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Top 10 Must Try Foods In Ha Giang
Ha Giang, the northernmost province of Vietnam, is a desired travel destination for many because of its majestic karst mountains, impressive passes that challenge even the bravest travelers, ethereal lilac fields of buckwheat flowers and shimmering golden terraced rice fields. Other than immaculate landscapes, this place is also blessed with a plethora of amazing dishes that can be found nowhere else.
From rustic rice dishes that embody the mountainous region to hearty and unique soups made from horse organs, let’s go through the top 10 best dishes to try while visiting Ha Giang.
Five-color Sticky Rice
Five-Color Sticky Rice, known as "Xoi Ngu Sac" in Vietnamese, is a visually stunning and delicious traditional Vietnamese dessert or snack. As the name suggests, it's characterized by its vibrant and distinct colors.
Xoi Ngu Sac is prepared by mixing glutinous rice with natural colorings to create five distinct colors making it visually appealing. Each color is obtained from natural ingredients, which also adds subtle and different flavors to each serving of colored sticky rice. The five traditional colors of xôi ngũ sắc are: green (pandan), yellow (curcumin), red (gac fruit), purple (Vietnamese purple rice) and white (plain glutinous rice).
Five Color Sticky Rice
Steamed Egg Banh Cuon
You may be familiar with traditional Banh Cuon, which consists of steamed rice rolls filled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms.
This dish is similar to the typical Banh Cuon but raw eggs are added to the rice flour before cooking them, the batter is then spread thinly on a specialized steamer. It is eaten with a hot soup with cha and aromatic herbs. Banh Cuon Trung is a dish typical of Vietnamese mountainous regions and often served as breakfast.
Banh Cuon Trung
Au Tau Porridge
Chao Au Tau is a very unique rice porridge made from Au Tau, which is actually a very toxic plant, but the preparation makes it harmless, and mixing it with two types of rice - sticky and classic - and meat and spices, makes an excellent and healthy soup. Chao Au Tau is only served at night, this is because it is nutritious and can help you fall asleep.
However, there are a few do’s and don'ts when it comes to this dish. Do only eat this dish in reputable restaurants to make sure the Au Tau is carefully processed. Don’t eat pears right after eating Au Tau Porridge because according to Vietnamese traditional medicine, pears and Au Tau have opposing energies.
Au Tau Porridge
Thang Co
Thang Co is a traditional and hearty soup or stew that originates from the Hmong people of the Northern mountainous regions of Vietnam, particularly in Ha Giang. Thang Co is typically made with various types of meat, often horse meat or buffalo meat. Other ingredients commonly used in Thang Co include organs like intestines, liver, and stomach, as well as a variety of vegetables and herbs. Herbs and spices like lemongrass, cardamom, ginger, and chili peppers are used to season the dish.
Thang Co is often served in a communal style, with a big pot placed in the center of the table. The dish is typically accompanied by fresh herbs, vegetables, and dipping sauces to enhance the flavors and textures. People often enjoy Thang Co with rice or rice noodles.
Thang Co is an acquired taste for its use of less popular ingredients and complex flavor profile, but to a lot of people this dish could be very fragrant and satisfying, especially during the cooler months.
Thang Co
Thang Den
Thang Den is a sweet and simple dessert, often enjoyed by the local people and visitors alike. It is typically made from glutinous rice flour and sugar, which has a similar appearance and taste to Hanoi’s Banh Troi.
Thang Den primarily consists of little bite-sized cakes made from glutinous rice flour and sugar, with a filling of red bean or mung bean paste and served with a warm sweetened soup. Sometimes, additional ingredients like sesame seeds, ginger and crushed peanuts are incorporated to add flavor and texture. Thang Den has a sweet taste with a slightly chewy and doughy texture, making it a delightful treat to nibble on. The sesame seeds add a nutty crunch and complement the sweetness of the cake.
Thang Den
Buckwheat Cake
When mentioning Buckwheat and Ha Giang, beautiful lilac flowers are usually the first thing that comes to mind. But did you know that buckwheat can also be used to make a delicious cake that can only be found in Ha Giang?
After every buckwheat flower season, the locals would harvest buckwheat seeds, then sun dry and dehulled them. The seeds are processed manually and meticulously so that the buckwheat powder could be smooth. The powder is then mixed with water to make the cake batter, molded then grilled. Even after being grilled, buckwheat cake still retains its original purple color and aroma, and has a soft and spongy texture.
Buckwheat Cake
Sour Pho
Sour Pho, or Pho Chua in Vietnamese, is a dish originated in Lang Son but is now found in most northern provinces and particularly Ha Giang. Unlike typical Pho which is a noodle soup with beef or chicken, Sour Pho is eaten with pork and a special sweet and sour sauce.
Pho Chua is prepared using a variety of different ingredients, starting off with pho noodles at the bottom of the bowl, then cucumber and char siu pork, then fried sweet potato wedges, peanuts and fried onions, then the magic sauce that is made from fish sauce, vinegar and sugar. Mix them well and you should get a delicious dish that is the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, salty and tangy.
Sour Pho
Smoked Buffalo Meat
Smoked Buffalo Meat or “Thit trau gac bep” is a traditional Vietnamese dish that literally translates to “buffalo meat in the upstairs kitchen”. This is a typical food found in the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam and particularly in Ha Giang. The main ingredient is buffalo meat and sometimes pork.
Traditionally, pieces of fatty pork are used to obtain a tender and juicy texture. Spices usually include garlic, shallot, chili pepper, lemongrass, turmeric powder, salt, pepper and other local herbs and spices. Fish sauce is often used to marinate meat and add flavor to the dish. This dish is usually served at parties, family celebrations or other special events.
Thit Trau Gac Bep
Lon Cap Nach - Pig Held In Armpit
Lon Cap Nach, whose name came from the fact that locals usually hold the pigs on their side to carry them to the market, is a unique and cultural dish of Ha Giang. The pigs raised for this dish are smaller, weighing from 5-10 kg, and raised in a free-range manner which allow them to roam freely, resulting in more chewy and flavorful meat compared to commercially raised pigs.
There are many ways to make this dish, but the most common one is grilled. The meat is grilled with herbs and seasoned with a combination of spices like cumin, ginger and a special local spice called “hat doi” which makes this dish all the more special and authentic to Ha Giang.
Lon Cap Nach
Com Lam - Steamed Sticky Rice In Bamboo Tubes
Com Lam, or steamed sticky rice in bamboo tubes, is a traditional Vietnamese dish that features sticky rice cooked inside bamboo tubes, imparting a distinctive flavor and aroma to the rice. Com Lam is prepared by placing glutinous rice and other desired ingredients into bamboo tubes. The tubes are then sealed at one end, and the rice is roasted or cooked over an open flame. As the rice cooks, it absorbs the natural aroma of the bamboo, giving it a unique and earthy flavor. The bamboo also imparts a slightly smoky note to the rice.
Com Lam is usually served with Muoi Vung - a mixture of salt, sesame and peanuts - to enhance the flavor and to add a crunchy texture. Some variations of the Com Lam also include coconut milk and sugar for an added sweetness.
Com Lam
Final Thoughts
Above are some of the most delicious but affordable dishes in Ha Giang that you definitely should try. You can also find these dishes in Ha Giang’s local markets which are held weekly, among other local specialties and products. It’s a perfect way to try these delicacies and explore local cultures at the same time.
If you want to visit Ha Giang and try these amazing foods, these articles may be useful:
=> Ha Giang Loop Tour Prices: Everything you need to know
