Strange dishes in Nha Trang

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Mango rice paper, beef dry salad served with stone tofu, and Dien Khanh wet cake is strange dishes that attract visitors on every occasion to Nha Trang.

Besides swimming or checking in, tourists coming to the coastal city of Nha Trang can find and enjoy unique dishes with the typical flavor of this city.

Mango rice paper

The main ingredient to make mango rice paper rolls is a natural ripe sand mango from Cam Ranh, the largest mango growing place in the Central region. After being peeled and put into a puree, the mango is put in a cooking pot. During the cooking process, the processor must keep the mango flavor intact. After about 2 to 3 hours of cooking depending on the quantity, the mangoes are put into molds and then left to dry in the sun for 3 to 5 days. Mangoes in the mold after drying in the sun will dry out and be cut and packed.

Mango rice paper is a strange dish in Nha Trang.  Photos Pasgo
Mango rice paper is a strange dish in Nha Trang. Photos Pasgo

Delicious Nha Trang mango rice paper has a sour, soft taste, with the natural aroma of sand mango with a little sunshine. This is one of the unique and famous snacks in the coastal city of Nha Trang. The price of mango rice paper ranges from 70,000 VND to 100,000 VND per kg and can be preserved for more than 7 months. Visitors can find mango rice paper at many food stores in Nha Trang or at rest stops.

Squid pancakes

Nha Trang people often have the habit of having breakfast with banh xeo, in which squid pancake is a dish visitors should try when coming here. Similar to the way of making banh xeo in the Central region, Nha Trang pancakes are poured in small iron molds. Then the processor will add fresh squid, bean sprouts and onions in the middle. An important ingredient that makes the dish’s unique flavor is the fresh, whole squid that is caught. Squid just needs to be washed and brought into processing.

The dipping sauce used for squid ink pancakes is chili garlic fish sauce. Guests can accompany the cake with fresh vegetables. Visitors can find this dish at restaurants near Thap Ba area, most of which are open from late afternoon to evening. The price of a squid cake is about 5,000 VND.

Beef dry salad – stone tofu

Beef jerky salad served with iced tofu is a popular dish for people in Nha Trang, especially schoolchildren and students. Beef jerky salad is made from shredded papaya, combined with marinated dried beef liver mixed with spicy sauce, herbs and vinegar. Served with the salad, there are also shrimp crackers. After enjoying beef dry salad, visitors can try the taste of a glass of iced tofu mixed with greasy coconut milk, a dish used by the people of the coastal city for dessert.

Tourists wishing to taste the unique flavor of this dish can look to the beef jerky salad shops scattered on the streets of the city. A portion of beef jerky salad costs VND 15,000 – VND 30,000 and VND 10,000 for a glass of iced tofu.

Beef dry salad eaten with stone tofu is popular with many young people.  Photo: Surre
Beef dry salad eaten with stone tofu is popular with many young people. Photo: Surre

Rice paper rolls with fish cake

Fried fish is thinly sliced ​​after frying, accompanied by ingredients such as cucumber, star fruit, sliced ​​bananas, herbs, spring rolls, boiled eggs, vermicelli located right under the rice paper and sweet and sour fish sauce. offers guests a unique culinary experience. Visitors who do not want to eat fried food can order a steamed fish cake instead. Besides, at some restaurants, the processor also adds battered cake to the rolled cake to increase the crunchiness of the dish.

Cha ca is rolled with vermicelli, raw vegetables and other accompaniments such as ram rolls, spring rolls, eggs.
Cha ca is rolled with vermicelli, raw vegetables and other accompaniments such as ram rolls, spring rolls, eggs.

Rice paper roll with fish cake is one of the popular dishes in Nha Trang and is sought by many tourists because of its unique taste and reasonable price.

Dien Khanh wet cake

For a long time, Dien Khanh wet cake has become a famous dish for tourists from far away. After the flour is pureed, it will be mixed with water and coated into hot cakes on a terracotta oven. Different from the usual wet cake when served with meat, spring rolls or spring rolls, Dien Khanh wet cake after being put on a plate will be put on top of the cake by the cook, with meat, dried shrimp and green beans. Visitors use fish sauce made from the intestines of mackerel or anchovies to eat with this cake.

Wet cake topped with fat served with fish sauce from fish intestines.  Photo: Nha Trang Today
Wet cake topped with fat served with fish sauce from fish intestines. Photo: Nha Trang Today

The price of a plate of Dien Khanh wet cake is not too expensive, ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 VND. Visitors to Nha Trang can come to enjoy this cake at Dien Khanh wet cake street located along National Highway 1A.

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