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Besides its magnificent mountains, forests, and rivers, Cao Bang also attracts tourists with its unique culinary culture. If you're still wondering which Cao Bang specialties to buy as souvenirs, Travellive suggests the following famous, delicious, nutritious, affordable, and unique specialties.
1. Chinese sausage
Sausage is one of the signature dishes of the northern mountainous region and Cao Bang, prepared with great care. The filling is made from lean pork loin, shoulder, or rump, finely minced and marinated with many spices, including star anise leaves and mountain ginger. It is then placed inside pig intestines, sun-dried for about 3 days, and then hung above the kitchen hearth to be smoked, making it firmer and tastier.
The smoke from the wood-fired stove makes the sausage firmer and more solid. Sausage can be eaten with several dishes such as sticky rice, white rice, etc.
Sausage is one of the signature dishes of the northern mountainous region.
2. Chongqing Chestnuts
Trung Khanh chestnuts are grown in Trung Khanh, a small district in Cao Bang province, located right next to the Chinese border. The fertile soil of Trung Khanh is particularly suitable for producing chestnuts that are plump, round, and have a much stronger aroma than ordinary chestnuts.
Chestnuts can also be prepared in many different ways: roasted chestnuts, steamed chestnuts, or ground into flour for baking. In addition, chestnuts can be stewed and cooked into incredibly delicious and appealing soups that you can enjoy.
Cao Bang has a cool climate and fertile soil, so the chestnuts in Trung Khanh are abundant and delicious.
3. Banh Khao (a type of Vietnamese pancake)
This is a popular choice for many people during the Lunar New Year. Khao cake is made from very simple ingredients. The crust is made from glutinous rice flour and sugar, while the filling contains peanuts, sesame seeds, and pork fat. Combined with the skillful hands of the artisans, it creates a truly unique cake for this region. Taking a bite of Khao cake and sipping a fragrant cup of tea is simply wonderful. In Cao Bang province, you can buy delicious Khao cake in Trung Khanh, Quang Hoa, and Ha Lang districts...
Banh khao is made from extremely simple ingredients.
4. Black jelly
Cao Bang black jelly is a familiar and rustic dish for the local people. Outwardly, black jelly looks quite similar to the grass jelly we usually eat, but it's made from a plant of the same name that grows abundantly in the Thach An area. Few people know that black jelly is actually a medicinal herb with cooling and sweet properties, and it helps stabilize blood pressure, treat colds, and relieve joint pain. After a tiring journey exploring Cao Bang, there's nothing better than enjoying a bowl of black jelly mixed with sweet syrup.
Black jelly offers many health benefits.
5. Vermicelli made from arrowroot starch
Phia Đén vermicelli, also known as Cao Bằng vermicelli or Nguyên Bình vermicelli, has thick, non-glossy strands unlike other types of vermicelli, but it captivates diners with its pure, delicious flavor. Phia Đén vermicelli is made entirely from red arrowroot tubers grown on the mountain slopes of Nguyên Bình district. Each strand is exceptionally soft, chewy, and non-sticky.
After harvesting, the red arrowroot tubers are dried on bamboo racks without the use of bleach, artificial colors, or other chemicals. When cooked, the vermicelli noodles are soft, fragrant, translucent, chewy, and have a sweet, refreshing taste that is delicious and good for health.
Phia Đén vermicelli is made entirely from red arrowroot tubers grown on the mountain slopes in Nguyên Bình district.
Vermicelli made from mung bean starch can be prepared into various dishes. Black vermicelli is very good for health and can help with the recovery from diabetes and high cholesterol. It is also very suitable for people on a diet due to its natural sweetness.
6. Beef cake
It seems that most of the specialties in the Cao Bang region are snacks, and banh bo (rice cake) is no exception. Considered a local delicacy, the golden-brown banh bo, with its simple yet delicious honey flavor, captivates anyone who visits.
On the outside, Banh Bo looks like a sponge cake made from wheat flour, but this dish is actually made from rice flour, yeast, and rock sugar. Banh Bo is chewy and fluffy, with a delicate sweetness from the rock sugar and a subtle aroma from the yeast, creating a soft and pliable cake. The cake has a subtly sweet flavor, a slightly spongy yellow crust, and a soft, smooth interior. Banh Bo is made in a large mold and then cut into bite-sized pieces. It arrives still warm, making it perfect for chilly days.
From the outside, the steamed rice cake looks like a sponge cake.
