Khám phá điểm đến tuyệt vời của đặc sản Cà Mau

Với biển sóng hiên ngang và đất đai màu mỡ, Cà Mau là thiên đường của đặc sản, hứa hẹn mang đến những trải nghiệm khó quên cho du khách. Việc khám phá thiên đường đặc sản Cà Mau sẽ chắc chắn là những kí ức đáng nhớ trong cuộc hành trình khám phá vùng đất này.

Đặc sản Cà Mau (Ảnh sưu tầm)

1. Đuông chà là

Exploring Cà Mau's culinary paradise (Photo collection)

While Bến Tre is famous for its rustic coconut worm dish, Cà Mau is renowned for its delicacy, the 'high-class delicacy' known as chà là larvae. Despite being an insect dish, it is exceptionally clean and rich in nutrients. The larvae are the larval form of a type of beetle, usually living in the non-woody part of trees. For instance, coconut worms live in the trunks of coconut trees, while chà là larvae reside in the stem cavities of chà là trees. Chà là larvae are scarce and valuable, priced three to four times higher than coconut worms. Each chà là tree or trunk typically yields only one larva. The chà là trees in Cà Mau are different from those used for making Tet jam in the North; they grow wild in the salty mangrove forests, unique to the Western riverside region.

Grilled chà là larvae (Photo collection)

Chà là larvae are available from around October to February in the lunar calendar, ranking among the finest Cà Mau specialties. Not only are they unique, but their price also reflects their exclusivity. A popular choice among diners is the chà là larvae rolled in flour and deep-fried until golden in fragrant oil—a dish enjoyed by many and easy to eat. Chà là larvae can be a perfect Cà Mau specialty gift without worrying about losing their freshness. When harvesting chà là larvae, instead of cutting the stem to extract them, they are skillfully cut from the soft stem base. Chà là larvae have a brownish-orange color and are hairless. They are only prepared and cut open when there is a buyer.

2. Bồn bồn

Bồn bồn (Photo collection)

As a Cà Mau specialty, bồn bồn thrives in nutrient-rich alluvial soil, resulting in a clean and nutritious vegetable. Notably, this type of vegetable can be transformed into various dishes with different flavors, such as shrimp stir-fry, mixed salads, pickled in salt for dipping with braised fish, and more.

Canned bồn bồn (Photo collection)

Similar to the mustard greens used for pickling in the Red River Delta, bồn bồn is also employed by Cà Mau locals for pickling to accompany white rice with braised fish. The bồn bồn is peeled, the stem and young parts are soaked in salt, and after a week, it's ready to be enjoyed. This dish is favored by tourists and chosen as a Cà Mau specialty gift.

3. Sea Crab

Sea Crab (Photo collection)

Sea crabs mainly follow the water flow into the branches of rivers and canals in the brackish water region, especially delicious in the lunar months of July and August. There are various types of sea crabs such as brick crab, rice crab, white claw crab, lotus claw crab, and square apron crab (virgin crab). Sea crabs can be processed into many delicious Cà Mau specialties such as grilled, boiled, stir-fried, cooked in soup, crab hotpot, bun rieu,... but perhaps the most appealing is salt-roasted crab, not only delicious but also good for health.

Cà Mau Specialties (Photo collection)

The Cà Mau Sea Crab mainly consists of naturally grown crabs, with little cultivation, resulting in firm, fragrant, and flavorful meat. Moreover, crabs can also cure some diseases such as calcium deficiency, rickets, malnutrition, ... with low fat, high protein, and rich minerals, making it very popular among tourists. It can be said that sea crab is a precious gift bestowed by the mother ocean to this Cà Mau land.

4. Sand Lobster

Sand Lobster (Photo collection)

The mere mention of Cà Mau sand lobster is enough to captivate many diners. The golden lobsters thriving in the steamer or the golden ones on the sizzling pan exude a strange, enticing fragrance, like an invitation for tourists to return to the Mũi land. Sand lobsters have sweet, rich flavors, imbued with the salty taste of the sea, the alluvium of the Mekong Delta. After preparing this delicious Cà Mau dish, the lobster meat reveals a vibrant red color, smooth and firm, deliciously chewy without being crumbly like lobsters from other regions.

Grilled Sand Lobster (Photo collection)

However, visitors to Cà Mau often choose grilled sand lobster on charcoal, enjoying it as much as they want with a few aromatic herbs. Or it can be wrapped in rice paper with raw vegetables, green bananas, cucumbers, and dipped in a spicy and sour sauce with the pungent flavor of tamarind, making the dish even more flavorful. In addition, sand lobsters can be thinly pressed, dried for tourists to buy as gifts for friends and family. Cà Mau dried lobster is carefully made, thus maintaining its aroma, quality, and being processed into many dishes.

5. Bee Larvae Salad

Bee Larvae Salad (Photo collection)

The unique specialty of Cà Mau's U Minh forest is bee larvae salad. Bees primarily live in the forested areas, and bee larvae have a rich, fragrant, and fatty taste. Skilled workers have to carefully remove their nests, soak the bee larvae nests in boiling water to select clean bee larvae. Bee larvae are processed into various types such as stir-fried, porridge, hot pot, ... but perhaps the most attractive is the mixed salad.

U Minh Forest Specialty (Photo collection)

People in Cà Mau often stir-fry bee larvae with fragrant fried shallots, add spices to marinate, then pour it into a bowl, mix evenly with finely grated young banana, crushed peanuts, chopped chives, and a bit of finely chopped aromatic herbs, add a little sweet and sour fish sauce and mix well. Although it seems like a simple dish, bee larvae are not always available, so it's not easy for tourists to enjoy the Cà Mau cuisine bee larvae salad when visiting Cà Mau.

6. Fish Porridge

Fish Porridge (Photo collection)

During the Mekong Delta's flood season, fish migrate from the source to the rivers and canals, making fish one of the popular local specialties. Snakehead fish, with its abundant nutrients, is the most suitable for making porridge. This dish has a cooling and refreshing nature while containing the soul of the river, making it a favorite among tourists. Fish porridge will be a suitable Cà Mau specialty for light meals during the journey to explore Cà Mau.

Snakehead Fish (Photo collection)

Cleaned snakehead fish is added to the pot of well-cooked white porridge, accompanied by a few strands of fragrant scallion flowers. When it's cooked, scoop it into a bowl with pepper, lucky water, green onions, or a little finely chopped ginger, depending on the diner's taste. Listening to the cooking method seems simple, but to have an attractive dish depends on the cleverness and sophistication in the selection and processing of fish by the local people here. As a unique specialty in Cà Mau, snakehead fish is also dried and seasoned so that tourists can take it with them.

7. Field Mouse

Field Mouse (Photo collection)

Field mice are not too unfamiliar to people in the Mekong Delta in general and the land of Cà Mau in particular. Field mice can be prepared in various ways such as steaming, grilling, or drying, but the most attractive is probably the fried field mouse with lemongrass and chili. The strong aroma of lemongrass and chili, along with fragrant herbs like coriander, will overpower the distinctive flavor or the initial squeamishness of those who taste mouse meat for the first time.

Folk dishes of the Western region (Photo collection)

The main food source for field mice in the Mekong Delta region is plants, making them clean and nutritious. After being caught and cleaned, seasoned with complete spices such as sugar, fish sauce, salt, and MSG to marinate, the mice will be pan-fried over low heat until evenly cooked. Although it may be challenging to eat at first, once accustomed, Cà Mau field mouse becomes an unforgettable delicacy for tourists visiting the Mũi land and enjoying the Cà Mau specialties.

8. Tamarind Cake

As a rustic dish of the Cà Mau river region, tamarind cake is served with vegetables, fragrant herbs, and accompanied by spicy chicken or meatball. The long, white strands of cake, hot and fresh, with a touch of refreshing green from herbs and the vibrant red of meat and chicken, make the dish more lively than ever.

Tamarind Cake (Photo collection)

This Cà Mau cuisine carries the essence of the countryside, with a blend of spicy, sour, sweet, fatty, and savory flavors; enough emotional nuances, like unforgettable tastes for diners.

9. Mudskipper Fish

Mudskipper fish has a strange appearance but delicious, tender meat, rich in nutrients, and especially found only in the brackish water region. This fish is also called climbing fish because it can live on land, often found in areas with mangroves and commonly uses its mouth to dig burrows.

Grilled Mudskipper Fish (Photo collection)

Mudskipper fish can be prepared in various ways, such as grilling, stewing, sour soup,... However, grilling is the most beloved Cà Mau delicacy among tourists. The sweet, firm fish meat, grilled to perfection with a fragrant aroma, accompanied by fresh and crisp vegetables, will be a delightful meal.

10. Cuttlefish Egg Roll

Cuttlefish Egg Roll (Photo collection)

Made from cuttlefish eggs, fried into a beautiful golden brown, served on a plate with some fresh herbs is enough to stimulate the taste buds of diners. The cuttlefish eggs are mashed with ink and spices, then molded into round pieces like fish sausage or pressed into large sheets. If cut into bite-sized pieces, the sausage will be crispy and golden inside, making it one of the delicious dishes in the Mekong Delta.

To make it easier to eat, the sausage can be cut into small pieces to roll with rice paper, served with fish sauce or salted lime pepper. This is not only a dish to eat with rice but also perfect for drinking, and it can also be a Cà Mau specialty gift.

Cuttlefish Egg Sausage with Rice Paper (Photo collection)

Above are some of the most characteristic Cà Mau specialties for the journey back to the land of the Cape, where the waves meet the wind.