Hải sản đảo Nam Du – Sức cuốn hút không thể phủ nhận

Visiting Nam Du, the archipelago in the southwestern sea of the country, you will be amazed by the beauty it offers. Moreover, the seafood in Nam Du is not only abundant but also very affordable. Nam Du brings you fascinating experiences, from the wild and vast nature to the sea-flavored dishes with a unique charm of this island region that will make you linger when leaving.

Delicious seafood in Nam Du (Photo: ST)

Seafood in Nam Du Island

1. Squid

Visiting Nam Du without trying the squid would be a waste. The squid here is fresh and comes in various types: egg squid, round squid, leaf squid, etc. The squid still changes color vividly, so eating it whole, or enjoying the ink sac, will be delicious without any bitterness. Every day, fishermen marinate and transport tons of squid to the mainland, supplying various places. However, eating on the island still gives a multiplied delicious feeling.

Fresh and diverse squid in Nam Du (Photo: ST)

Squid can be prepared in many delicious dishes such as chili frying, deep frying, butter frying, grilled with chili sauce, or with satay... Especially, the sun-dried squid in Nam Du is of high quality. You can observe the locals processing it, and you can buy it without worrying about getting poor-quality dried squid or water-soaked squid as in other regions.

Squid can be transformed into many delicious dishes (Photo: ST)

2. Sea Cucumber

Also known as the sea hedgehog, often thought to be an inedible marine species due to its ugly and rough appearance, few know that this is a characteristic product of the Nam Du archipelago. Sea cucumbers are processed in many ways, but the most common is making porridge. Nam Du sea cucumber porridge has a unique taste compared to any other seafood porridge. It has a sweet and clear taste similar to blood cockles, tender like shrimp or crab meat, with a strong sea flavor combined with rich spices.

A distinctive product of the Nam Du archipelago (Photo: ST)

Moreover, sea cucumber is also used to make fish sauce. The simplest and most common way in Nam Du is to split the fresh sea cucumber in half, grill it on charcoal, wait until the sea cucumber becomes firm, add some fragrant sautéed fat onion, and eat it with salt and pepper. The best sea cucumber is when it is grilled to perfection. In addition to the rich aroma of sautéed fat onion, the dish also has a sweet, fatty, and salty taste of sea cucumber meat.

The best image of sea cucumber is when it is grilled to perfection (Photo: ST)

3. Greenbone Fish

Greenbone fish is a specialty of the Nam Du archipelago. It is called greenbone because when the fish bones are cooked, they turn emerald green. The fish has a long and round body, with a pointed beak like a pair of pliers. The fish is processed into various dishes such as lime sashimi or cooked with corn, so diners can freely choose according to their preferences.

Greenbone fish is a specialty of the Nam Du archipelago (Photo: ST)

However, the most popular and famous method is grilling. People choose fresh fish from the sea, clean off the slime, wrap it tightly with banana leaves, and tie it securely. Then, they grill it until the banana leaves are withered and dry, indicating the fish is cooked. When eating, unwrap the banana leaves, and the fish meat cracks, emitting a tempting fragrance that easily captivates food enthusiasts from the North to the South. The sweet and firm greenbone fish meat, accompanied by wild vegetables such as cactus leaves and Dinh Lang leaves, is very appealing.

Fish is processed into various dishes (Photo: ST)

4. Stone Oyster

Traditionally considered a luxurious dish, stone oysters in Nam Du will surprise you with their affordable prices and the unique fishing method. To enjoy stone oysters, you must wait for low tide, when the sea water recedes, revealing the dry ground at the foot of the rock. The fishermen then light a fire, and the oyster shells pop open, exposing the entire plump meat. Just squeeze a bit of lime and sprinkle some salt and pepper to savor the delicacy.

Stone oysters in Nam Du will surprise you with their affordable prices (Photo: ST)

Another excellent type of oyster requires a more adventurous spirit. To enjoy this delicacy, you must venture into the underwater crevices, dive deep to search and pry open the giant milk oysters resembling coconut shells. It takes a sturdy knife to pry open these oysters. The large flesh of these stone oysters is as big as a palm, white as grated coconut, oozing drops of milky liquid. Extract the flesh, sprinkle salt and pepper, squeeze lime, and chew slowly to let the oyster milk flow from the corners of your mouth—an exquisite experience. If you prefer a cooked version, you can stir-fry the stone oysters with garlic or grill them with lard, both delicious options complemented by a side of salt, pepper, and lime.

Delicious grilled oysters with lard (Photo: ST)

5. Elephant Ear Snails

Living attached to underwater rocks, catching elephant ear snails is no easy feat. Despite their size, the best-tasting snails weigh around 1 kg. At this weight, the snail meat is not tough, offering a crisp, crunchy texture and a distinctive sweet flavor that delights the palate.

Image: Elephant Ear Snails clinging to underwater rocks (Photo: ST)

Cleaned elephant ear snails are often prepared into delicious dishes such as stir-frying, porridge, or enjoying them raw. Among the various cooking methods, stir-frying with butter is a simple yet popular choice, as it imparts a rich, savory, and spicy flavor that is truly mouthwatering.

The most delicious Snail dish is around 1 kg (Photo: ST)

6. Dried Fish

In Nam Du, dried fish is prepared from fresh fish, marinated with salt, garlic, chili, pepper, sugar, and other spices depending on the type of fish, then sun-dried. Dried fish can be stored for a year without spoiling. The drying process is simple but effective, commonly used by fishermen to preserve their catch if not consumed immediately. When consumed, it can be grilled, fried, or used in mango salads.

Image: Dried fish in Nam Du (Photo: ST)

Nam Du dried fish has the sweet taste of fresh fish, slightly chewy, with the fragrant aroma of garlic and chili spices, spicy, and a rich and mouthwatering flavor, making it unmatched as a snack. Nam Du has many famous types of dried fish such as sun-dried bluebone fish marinated with salt and chili, pressed dried fish, spice-marinated catfish, garlic and chili mackerel, spice-marinated yellowtail catfish, and garlic and chili conger eel. The price of dried fish here ranges from 70,000 to 180,000 VND/kg, depending on the type of fish and the season.

Can be stored for a year without spoiling (Photo: ST)

7. Scallop

A familiar seafood in Nam Du or Phu Quoc with delicious and non-chewy meat, suitable for preparing many delicious and nutritious dishes. The scallop gets its name because its shell resembles a fan, making it look very beautiful.

A familiar seafood in Nam Du (Photo: ST)

The best way to prepare this dish is to grill with garlic butter or grilled with cheese. The scallop meat is chewy and sweet, combined with the richness of garlic butter, the fragrant and crunchy taste of peanuts, enhancing the appetite of diners. This dish is served with sweet and sour fish sauce or salt and lime pepper.

7. Grilled Scallop

8. Dried Shrimp

Dried shrimp from Nam Du is made from sea shrimp caught in a day, not from pond-raised shrimp like in other regions. Therefore, the dried shrimp is firm, sweet, and has the rich salty taste of the sea.Large sea shrimp are quickly blanched in boiling water, then removed, peeled, and dried in the sun for about 5 to 6 days before packaging or putting into jars for preservation. You can enjoy dried shrimp with pickled vegetables or use them in soups, frying, stir-frying, or making salads, all delicious choices.

Dried shrimp from Nam Du is made from sea shrimp (Photo: ST)