish is cooked with the porridge to make the broth sweeter and the aroma more harmonious. To make the porridge more appealing, the cook adds finely chopped purple onions, scallions, and coriander, and finally a plate of bitter greens. Though bitter, when eaten with the porridge, it becomes very fragrant and sweet.

Sun-Dried White Catfish 

White Catfish can be prepared into many delicious dishes like white catfish wings, white catfish hotpot, and more. Among these, sun-dried white catfish is considered a famous specialty of Tien Giang. The dish looks simple but offers a unique culinary experience. Sun-dried white catfish can be used to make salads, stewed with coconut water, or eaten with fresh noodles or plain rice. If you are wondering what to buy as a gift after visiting Tien Giang, sun-dried white catfish is an excellent suggestion.

Grilled Snakehead Fish 

Grilled Snakehead Fish is a famous dish of the Mekong Delta in general and Tien Giang in particular. After catching the fish, a branch is inserted through the mouth to form a skewer, which is then set upright and grilled until fragrant. Served with tamarind fish sauce or salt and chili, along with some fresh vegetables, this dish leaves a lasting impression on diners.

Tan Phong rice snail

Rice Snail is a famous specialty of Tan Phong in Cai Lay district. The snails are large, with green shells and full flesh. After harvesting the snails from the Tân Phong river basin, they are often boiled and served with lemon chili fish sauce, adding a bit of ginger to warm the stomach and remove the fishy smell. Boiled rice snails are golden yellow, fatty, sweet, and crunchy. Besides, Tan Phong rice snails are also prepared into many dishes such as garlic-fried snails, coconut milk braised snails, butter-fried snails, and more.

Banh Va

Giong Market, known as Vinh Binh market in Go Cong Tay district, is famous for its flavorful rice cakes. The deliciousness comes from the perfect combination of the rich taste of rice flour, the sweetness of shrimp and bean sprouts, and the aroma of peanuts. Besides the traditional rice cakes, locals have also created vegetarian versions with fillings made from peanuts, straw mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms. You can enjoy rice cakes with fish sauce or soy sauce, and vegetarians can also enjoy this delicious dish.

Banh Beo

In My Tho city, at Hang Bong market, visitors can easily find simple and rustic banh beo stalls. Hang Bong market’s banh beo is not only famous among local visitors but also known by many international tourists. There are two types to choose from: sweet banh beo and savory banh beo. Sweet banh beo is sticky but not mushy, with the aroma of coconut milk and pandan leaves. Savory banh beo is usually served with green beans, shredded pork skin, fried bread cubes, and fried shallots, and topped with sweet and sour fish sauce before eating.

Grilled Sausage 

Grilled sausage is a common dish during Tet or death anniversaries in Tien Giang. Gao Market grilled sausage is made from boiled pork shoulder, sliced thin,  with purple onions and garlic. It is then mixed with duck eggs, whole peppercorns, fish sauce, and other spices. This mixture is placed in an iron pot lined with banana leaves and cooked until the sausage surface is dry and no longer sticky. Once done, it can be sliced into pieces and wrapped in rice paper with vegetables and lettuce, dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. The grilled sausage is fragrant, sweet, and savory, leaving you wanting more.

Horseshoe Crab Dishes 

Horseshoe crab is a famous seafood in Vam Lang, Tan Thanh, Go Cong Dong district. The horseshoe crab has a hard shell like a crab shell, a round flat body, about a hand span in diameter, with eight small legs under its belly, and a sharp triangular tail about 20 cm long. From October to February in the lunar calendar, visitors to Tien Giang can enjoy various horseshoe crab dishes. The most notable is grilled horseshoe crab with fragrant meat and nutritious eggs, topped with scallion oil and peanuts. It is best enjoyed with sour grapefruit segments, pickled radish, mint, and Vietnamese coriander, along with fish sauce mixed with lime, garlic, and chili.

Go Cong Fermented Shrimp Paste

To make delicious fermented shrimp paste, select shrimp with plenty of roe. After mashing the shrimp, it is strained to separate the meat from the shells, then sun-dried for a few days. The shrimp meat is then mixed with spices and sun-dried again before being stored in a cool place for half a month before it is ready to eat. The result is a vibrant red paste often used as a flavorful dip for meals or with rolls, boiled meat, noodles, and various fresh herbs like starfruit, green banana, cucumber, and coriander.

Vinh Kim Lo Ren star apple 

Vinh Kim commune in Chau Thanh district is known for its milk apples, which are said to originate from a blacksmith in Long Hung. The milk apple season runs from September to April. These fruits are famous for their attractive appearance when ripe, hanging heavily on branches. When cut, the fruit releases milky juice with thick flesh, few small seeds, and a distinctive sweet and mild aroma. Many visitors to Chau Thanh (Tien Giang) often buy these milk apples as gifts for family and friends