The crunchy, cool taste like jelly and red jellyfish brings a strange and attractive feeling in the hot and sultry days of Hanoi.
Red jellyfish only appear seasonally and are not available all year round, usually only lasting from about the end of January to May of the lunar calendar. The origin of the famous red jellyfish in Hanoi originates from the Northeast sea. Jellyfish are often caught in the sea areas of Hai Phong, old Thai Binh (now Hung Yen) and old Nam Dinh (now Ninh Binh).
When "imported" into the Capital, the dish has been transformed by Hanoians into their own, more elaborate and sophisticated style. Red jellyfish is cut into bite-sized pieces, harmoniously combined with turmeric-marinated tofu grilled on charcoal, young coconut flesh and herbs such as perilla, kinh giới, basil... Diners wrap it all in perilla leaves and dip it in rich shrimp paste to enjoy.
Red jellyfish is almost tasteless. What makes the characteristic flavor of red jellyfish salad is the perfect combination of vegetables, crispy sweet coconut flesh, fragrant turmeric tofu and shrimp paste dipping sauce. The original "tastelessness", when eaten with the above ingredients, red jellyfish creates a unique flavor.
Mr. Hai Phuong (23 years old, Hai Phong) shared: "At home, I often eat red jellyfish dipped in rice wine, sour and sweet, but the style of wrapping perilla leaves dipped in shrimp paste from Hanoi is very unique, crispy and cooler and can be eaten without getting bored.
The price of a serving of red jellyfish at Hanoi sidewalk eateries usually ranges from 30,000 - 50,000 VND. In peak season, eateries are usually more crowded, diners should come early if they want to have a comfortable seat and enjoy the freshest red jellyfish.
Some addresses loved by the people of the Capital are the red jellyfish restaurant in Dong Xuan market alley or Thanh Ha alley, Mrs. Gai's red jellyfish in Hang Chieu, Duong Thanh red jellyfish...
