From the ingredients, the taste to the layout of the dish is also derived from the five elements of yin and yang philosophy that make diners excited.
To reschedule, from about April to November of the lunar calendar every year, fishermen in the South Central Coast provinces such as Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa … are busy in the harvest of apricot fish. This characteristic fish is an indispensable ingredient to make the famous hotpot near and far of the land of Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan).
In addition to attractive specialty names such as squid, cobra hot pot, quai ca ca ca ca …, visitors to Phan Thiet also enjoy many other delicacies, including famous hot pot.
Previously, when tourism was not yet developed, fishermen in Mui Ne waters often put what they earned from the sea into an iron bucket, then pour water and cook it into hot pot. And the name of the hot pot dish comes from there.
Later, the hot pot dish has been upgraded to a local specialty, appearing in the menu of restaurants and hotels to serve tourists everywhere to enjoy.
The most important ingredient of the hot pot is the shellfish. Diners can still enjoy this dish with cloudy fish and fish. What makes hot pot so special is that the layout and taste both carry the deep philosophies of Vietnamese cuisine.
Accordingly, the ingredients and spices that make up the hot pot dish are derived from the philosophy of Yin and Yang, the five elements are needle, wood, water, fire, earth, corresponding to the five colors on the dish: white, blue, black, red and yellow with five flavors including spicy, sour, salty, bitter, and sweet. These factors are believed to bring the health and energy needed to humans.
The hot pot is usually placed in a bamboo bed lined with banana leaves, creating a beautiful flower shape. The “pistil” part is the plate of apricot fish placed in the center, which is cleverly arranged. Although it is only as small as a finger, but each fish is elaborately and quickly processed to ensure freshness.
The chef must choose a sharp knife to filter the fillets of the fish body and then re-dip it in lemon juice to remove the fishy smell. Then marinate the fish with a mixture of ginger juice, chili, and crushed garlic to make the fish attractive light pink color, the flesh is firm and rich.
Around the fish plate are ingredients such as boiled pork, fried eggs, split cucumber, banana corn, mango, … which are classified into each layer of bright red banana flower. This layout not only makes the dish more eye-catching, but also shows the implications of the image of small basket boats that have been with fishermen for many years.
The dish is served right on the table and diners can enjoy the hot pot in two ways. The first way is to eat dry (also known as cold food). Diners put the vermicelli and ingredients into the bowl, then pour the sauce over and mix well.
In addition to the attractive side ingredients, the deciding factor for the quality of the hotpot is the famous sauce. The sauce is made from porcelain banana, garlic, dried tamarind, roasted chili and peanuts, mixed together and then pureed. The standard balance of ripe porcelain banana, tamarind, chili and garlic is the secret to creating a unique sauce for the dish.
The second way of eating is hot with broth. The broth is stewed from bones and shrimp, added tomatoes, pineapple, onions for a natural sweet taste.
Diners choose the ingredients they like, put them in the bowl and pour the hot pot water to boil over and enjoy the same sauce, unlike the type of dipping the ingredients into the pot of broth as normal hot pot dishes.
Not only attractive to the eyes by the diverse ingredients, eye-catching decoration, but the hot pot also captivates customers by its distinctive taste, not mixed. The freshness of fish, the greasy taste of meat and vegetables mixed with the thick, fragrant dipping sauce makes visitors rub, feeling like the taste of the sea is dissolving in the mouth.
Coming to Phan Thiet, visitors can easily find and enjoy hot pot in restaurants, hotels, or eateries. Each hotspot is priced from 350,000 – 380,000 VND, enough for diners to feel the “soul” of the dish.
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