The unique and delicious dishes have created a colorful tapestry for Tuyen Quang's cuisine, becoming a highlight that attracts tourists from near and far.
1. Mineral Spring Sausage
When mentioning famous specialties of Tuyen Quang cuisine, one cannot overlook Suoi Khoang sausage. This is a familiar daily dish for the people of this region. The sausage is made from black pork. After marinating, the meat is stuffed into black pork intestines. Then, it is sun-dried until the surface is dry and then air-dried in the kitchen attic. When dry, the sausage has a distinctive red color and a strong aroma of forest spices. This is a food that can be stored for a long time. So if you have the opportunity to visit Tuyen Quang, you can buy this as a gift.
2. Lo River Catfish Salad
Lo River catfish salad is a must-try dish when exploring Tuyen Quang's cuisine. Catfish is a characteristic fish of this region, known for its sweet, firm flesh. It's used in many delicious dishes, but among them, catfish salad remains a favorite.
Catfish salad is quite easy to eat and not at all fishy. It's served with onions and a little fresh herbs. The dressing must be perfectly seasoned and flavorful to help reduce the fishy taste while preserving the sweetness of the fish.
3. Buffalo skin salad
If you're a travel enthusiast who loves Tuyen Quang, you're probably familiar with buffalo skin salad. It's a popular local specialty. To make this dish, the buffalo skin, after being peeled, is cleaned, soaked in water, and boiled for about two hours until soft. For a delicious salad, the skin must be thinly sliced, then seasoned with spices such as coriander, mắc khén (a type of spice), roasted peanuts, etc. Buffalo skin salad has a delightful crunchy and chewy texture.
4. Sticky rice cake with ant egg filling
Sticky rice cake with ant egg filling is a popular spring dish of the Tay ethnic group in Tuyen Quang. Its impressive flavor is loved by many. The cake has a chewy texture from the sticky rice, a distinctive fig leaf aroma, and the rich, creamy taste of ant eggs.
5. Minh Huong Muscovy Duck
Minh Huong Muscovy duck is a famous duck breed from Tuyen Quang. This breed has firm, flavorful meat that isn't too soft, and it can be prepared into many delicious dishes. If you enjoy exploring regional cuisines in Tuyen Quang, this is a great suggestion for you!
6. Dried bamboo shoots
Dried bamboo shoots from Tuyen Quang are quite nutritious and are usually harvested, then thoroughly dried and preserved for long-term use. You can buy dried bamboo shoots anywhere when visiting this region and can bring them back as gifts for relatives.
7. Bamboo Rice
Bamboo rice is a famous specialty of the ethnic minorities in Tuyen Quang in particular and the Northwest mountainous region in general. This dish is made from glutinous rice, placed in bamboo tubes, leaving about 2-3 cm from the top. Then water is added and the lid is closed. This lid is made from tightly rolled banana leaves, then sealed with just enough leaves. The bamboo rice is roasted over a fire. When cooked, it emits a fragrant aroma. People often eat bamboo rice with sour pork from the highlands or dip it in peanuts and sesame seeds, which is incredibly delicious.
8. Five-Colored Sticky Rice
Five-colored sticky rice is made from mountain-grown glutinous rice, boasting a delicious aroma and chewy texture. The colors are created using various leaves and fruits, ensuring quality, freshness, and a distinctive flavor. This dish also embodies the rich cultural identity of the Tay ethnic group in Tuyen Quang.
9. Black Pork
For the people of Tuyen Quang province, black pork is probably a familiar dish. The pork from this region has the advantage of being raised in a natural environment, resulting in firm, flavorful meat that doesn't release much water when cooked. It's the perfect ingredient for many delicious dishes in Tuyen Quang cuisine.
This pork is used in many dishes such as stir-fried pork, grilled pork, etc. No matter how it's prepared, this pork retains its deliciousness, succulent texture, and inherent tenderness.
10. Banh Khao
Banh Khao is a local specialty made from glutinous rice flour and rock sugar. The filling consists of pork fat, black sesame seeds or peanuts, and is pressed tightly into a rectangular shape. The crust has a slightly sweet taste, while the filling is rich, creamy, and nutty. Banh Khao is often purchased by tourists as a souvenir after their trips.
11. Chiêm Hóa Sticky Rice Cake
Sticky rice cake is a rather impressive dish from Tuyên Quang province. The recipe varies depending on the region, so the taste can sometimes differ. Authentic Tuyên Quang sticky rice cake is made from glutinous rice, thorny leaves, mung bean filling, pork, and wrapped in dried banana leaves. When eaten, you'll experience the chewy texture of the rice, the sweet and rich flavor of the pork and mung bean filling. The more you eat, the more you'll become addicted to this delightful treat.
12. Fermented Rice Field Fish Paste
Fermented rice field fish paste is one of the dishes that has made Tuyen Quang cuisine famous. It is also considered a useful remedy for detoxification and hangover relief. The preparation of this dish is quite elaborate: first, the fish must be raised for about 3 months, then fermented for 10 months to produce a high-quality paste. Good quality paste should contain whole fish, have a purplish-red color, and a fragrant aroma.
13. Ham Yen Mandarin Oranges
Ham Yen mandarin oranges have long been a "culinary brand" of Tuyen Quang province. This variety is juicy, sweet, and highly nutritious, making it popular among many people. With its benefits and delicious flavor, Ham Yen mandarin oranges remain a highly sought-after fruit.
