Nowadays, when mentioning Mui Ne, tourists will immediately think of hotpot. From a rustic dish of coastal residents, hotpot has been elevated to a specialty dish of the resort capital of Mui Ne - Phan Thiet.
Phan Thiet hotpot was announced and awarded an Asian record by the Vietnam Records Institute in October 2024. Binh Thuan province has prepared a dossier for this hotpot dish, sending it to the Asian Records Institute to set a record according to the criteria of culinary value and Asian specialties.
Asian records for cuisine and specialties are considered for nomination based on the natural geographical factors of the dish such as ingredients, typical spices, processing secrets, and association with places and regions...
As one of the first chefs to bring Lau Tha to delicious food competitions and win many awards, chef Truong Thi Thu Lieu said that since the 2000s, Phan Thiet people have been familiar with Lau Tha.
Phan Thiet sea is associated with fresh fish and fishermen make fish salad, mixed with vegetables and lemon. In particular, there is a dish of anchovy salad with firm and fragrant meat. According to market demand, the dish of hotpot was born with anchovy as the main ingredient.
On the tray are also rustic ingredients such as boiled meat, shredded eggs, cucumber, shredded green mango, raw vegetables on banana stalks, arranged symmetrically in a circle, awakening the diners' vision. Besides, there is also a pot of hot pot broth and fish sauce made from peanuts.
"The secret of the hot pot broth is stewed with pork bones, the light sweetness of tomatoes, onions, and pear juice added for a sweet taste" - chef Truong Thi Thu Lieu - Head chef of Sunrise Mui Ne restaurant, shared.
The decoration, arrangement and flavors of hot pot dishes also originate from the philosophy of the five elements with the five colors of the dish being white, blue, black, red, yellow and the five flavors being spicy, sour, salty, bitter, and sweet.
Visitors enjoying hot pot will be impressed with the boiling water with fragrant aroma. When eating, scoop all the mixed ingredients into a bowl, pour the hot pot broth over.
Hotpot is not only a unique local dish but also associated with tourism, creating a highlight in Vietnamese culinary culture.
