It is not an exaggeration to say that Tri Ton is the capital of culinary specialties. Perhaps the influence of the land where the Kinh, Hoa and Khmer ethnic groups have lived together for many generations, along with the characteristics of the semi-mountainous border region, has crystallized Tri Ton's unique culinary features in both name and flavor.
Although it does not have the bustling charm of Long Xuyen or the religious colors of Chau Doc, Tri Ton is always known to tourists as the home of many delicious and memorable dishes.
The dishes here are not only unique but also diverse, ranging from savory to sweet dishes, from appetizers to main dishes; from snacks to spicy dishes... There's palm juice, xiem lo soup, po hoc fish sauce, palm cake, ka tum cake...
A typical example is the cake ka tum, which means pomegranate in Khmer. It only has familiar ingredients such as sticky rice, white beans, sugar, and coconut… but the cake ka tum requires the outer wrapping material to be young palm leaves.
The processing stage requires the mastery of traditional craftsmanship. First, choose the leaves to wrap the cake: not too young, not too hard, but just flexible enough to be easy to weave and wrap.
Then, skillfully tie each leaf into a square with right angles. The maker must leave a small hole on top to put the filling inside. Then the cake crust is trimmed neatly, tied with a long string to create a shape like a small, pretty lantern, attracting all eyes.
In particular, Tri Ton is also famous for dishes made from beef, such as: Beef porridge, beef rice... Still using beef, still green vegetables, red peppers... but beef congee and beef rice are popular dishes that you will remember forever after eating them once.
In recent years, many people have known and enjoyed Tri Ton grilled chicken. Tri Ton may not be the birthplace of this dish, but whenever mentioning grilled chicken, diners immediately think of Tri Ton. This not only identifies, but also represents the culinary brand of this semi-mountainous land.
Tri Ton's grilled chicken has both the delicious taste of chicken raised naturally on the mountain slopes and the crystallization of the cultures of three ethnic groups. True to its name, grilled chicken is chicken burned in a clay pot with the main ingredients being lemongrass, betel leaves and salt. After 40 minutes of burning on a gradually decreasing fire, the chicken is golden brown, especially the skin is extremely attractive.
The indigenous culture is even more evident when the leaves and fruit of the Chuc tree - a plant endemic to the Tri Ton region - create the soul of the dish. Still a relative of the lemon, the Chuc fruit has a strong aroma, especially a moderate sour taste to mix into a dipping sauce that is a match made in heaven for grilled chicken.
The majestic mountain and hill scenery, the sound of young leaves calling the wind from the great forest... seem to put on Tri Ton a charming quality ready to lead all culinary enthusiasts into a realm... forgetting the way back.
