Jellyfish are aquatic creatures with translucent, tentacled bodies and numerous health benefits. They are commonly found in the coastal regions of Nam Dinh and Hai Phong, with the red jellyfish being considered a “sea delicacy” due to its cooling and anti-inflammatory properties. Red jellyfish are believed to relieve heat-induced headaches and itchiness caused by prickly heat.
Red jellyfish, a specialty of Hai Phong’s seafood cuisine.
Red jellyfish, after being cleaned, can be prepared in a variety of dishes such as jellyfish salad and jellyfish noodles, but the most popular way to enjoy it is as a salad. In simpler terms, this dish involves consuming the jellyfish raw, accompanied by various vegetables and a delicious dipping sauce.
During the red jellyfish season, this salad becomes a popular Hai Phong street food, loved by both locals and tourists. The jellyfish itself is rather tasteless, but the combination of ingredients such as coconut flesh, shredded vegetables, and tofu, along with a dipping sauce made from fermented rice vinegar, fish sauce, or shrimp paste, creates an irresistible flavor.
The red jellyfish salad is akin to a delicious sashimi dish.
When eating, diners wrap the jellyfish, coconut flesh, and fried tofu in aromatic herbs such as Vietnamese balm and perilla, then dip it in shrimp paste or fermented rice vinegar. What sets this Hai Phong delicacy apart is that despite the jellyfish’s lack of flavor, when combined with other ingredients, it creates an indescribably appealing dish. Each bite of the red jellyfish is a burst of crispness and juiciness, providing a refreshing sensation.
Preparing a delicious red jellyfish salad requires a meticulous and laborious process. The ingredients include fresh or soaked red jellyfish, coconut flesh, tofu, tomatoes, fermented rice vinegar, grated ginger, sugar, seasoning powder, chili, tapioca flour, and various herbs such as basil, sung leaves, perilla, Vietnamese balm, pennywort, sour star fruit, and green bananas.
Don’t miss out on tasting the red jellyfish salad in June, when it’s at its best.
This Hai Phong delicacy, made from red jellyfish, is not always available, and you can’t enjoy it whenever you want. The red jellyfish season in the port city typically lasts from the beginning of summer to the end of June, with the jellyfish being caught during the first four months of summer. Therefore, the street vendors selling jellyfish dishes are only open until the end of August each year, so if you miss the summer season, you’ll have to wait until the following year to taste the authentic red jellyfish dish of Hai Phong.
If you’re in Hanoi and want to try this seafood specialty, here are some renowned establishments:
Cu Gai’s Red Jellyfish Salad
Cu Gai’s restaurant has been serving red jellyfish salad for over 70 years. In the beginning, Cu Gai wandered the streets of Hanoi with a pole and basket selling red jellyfish. Now, the family has a permanent location at 70 Hang Chieu, where customers can enjoy a “sashimi” style red jellyfish dish, dipped in a secret family recipe shrimp paste sauce, accompanied by grilled tofu, thin slices of banh te coconut flesh, and aromatic herbs such as Vietnamese balm, perilla, and mint, stimulating the senses.
Dong Thanh’s Red Jellyfish
The red jellyfish vendor at 16B Dong Thanh, Hoan Kiem District, is also a popular choice among diners. Fresh red jellyfish is scraped to remove the slime, thoroughly washed, cut into bite-sized pieces, and soaked in water with su vet tree bark for 4-5 days to achieve an attractive red color. It is then boiled with salt and allowed to cool, resulting in clear jellyfish with a distinctive red color, crunchy tentacles, and a soft body.
Thanh Ha’s Red Jellyfish
Within Thanh Ha Market, located in Hoan Kiem District’s Dong Xuan Ward, there are numerous stalls selling red jellyfish salad, attracting many customers. Seating is available in the alley, and while it may just be on the sidewalk, the delicious flavors are enough to keep customers coming back. Operating hours are from 12 noon to 6 pm, and prices range from 25,000 to 50,000 VND per serving.
Bach Mai’s Red Jellyfish
Located in the alley at 105 Dinh Dong, Bach Mai Street, this red jellyfish vendor is open from 7 am to 1 pm, with prices ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 VND per serving. To truly appreciate this dish, diners should take a piece of red jellyfish, a slice of grilled tofu, a few pieces of coconut flesh, and wrap them in perilla and Vietnamese balm leaves before dipping it in the prepared sauce and savoring the flavors.
Goc De Alley’s Red Jellyfish
At number 20 Goc De Alley, Minh Khai Ward, Hai Ba Trung District, this red jellyfish vendor is open from 8 am to 12 pm and 2:30 pm to 6 pm, with a price of 30,000 VND per serving. While the establishment doesn’t focus on ambiance, it maintains cleanliness and provides comfortable seating for its customers. The red jellyfish salad, served with aromatic herbs and a side of shrimp paste, is a favorite among diners.
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