Not only owning long sunny beaches and rich fresh seafood, Vung Tau (HCMC) also attracts tourists with a dish dubbed the "national specialty" called sour bamboo shoot stingray hotpot.
Stingles are seafood that occurs all year round in the southern sea. Unlike ordinary sea fish, stingles have almost no bones, mostly only young cartilage at the head and spine, which feel crunchy when chewed. The stingle flesh is thick, chewy and has a natural sweet taste.
To make a delicious hotpot, the preliminary processing stage is the most important. Snakehead fish after being caught are meticulously cleaned, marinated with spices to completely remove the fishy smell. The fish meat is first stir-fried firmly to absorb the flavor, then put in a pot of broth that is deeply simmered with lemongrass, sour bamboo shoots and a little fermentation.
When the broth boils vigorously on the stove, a fragrant smell spreads, stimulating all senses. The sweet and chewy taste of meat and fish combined with the mild sour and spicy taste of the hotpot broth makes diners fascinated. This hotpot dish is often served with vermicelli or noodles, dipped in fresh vegetables such as water spinach, shredded banana flowers, mint and okra.
Pick up a piece of fish and dip it deep into a bowl of rich pure chili fish sauce, diners will fully feel the passionate flavor of the sea.
Ms. Quynh Hoa, a tourist from Hanoi, and her family traveled to Vung Tau at the beginning of summer. The female tourist was excited when she first enjoyed the famous stingray hotpot.
Ms. Hoa shared: "Being advised by local people, my family went to Nhan Hau restaurant on Dinh Tien Hoang street to enjoy stingray hotpot. Hotpot here is cooked in the traditional way, the fish is very fresh, the meat is chewy and sweet and completely not fishy. The sour bamboo shoot hotpot broth is rich, easy to eat and the price is very affordable, only 285,000 VND per pot, enough for 2-3 people to eat.
In addition to the famous sour bamboo shoot hotpot, tourists coming to Vung Tau can also try many delicious dishes made from stingray such as grilled, steamed, fried or braised to fully feel the unique flavor of the southern coastal region.
