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Thanh Bui (28 years old) is a graphic designer and photographer currently living and working in Saigon. He was born in Tan Chau, An Giang - a place known as the land of silk due to its long-standing silk weaving villages. He currently manages a fan page called "Tan Chau Downtown," posting images and articles about the culture and life in Tan Chau, An Giang.
With a deep love for his hometown of Tan Chau, a small border town on the Tien River, he felt that his hometown possessed many wonderful aspects of culture, cuisine, customs, and the lifestyle of its people that many others were unaware of.
The specialties of the Mekong Delta are rustic dishes that are both delicious and unique. Considered a culinary paradise in the Southwest of Vietnam, this region attracts many tourists who come to visit and experience it. (Image: Internet)
Thanh Bui said: "Traditional dishes are easily found in the Mekong Delta provinces, but in my hometown, those dishes have a very different flavor. The vendors I sought out for this photoshoot are all people who have been selling food here for over 40 years, and the dishes are all made according to family recipes, so they have a distinctive taste. You'll remember it forever after just one bite. Initially, I took photos and wrote articles to express my gratitude to those who preserve the flavors of my homeland. Later, encouraged by many to promote the culture of Tan Chau silk region, it inspired me to create a page, which has been very well received by my fellow countrymen. Students studying far from home or those living abroad feel even more nostalgic for their hometown when they read the page's articles."
Join Travellive as we explore 6 unique and rustic dishes from the Mekong Delta, as captured and shared by photographer Thanh Bui:
1. Rice wine (or fermented rice) - an intoxicating snack from the Southwestern region of Vietnam.
"Com du" (pronounced according to the pronunciation of people in the Mekong Delta) is considered a dish that evokes strong childhood memories. Regarding the preparation, people in the Mekong Delta choose to use ordinary glutinous rice. The rice is soaked in water for 4-6 hours, then washed, cooked, and spread thinly on a tray to cool. Finely ground yeast is sprinkled over the rice and mixed well before being placed in a container, sealed, and left in a cool place. After about 2-3 days, when the rice has fermented and developed a fragrant aroma, sugar can be added. The longer the fermentation time, the greater the amount of sugar in the rice that converts into alcohol, so people rarely ferment rice wine for too many days.
What's unique about rice wine from the Mekong Delta is that before the fermentation process, it's rolled into small, round balls. Because it's a fermented food, some people find rice wine fragrant, while others may have an unpleasant smell.
Many people, although familiar with fermented rice since childhood, only try it much later. It has a unique aroma; when eaten, you can taste the sweet and nutty flavor of the glutinous rice, while also being captivated by the strong aftertaste of the alcohol. Finally, there's the natural sourness, an indispensable element in most dishes made using this fermentation method.
Like many other snacks in the Southwestern region of Vietnam, fermented rice is only eaten to satisfy cravings, not to fill one's stomach. Fermented rice is a top choice as a dessert after main meals in the Southwestern region of Vietnam.
2. Candied bananas - the sweet aroma of childhood.
The combination of the banana's subtle sweetness from the sugar and the richness of the roasted sesame seeds seems to accentuate the flavor, making you want to eat one whole banana and still crave more. To make delicious candied bananas, you must choose bananas that are not too ripe, still slightly green. After peeling, the bananas are soaked in diluted salt water or alum solution to remove the sap and keep them white. Then, rinse the bananas with cold water and drain them. Many people use wax bananas for candied bananas, but the most authentic method in the Mekong Delta is using Siamese bananas.
The method for making candied bananas is quite similar to many other jams. Add granulated sugar or palm sugar and water to a pan, cook until the sugar dissolves and turns slightly yellow, then add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent it from hardening. Next, add the bananas to the pan and stir well. When the sugar has gradually absorbed into the bananas, sprinkle a little sugar evenly over them for a nice color.
Chewy Siamese bananas coated in a sweet syrup are a snack associated with the childhood of many children in the Southwestern region of Vietnam.
"When we were kids, we loved sweets like cakes and candies, but candied bananas were a particular favorite," Thanh Bui recounted.
The refreshing, chewy texture of the waxy banana blends perfectly with the natural sweetness of palm sugar, topped with a sprinkle of fragrant, nutty roasted sesame seeds. These seemingly familiar ingredients, when combined, create a surprisingly unique and novel flavor.
3. Banh Khot - simple and rustic, even in its name.
In different regions, banh khot (miniature savory pancakes) are prepared in a variety of ways. In the Mekong Delta provinces, especially An Giang, banh khot resembles the Khmer style. It's made with rice flour mixed with coconut milk and chopped scallions.
"Many people explain that the name 'khọt' comes from the fact that when pouring the batter, to remove the pancake from the mold, people have to use a spoon to lift it up. When the spoon touches the sides of the mold, it makes a 'khọt khọt' sound, and the name of the pancake originated from that. However, there is also another explanation for the name. That is, in the old days, poor people who couldn't afford to eat gourmet food only ate a type of pancake made entirely of flour without any meat. Therefore, they named this type of pancake 'khộp,' meaning poor (according to ancient words). Over time, the name 'khộp' was mispronounced as 'khọt'," Thanh Bùi explained.
An Giang-style bánh khọt does not contain turmeric powder for its yellow color like typical bánh khọt, and it is not served with raw vegetables but with diluted fish sauce.
Nowadays, when visiting An Giang, you can easily find a stall selling fragrant banh khot (miniature savory pancakes) all along the sidewalks of the countryside. No matter where you are, banh khot retains its traditional characteristics and rich, unforgettable flavor.
4. Banh tieu (Vietnamese sesame seed cake) - a simple treat from the riverine region.
In the Mekong Delta region, banh tieu (a type of Vietnamese pancake) is a familiar treat for young children or a dessert at weddings and baby showers.
Banh tieu (fried sesame seed cake) is one of the famous fried cakes of the Chinese people. It originated in the 1930s from a tea and snack shop owner, inspired by a combination of wheat flour mixed with baking powder and sesame seeds. In some provinces in the Mekong Delta, people eat banh tieu with banh bo (rice cake). The rich, fragrant flavor of banh tieu blends harmoniously with the sweet, soft taste of banh bo, allowing diners to clearly appreciate the deliciousness of each type of cake.
The method is simple, but achieving the perfect flavor requires experience.
"Every time I eat banh tieu (a type of Vietnamese pastry), childhood memories come flooding back," Thanh Bui said.
5. Bean porridge with coconut milk - unusual yet flavorful.
Every morning, in addition to breakfast dishes like noodle soup, bread, sticky rice, etc., bean porridge is one of the great choices for people in the Mekong Delta.
A complete and proper bowl of bean porridge should include white rice porridge cooked with black beans and coconut milk. Additionally, a side dish of side dishes such as anchovies, shrimp, and pickled papaya can be added. There are two types of porridge: bean porridge and pandan leaf porridge, but the side dishes are the same.
A bowl of mixed bean porridge with pandan leaf porridge and side dishes.
6. Dried Lia - a dish originating from the Khmer ethnic group.
The name "lía" only appears in the upstream region of the Tien River. Because lía in Tan Chau is relatively similar to clams, people often confuse them. Lía has a hard, oval-shaped shell and is only slightly larger than a fingertip. Tan Chau lía can be prepared into several delicious dishes such as: stir-fried with garlic, boiled with lemongrass... especially, lía marinated in salt and sun-dried is the most unique and rustic dish due to its rich flavor.
Sun-dried clams are prepared in a very simple way: clams are bought, soaked in water overnight, then washed and drained. After that, they are marinated with salt, MSG, and chili for about two hours, then sun-dried for three hours, and are ready to eat. Clam meat is rich in protein, fat, and minerals… when sun-dried, the water trapped in the shell creates sweetness and the meat is very fatty. In addition, the person preparing the dish needs to be meticulous and ensure food safety… after being seasoned, the clams are dried on a large tin tray to catch the sunlight and keep them warm.
In particular, eating the intestines of the catfish dipped in tamarind fish sauce with cold rice is very delicious. This dish has a perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors, which is why everyone loves it.
Enjoying riverside food as a casual snack or a leisurely drink seems to truly capture the essence of the river life.
"An Giang province is a melting pot of many cultures such as Cham, Khmer, Kinh, and Chinese... In addition, its traditional cuisine is very rich. For example, in Chau Doc, there are dishes like fermented fish paste, crispy fried fish stomach, and fish noodle soup. In Chau Phong, where many Cham people live, there is the dish Tung Lo Mo. In Tri Ton, where many Khmer people live, there are dishes like papaya salad, beef skewers, and palm sugar rice cakes. Besides the cuisine, the temples and shrines, and the spiritual and religious life here are very diverse. The people and lifestyle of the people in the Mekong Delta are also very generous and simple. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more articles and more tourists coming to explore all aspects of the Mekong Delta, especially An Giang," Thanh Bui said.
