TasteAtlas, an online platform specializing in traditional cuisine and local restaurants worldwide, updated its list of Mekong Delta delicacies on 21/9. In addition to six soup and stew dishes introduced earlier in August, the site added seven more dishes for tourists to explore when traveling in this river region.

Lemongrass Chicken

Lemongrass and chili chicken tops the list of delicacies in the Mekong Delta region suggested by TasteAtlas. The dish is often served with steamed rice or fresh rice vermicelli. Depending on individual preferences, coconut milk can be added to enhance the flavor.

Sour Soup (Canh Chua)

Sour soup is a signature dish of the southwestern Mekong Delta, characterized by a harmonious blend of sour, sweet, and salty flavors. The main ingredients include fish (such as snakehead fish, catfish, or basa fish), shrimp, or eel, along with vegetables and fruits like tomatoes, okra, pineapple, bean sprouts, tamarind, and various herbs.

This soup is usually served with fresh rice vermicelli or steamed rice. Photo: Bui Thuy

Puffed Rice Cakes (Banh Phong No)

Puffed rice cakes, ranked third on the list, are a traditional snack of the Mekong Delta people. These crispy cakes are made using a technique dating back decades.

Whole grain rice with husks is roasted in a large pan until it pops. After removing the sand and husks, the puffed rice is mixed with sugar syrup, creating a chewy, sweet snack. Photo: MB

Banh Cong (Deep-fried Rice Flour Cake)

This Soc Trang specialty scores points for its combination of the creamy texture of mung beans, the sweetness of shrimp and pork, and a crispy outer layer. It's a popular snack, often enjoyed in the afternoon or evening. The ingredients include mung beans, shrimp, rice flour, baking powder, onions, and spices. Banh Cong is usually served with sweet and sour fish sauce, arranged on lettuce leaves, and garnished with herbs and pickled vegetables for added flavor. Photo: Khanh Thien

Chau Doc Fish Sauce Hotpot (Lau Mam Chau Doc)

Chau Doc fish sauce hotpot is a specialty originating from Chau Doc city, An Giang province. The broth is made from various types of fermented fish sauce, such as snakehead fish sauce, linh fish sauce, and tren fish sauce, resulting in a naturally sweet and salty flavor. Snakehead fish sauce is considered the soul of the hotpot, made from fermented snakehead fish with pineapple, rice wine, lemongrass, salt, and star fruit.

When the broth boils, a variety of Mekong Delta ingredients are added, such as squid, shrimp, eel, linh fish, vegetables, sesbania flowers, and other freshwater fish. Photo: Bui Thuy

Crispy Fried Giant Gourami (Ca Tai Tuong Chien Xu)

This dish features giant gourami, a specialty fish from the Mekong River. The fish is deep-fried until golden and crispy, and can be enjoyed as is or wrapped in fresh herbs and rice paper. Before serving, crushed roasted peanuts and lime wedges are added to enhance the distinctive Mekong Delta flavor. Photo: Tuan Anh

Coconut Rice with Fried Shrimp (Com Dua Tep Rang)

Coconut rice with fried shrimp is a traditional dish from Ben Tre province. The rice is cooked inside a coconut and served with fried shrimp.

Chefs use coconut milk to soak the rice, then pour it back into the coconut along with carrots, onions, herbs, lotus seeds, peas, or chopped squid. After steaming, the coconut rice with fried shrimp offers a rich, sweet, and fragrant flavor, typical of the Mekong Delta. This dish is available at most eateries in Ben Tre and on the menus of local restaurants and tourist spots. Photo: Man Moi

Tuan Anh (Source: TasteAtlas)