Hoa Binh is not only known to many tourists for its majestic and poetic mountain scenery, like Da Bac Cave, Kim Boi hot springs, Vua Ba Spring, Thung Nai, but also for its distinctive cuisine, characteristic of the Northwestern ethnic groups.
Talking about the culinary traits and production activities of the Muong people is to mention a very typical saying: “Cơm đồ, nhà gác, nước vác, lợn thui, ngày lui, tháng tới”. For the Muong, with an economy primarily based on wet rice cultivation, sticky rice and upland rice are indispensable, representing a significant culinary meaning to thank nature for a bountiful harvest. Join RuudNguyen.com in exploring the delicious dishes of this region.
Delicious dishes of Hoa Binh
Grilled Fish from Da River
Fish caught from the Da River are prepared in a rather simple way. After being cleaned, they are soaked in saltwater to cleanse the insides. Before grilling, the fish is rubbed with salt all over its body and grilled for many hours.
Grilled fish on bamboo skewers can be easily found everywhere when traveling in Thung Nai (Collected Photo)
The grilled fish is placed on green banana leaves, accompanied by young dracontomelon leaves, piper lolot, and cinnamomum leaves, and dipped in green chili salt. The fish is delicious with firm meat, crispy skin, slightly charred edges, and the right amount of saltiness. The sweet fish meat dipped in salt, wrapped in piper lolot leaves, not only eliminates the fishy taste but also enriches its flavor, making it increasingly delicious with each bite. The fragrant aroma of charcoal, the salty taste of the salt, and the delightful scent of bamboo and fish make it an irresistible dish for visitors.
Hoa Binh’s Hill-Tribe Pork
Hoa Binh hill-tribe pork (also known as ‘mán’ pork) is a small pig breed, a crossbreed between wild boars and domestic pigs. This pork is free-range on low hills, making it more fragrant and firmer than regular domestic pork. The pigs forage for their own food, resulting in firm, tender meat with less fat and no greasiness. Therefore, the meat quality of this pig breed is highly regarded for its deliciousness.
Hill-Tribe Pork from Hoa Binh (Collected Photo)
Unlike ordinary domestic pigs, hill-tribe pigs are quite small, typically weighing around 10kg, with very firm meat due to being free-range. In some places, these pigs are also kept as pets as they are clean and adorable. A distinctive feature of hill-tribe pork is its thick black skin, thin fat layer, and firm, flavorful meat. Therefore, this pork is sold at a high price, sometimes reaching several hundred thousand VND per kilogram.
Originally wild boars, hill-tribe pigs were domesticated by the Muong ethnic people and have become an essential part of daily life. Initially bred for food, over time hill-tribe pork has become a part of the cultural and culinary uniqueness of the Northwest mountain region.
Free-Range Chicken from Thung Nai
In the highland terrain of Thung Nai, the chickens are truly free-range, resulting in meat that is firmer and more flavorful compared to chickens raised in the lowlands. Besides being part of the main meals, you can also ask the homestays to prepare a few chickens (depending on the number of people) for grilling in the evening.
Grilled Chicken over Charcoal in Thung Nai (Collected Photo)
After being marinated with spices by the Muong ethnic people, the chicken is clamped onto sticks and grilled over hot coals until golden brown and ready to eat.
Sour Salted Pork
A special delicacy from the mountainous region of Hoa Binh, this dish is not hard to prepare but requires meticulous attention in its preparation. For the best sour salted pork, the meat is chosen from the belly of free-range pigs. After slicing, the pork is marinated with salt and ground dried galangal, then mixed with sticky rice wine and ground forest yeast leaves to ensure thorough absorption. An indispensable ingredient is ‘thinh’, made from roasted and finely ground rice.
Sour Salted Pork in Hoa Binh (Collected Photo)
After mixing the pork with roasted rice (‘thinh’) and spices, it’s then fermented. Instead of bamboo or nipa tubes, a bamboo basket lined with banana leaves is used to ferment the sour pork. Layers of ground roasted rice mixed with salt are alternated with layers of marinated meat until the basket is full. The final step is to hang the basket of sour pork in a wood-fired kitchen to ferment for one to two weeks. The distinctive taste of this dish comes from the naturally fermented sourness, the sweetness of Muong pork, and the rich flavor of the pork skin.
In Hoa Binh, sour salted pork from Thung Nai is served during festivals, weddings, large parties, or to honor special guests. Nowadays, this dish has become a culinary trademark of Hoa Binh, so visitors should not miss trying this special dish.
Bamboo Cooked Rice
The origins of this unique dish are unknown, but it is well known that mountainous region inhabitants often carry rice with them when venturing into the forest. When hungry, they chop bamboo or nứa tubes found along the way, fill them with a bit of rice and some stream water, and then grill these tubes to make a meal.
This simple preparation method has elevated bamboo cooked rice to a special delicacy in the mountainous areas. While this dish is common across the Northwestern region among the Tay, Thai, Nung, Hmong, and Muong ethnic groups, it is particularly renowned in Hoa Binh for its unique and fragrant upland rice variety.
Bamboo Cooked Rice in Mai Chau (Collected Photo)
Visiting Mai Chau, it’s easy to come across the traditional bamboo cooked rice. Today, the method of making bamboo cooked rice has slightly changed; it’s no longer just a meal for sustenance but has become a touristic attraction. Despite this evolution, its traditional value is unmistakable, still reflecting the essence of local culture. Bamboo cooked rice is often served with chicken, smoked meat, or pickled bamboo shoots, but the best way to enjoy it is simply with sesame salt.
The bamboo tubes used in Hoa Binh are smaller and have a distinct taste compared to those from other mountainous regions like Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, and Lang Son. Hoa Binh’s bamboo cooked rice lacks peanuts or beans but is uniquely flavored with coconut and coconut milk, adding the aroma of local sugar cane and forest leaves.
Colored Sticky Rice
The colored sticky rice is made from various grasses. The layers of rice are arranged by color – red at the bottom, followed by green, yellow, purple, and white on top. Once cooked, it’s either mixed or served separately, presenting a visually appealing multi-colored dish with diverse flavors.
Colored Sticky Rice from Mai Chau (Collected Photo)
Mai Chau’s colored sticky rice is cooked from various naturally sourced ingredients, each contributing a different hue. This dish is a distinctive representation of the ethnic culinary culture across Vietnam.
Mixed Wild Greens and Herbs
Mixed wild greens and herbs is a traditional dish of the Muong people, reflecting their ancient foraging practices. This dish combines various wild greens like mustard greens, dock leaves, wild amaranth, purslane, banana flowers, and betel leaves.
These greens are cleaned, finely chopped, mixed with a bit of salt, and steamed for about 15-20 minutes until fragrant, indicating they are cooked. The simple process of gathering, preparing, and cooking these greens is unique, but what makes the dish special is the combination of diverse wild greens. It’s typically served with a special Muong dipping sauce made from rice wine mixed with fish innards and chili.
Mixed Wild Greens and Herbs (Collected Photo)
Mixed wild greens and herbs, a popular dish, is commonly prepared with a variety of ingredients including ginger, chili, tomatoes, rice wine, fermented rice, dill, spring onions, and fish innards. This combination follows the yin and yang harmony principle. The fish’s cold nature is balanced by the warmth of chili and ginger, also neutralizing any fishy smell.
Not just a dish, the betel leaves in this meal effectively treat cold-induced stomach aches. The Muong people frequently enjoy this dish in their daily meals.
Bitter Bamboo Shoots
Delicious bamboo shoots are young sprouts from bamboo, mai, and similar families, about 1-2 finger joints in length, with the rest buried underground. Hoa Binh boasts a variety of bamboo shoots, from finger-sized to as large as a calf. Each type has its unique preparation method and taste.
Bitter Bamboo Shoots from Hoa Binh, Perfect as a Souvenir (Collected Photo)
The bamboo shoots, once peeled, reveal a smooth, white interior. Spring, when bees collect nectar, is the sweetest season. Young bamboo shoots then start to emerge from the ground, a time when their bitterness begins to develop. The bitterness increases as the outer layer changes from white to green, especially after the first spring thunder.
Sour Bamboo Shoots with Chicken
Locals ferment fresh bamboo shoots to make sour bamboo. For giang bamboo, they are cut into finger-sized pieces, while for mai and regular bamboo, only the tender parts are used, either finely chopped or thinly sliced.
Sour Bamboo Shoot Chicken with Doi Seeds, Irresistibly Delicious (Collected Photo)
After slicing the bamboo, it’s soaked in clean water for about 24 hours to remove any bitterness or pungent smell. Then it’s washed and soaked in salt water for 2-3 days to ferment. Once the water turns cloudy like rice water and tastes sour, the bamboo is ready to use. Properly fermented sour bamboo maintains the fresh bamboo’s white color without any yellow scum.
The distinctiveness of this sour bamboo comes from being fermented with stream water, enhancing its unique flavor. It can be stored in jars for years yet remains white and aromatic when taken out. A special ingredient that can’t be missed is doi seeds, known for their unique, slightly pungent aroma. Chicken sour soup is incomplete without these seeds. When roasted over hot coals, the crushed seeds are sprinkled over the steaming, aromatic bowl of soup.
Pomelo Leaf Wrapped Pork Patties
The pork patty, a common dish among the Muong people, is uniquely wrapped in pomelo leaves in this region. Typically, pomelo leaves like local, wild, or sour varieties are chosen for their strong, spicy, and rich aroma. The dish is best enjoyed hot, offering a unique taste experience.
Muong-Style Pomelo Leaf Wrapped Pork Patties (Collected Photo)
Pomelo leaf wrapped pork patties are a specialty of the Muong people in Hoa Binh, providing a rich and unique flavor. The first taste reveals the spicy and aromatic essence of the pomelo leaves, blended with the sweet flavor of pork and spices, creating a soft and delicious patty. Particularly, these patties taste best when dipped in chili salt accompanied by roasted doi seeds.
Buffalo Meat Cooked with Lom Leaves
Buffalo meat cooked with lom leaves is a Muong delicacy in Hoa Binh, evoking a sense of warmth, familiarity, and deliciousness, deeply connected to the life and customs of the Muong people for generations. This simple dish stands out in Muong cuisine, particularly for the distinctive flavor of lom leaves.
Buffalo Meat Cooked with Lom Leaves (Collected Photo)
Buffalo meat cooked with lom leaves is a common dish in Hoa Binh’s feast menus. Though not complex in preparation, the choice of ingredients is critical. Buffalo meat, known for its distinctive smell, transforms when cooked with lom leaves into a uniquely aromatic dish. The initial tart and sour taste of the lom leaves cuts through the meat’s strong flavor, followed by tender, well-cooked meat richly infused with savory spices. This dish is a Muong ethnic specialty in Hoa Binh.
Grilled pork with wild betel leaves (chả rau đáu)
The Muong people say that “Chả rau đáu” is a traditional dish and a specialty of Hoa Binh. This dish is commonly used during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) and continues to be favored by many people to this day.
“Chả rau đáu” (Collected Photo)
To create the unique “Chả rau đáu”, local residents must trek for miles, spending an entire day near forest streams to gather fresh and properly flavored wild greens. The rarity of these wild greens means that even esteemed guests of the homeowners may miss the chance to savor this extraordinary dish without prior arrangement.
Banana Stalk Soup (Canh loóng chuối)
This soup is simple to prepare and requires basic ingredients, making it less complicated than many other dishes. The Muong people gather ingredients such as moderately young banana stalks, pork bones or pork shank, betel leaves, perilla leaves picked from the forest or home gardens, and doi seeds. These ingredients are readily available and self-sufficient; even the pork shank is locally bred, ensuring freshness.
For preparing, choose banana stalks of gòng variety, neither too young nor too old, using the middle section while discarding the top and bottom parts. The stalks are peeled to reveal the tender white core, which is then thinly sliced and soaked in water to remove sap and maintain its whiteness. The gong banana variety is commonly cultivated around Muong homes, along streams, and at the forest edge.
Can wine
This traditional Vietnamese beverage is a staple in the cultural and social gatherings of the Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh province. Can wine is uniquely prepared and consumed using communal pipes, creating a distinctive and shared drinking experience. This traditional method of wine production and consumption is a significant aspect of the Muong culture in Hoa Binh.
Uoi Cake
Uoi cake is a simple, yet symbolic representation of love and affection. Essential in every Muong family’s festive and Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) feasts, this cake holds a special place in their culinary culture. Uoi cake, a specialty of the Muong people in Hoa Binh, is known by various names like ‘love cake,’ ‘pair cake,’ ‘spouse cake,’ or ‘unity cake.’ It’s a source of pride for the Muong community, embodying a unique aspect of their gastronomic heritage.
Uoi cake is often present during important ceremonies of the Mường people (Collected Photo)
In the Muong language, Uoi cake is called “peẻng Uôi”. No one knows exactly when Uoi cake originated, not even the elderly in the village. It is known that the cake has been passed down through many generations. During festival days and Tet, this cake is an indispensable item on the feast table in Muong families in Hoa Binh.
Specialties from Hoa Binh to Buy as Gifts
Wampee Fruit
Wampee (Clausena lansium) is a type of woody plant, about 3 – 5 meters tall, commonly grown or found in the northern provinces of our country. Wampee is also known by other names such as ‘hoàng bì’, ‘quất bì’, ‘kim đạn tử’, ‘do bì’, ‘do mai’… Its scientific name is Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels, belonging to the citrus family. Not only delicious, this fruit also has many health benefits
The Wampee dish is a specialty here (Collected Photo)
For an unknown time, the wampee tree in Dan Hoa commune (Ky Son, Hoa Binh) has become an indispensable fruit tree in the gardens of the locals. Some households grow as few as 5 – 6 trees, while others cultivate up to several dozen, even hundreds.
July marks the harvest season for wampee. Hundreds of wampee selling points along the National Highway 6, from Dan Hoa commune through Dan Ha to Ky Son town (Ky Son), bustle with buyers. With a limited supply, almost only those who visit Dan Hoa during this period have the opportunity to enjoy these uniquely flavored, thick-fleshed, and extremely sweet wampee clusters.
Cao Phong Oranges
Oranges are known as a type of fruit tree belonging to the same family as grapefruits. Its scientific name is Citrus sinensis. Oranges are smaller than grapefruits, with thin peel, and turn orange when ripe, usually tasting sweet or slightly sour. The taste of oranges varies from sweet to sour, containing vitamin A, calcium, and fiber.
Cao Phong Oranges (Collected Photo)
The orange varieties grown in Cao Phong district all originate from other places. Regarding its characteristics, Cao Phong oranges can be cultivated in areas with low hills and mountains. They are typically grown at an altitude of about 300 meters above sea level. Additionally, they are surrounded by limestone mountain ranges, with thick, airy, and nutrient-rich soil layers. Cao Phong orange trees are suitable for areas with a mild climate, where the temperature is 3 – 4 degrees Celsius lower than other places.
Hoa Binh Purple Sugarcane
You will encounter many sugarcane stalls along National Highway 6 (Collected Photo)
This plant variety has a dark purple color, with a glossy and smooth stem, and long in size, offering a sweet and aromatic taste. It is one of the simple, rustic items that many people visiting Hoa Binh choose to buy as gifts. The most famous Hoa Binh sugarcane is Phong Phu sugarcane (Tan Lac). The plants are large, nearly 2 meters tall, with few nodes. The sugarcane is soft and sweet without being harsh, and it has a distinctive aroma.
Tan Lac Red Grapefruit
Tan Lac Red Grapefruit has the sweetness of sugarcane and the fragrance of golden rice harvest seasons, leaving an unforgettable impression on those who taste it. In the traditional Vietnamese concept of the Five Elements – metal, wood, water, fire, and earth – the grapefruit represents the earth element, symbolizing the center of all things and abundance. Therefore, in the Tet (Vietnamese New Year) fruit tray, the grapefruit is respectfully placed right in the center, symbolizing fullness and prosperity.
Tan Lac Red Grapefruit (Collected Photo)
This is a variety of grapefruit with round fruit, yellow skin, which turns golden yellow with a pink blush when ripe. The flesh turns red-pink when ripe, weighing just about 1kg. The segments and walls are easily separable, and the red-pink grapefruit segments are juicy, crisp, sweet without any bitterness.
Lac Son Honey
Bees are raised in the highland commune of Tu Do (Lac Son). The honey from this area is pure, thick, and has a fragrant aroma of mountain flowers and wildflowers. The local beekeepers reveal that to harvest pure honey, one must prepare all necessary equipment including honey extractors, filtering funnels, honey spinning drums, bee brushes, cutting knives, smoke sprayers, gloves, lid cutting trays, and bee frame transfer boxes…
Lac Son Honey (Collected Photo)
Before spinning the honey, all equipment must be washed clean and dried. The appropriate time to spin is when the bees have capped 60 – 70% of the honeycomb. During honey extraction, the beekeeping process must be carefully managed to ensure the queen bee’s safety. The honeycomb frame is always kept in a vertical position, with the arm held steady, vigorously shaking from the wrist to make the worker bees fall to the bottom of the container. Continuous shaking is necessary to prevent the bees from returning to the frame.
Pa Co Snow Shan Tea
Few people know that Mai Chau has a rather famous Shan Tuyet tea (Collected Photo)
The tea trees in Pa Co land were originally nurtured by the Thai Bao La people. After they left, the care of these trees was passed on to the Hmong people. It was recorded that over 100 years ago, Lefevre Pontalis, a French explorer, conducted a survey on tea production and trade along the Da River in the northern mountains of Vietnam, from Hanoi through Cho Bo (Hoa Binh), Moc Chau, Lai Chau, Muong Te, and then to China. Perhaps, this unique Pa Co Snow Shan tea had once traveled with traders to far-off regions and lands.
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