The Tasty Delights of Kien Giang: 15 Local Specialties to Savour and Take Home.

Kiên Giang is renowned for its delectable array of specialties, offering a true culinary adventure for travelers. Uncover a tantalizing journey through the 15 most irresistible flavors of Kiên Giang, a true gourmet's paradise, offering an explosion of tastes that will leave you craving more.

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If you ever have the chance to visit Kien Giang, don’t miss out on trying and buying some of the region’s delicious specialties as gifts for your loved ones. Below is a suggestion of 15 Kien Giang specialties that can be meaningful gifts for your loved ones.

1Introduction to Kien Giang Tourism

Kien Giang is a beloved tourist destination in Vietnam, renowned for its delectable cuisine, unique cultural traits, and especially its famous and must-visit attractions.

Introduction to Kien Giang Tourism

2Top 15 Kien Giang Specialties to Try and Buy

Delicacies to Try in Kien Giang

Hot and Sour Shark Soup with Turmeric

Hot and Sour Shark Soup with Turmeric

Shark is a rare and delicious fish, and shark soup is a favorite among locals and tourists alike. Shark meat is highly nutritious and healthy, and when combined with ingredients like pineapple, tomato, okra, or elephant ear stem, the soup’s flavor is enhanced while the fishy smell is eliminated.

Crab Fried Rice in Phu Quoc

Crab Fried Rice in Phu Quoc

Crab fried rice is a must-try dish when visiting Kien Giang. The rice is fried to perfection, creating a fluffy and fragrant dish with the sweetness of fresh crab meat. This dish is nutritious and extremely tasty, served with nuoc mam (fish sauce) and cha (pork sausage), making it even more appealing.

Ha Tien Steamed Rice Noodles

Unlike regular rice noodles, these are steamed instead of boiled, giving them a chewier texture and a more robust flavor.

  • Reference price: VND 15,000-20,000/bowl
  • Reference address: Restaurants along the intersection of Mac Cong Duong and Lam Son Streets, Ha Tien Town, Kien Giang Province

Ha Tien Steamed Rice Noodles

Fish Salad

Fish salad is a famous dish in Kien Giang, and any visitor to the region should try it at least once. Using fresh fish is essential for this dish, and Phu Quoc is abundant in fish, particularly ca trich (silver-stripe round herring), making it the perfect place to enjoy this delicacy.

The dish is served with a special dipping sauce made from mam ruoc (fermented shrimp paste), chili, garlic, and especially Phu Quoc fish sauce, enhancing its impression on diners.

Fish Salad

Phu Quoc Mixed Noodles

This dish gets its name from the fact that diners have to mix the dipping sauce themselves by stirring it for about five minutes to dissolve all the ingredients.

A bowl of mixed noodles includes a variety of seafood such as shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, and fish, making it extremely appealing and mouthwatering. If you have the chance to visit Kien Giang, don’t miss out on trying this dish.

Phu Quoc Mixed Noodles

Kien Giang Specialties to Buy as Gifts

Phu Quoc Fish Sauce

Phu Quoc Fish Sauce

Phu Quoc fish sauce is a renowned specialty of Kien Giang, famous not only in Vietnam but also worldwide for its impressive flavor.

The intricate production process involves using fresh anchovies from Phu Quoc and traditional distillation methods, resulting in a sweet and savory taste in every drop of fish sauce.

Therefore, this specialty is an excellent choice for a meaningful gift for your loved ones when visiting Kien Giang.

Reference price: VND 198,000/liter 43 degrees of protein

Reference address: Khai Hoan Traditional Fish Sauce Store: 11 Hung Vuong Bridge, Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province

Tram Mushrooms

Tram Mushrooms

When it comes to Kien Giang, one cannot forget to mention tram mushrooms, which are abundant in Phu Quoc.

However, these mushrooms are only available during the rainy season when the leaves and bark of the tram tree fall and decompose, creating a nutrient-rich layer for the mushrooms to grow.

Tram mushrooms can be prepared in various delicious dishes, so consider choosing them as a meaningful gift for your family and friends.

Reference price: VND 100,000-150,000/kg

Reference address: Bach Dang Night Market: Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province

Xiem Sticky Rice

Xiem Sticky Rice

Xiem sticky rice is another Kien Giang specialty worth trying when visiting the region.

Made from high-quality Thai sticky rice, steamed to perfection to retain its flavor, and filled with mung beans, pork, and Thai shrimp paste, this dish has a unique sweet and fatty taste.

It will make a great gift for your loved ones.

Reference price: VND 10,000-15,000/pack

Reference address: Ha Tien Night Market: No. 6, Phuong Dai, Ha Tien, Kien Giang Province

Pandan Leaf Tube Cake

Pandan Leaf Tube Cake

This tube-shaped cake is a popular snack in Kien Giang, introduced by the Khmer people long ago.

Made from glutinous rice, grated coconut, pandan leaves, and sesame, the cake has a distinctive pandan fragrance and a delicious blend of coconut and sesame flavors.

If you visit Kien Giang, bring some of these unique and tasty treats back for your loved ones to enjoy.

Reference price: VND 5,000/cake

Reference address: Ha Tien Night Market: No. 6, Phuong Dai, Ha Tien, Kien Giang Province

Ca Xiu

Ca Xiu

Ca Xiu is a type of seafood that lives in the brackish waters of Kien Giang’s coastal areas and is rarely found elsewhere. They may startle you with their long and large whiskers, but they are rich in nutrients and beneficial for health, especially for men.

Usually, ca xiu is salted to prolong its shelf life and make it easier to prepare various dishes. Therefore, consider buying this specialty as a gift for your loved ones when visiting Kien Giang.

Reference price: VND 250,000/kg

Reference address: Ca Xiu Muoi Ha Tien – TRANG: Ha Tien Seafood Market, Ha Tien Town, Kien Giang Province

Thot Not Cake

Thot Not Cake

Thot not cake is another Khmer-origin snack. It is made from thot not fruit, thot not sugar, and rice flour.

The process of making this cake is quite intricate, involving grating the thot not fruit, mixing it with fermented rice flour and thot not sugar, wrapping it in banana leaves, and steaming it with pandan leaves to enhance its fragrance.

If you’re unsure what specialty to choose as a gift for your friends and family, consider this delicious cake.

Reference price: VND 5,000/cake

Reference address: Kien Giang’s markets or specialty shops

Phu Quoc Sim Wine

Phu Quoc Sim Wine

When in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang, don’t miss out on this specialty drink. The process of making sim wine is intricate, using wild sim berries and combining traditional fermentation methods with modern technology to create a wine with an impressive flavor.

You can buy this excellent specialty as a gift for your loved ones after your trip to Kien Giang.

Reference price: VND 140,000-200,000/60ml bottle

Reference address: Sim Bay Gao Wine Production Establishment: 124 April 30 Street, Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province

Phu Quoc Pepper

Frequently asked questions

Kien Giang, a province in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, offers a plethora of delicious local specialties that are unique to the area. When visiting Kien Giang, make sure to indulge in the following dishes: Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Rieu Cua), Elephant Ear Fish in Caramel Sauce (Cá Hô Tẩm Nước Mắm Nóng), Grilled Snakehead Fish (Cá Lóc Nướng Trui), and Sweet and Sour Soup with Shrimp (Canh Chua Tôm). These dishes showcase the region’s fresh seafood and unique culinary techniques.

For a mouthwatering bowl of Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Rieu Cua), head to any local street food market or roadside restaurant (commonly known as ‘com binh dan’ eateries) in Kien Giang. This dish is a specialty in the region, and you’ll find countless vendors serving up their own twist on this flavorful soup.

Elephant Ear Fish in Caramel Sauce (Cá Hô Tẩm Nước Mắm Nóng) is a standout dish in Kien Giang due to its unique preparation. The fish, which is native to the Mekong River, is first marinated in a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, and spices, then quickly fried to create a caramelized coating. This results in a dish that’s both sweet and savory, with a delicate texture.

Yes, Kien Giang offers some delicious vegetarian options among its local specialties. One standout dish is the Stir-fried Morning Glory with Garlic (Rau Muống Xào Tỏi). This simple yet flavorful dish showcases the region’s fresh produce and is a common side dish in many meals.

When it comes to souvenirs, Kien Giang offers a variety of options that showcase the region’s culture and cuisine. Consider bringing home local specialties such as fish sauce (nước mắm) from the Phu Quoc island district, which is renowned for its high quality. Dried seafood products, such as shrimp paste (mắm tôm) and dried squid (mực khô), are also unique to the region and make great gifts. Additionally, look out for handcrafted items like woven mats and baskets made from local materials.

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