A Brief Introduction of The Hanoi sugared or salted dry fruits (Ô Mai)

Hanoi sugared or salted dry fruits (Ô Mai) tasting this type of specialty. It depends on season to choose fruits for processing o mai. O mai are mainly made from fruits such as apricots, plums, dracontomelon, tamarind, ambarella, peach, apple, satsuma, kumquat and starfruit. The fresh fruits are washed, pre-processed, then salted and dried or steamed. The most important process in second step is to season those fruits with sugar, salt, ginger and chili to create different flavors.

Although those dried fruits appear in many other places but Hanoi O mai brings a distinctive flavor. Thus, whenever there is an occasion, the Hanoians normally give O mai to friends and relatives as a gift.

A Brief Introduction of Steamed young rice (Xôi Cốm)

Steamed young rice (Xôi Cốm) is a familiar Vietnamese food, but xoi com is only available in the autumn in Hanoi.

The most distinctive feature of xoi com is the softness of the grains, the buttery lotus seeds and flavorful coconut strips. Xoi com is a great combination of the colors of nature – the green grains of com, the yellow mung beans, the milky lotus seeds and the white coconut strips. The sweet scent of young rice mixed with the aroma of lotus flower is like an invitation to the paddy fields in the Northen Vietnam in the autumn.

A Brief Introduction of The Candied lotus seeds (Mứt Sen)

Candied lotus seeds (Mứt Sen) is one thing that cannot be missed on each family’s altar for Tet. The food is simple but provides special flavor and meaning for the holiday. Not only a traditional treat on Tet’s menu, mut sen tran is also an offer for engagement of Hanoi people.

The secret to make great Candied lotus seeds (Mứt Sen) is choosing lotus seeds. The lotus seeds should be boiled for long enough so that they are neither too soft nor too hard. When adding sugar, it is important to let the sugar stick to the seeds so as to create a nice bright color. Some pomelo flowers will add tastiness and impression to mut sen tran.

It is a great opportunity for visitors to Hanoi to try the outstanding mut sen tran with a cup of lotus tea to enjoy the unique gentleness of Hanoi.

A Brief Introduction of The Trang Tien ice-cream (Kem Tràng Tiền)

Trang Tien ice-cream (Kem Tràng Tiền) ice cream is one of the Hanoi specialties that everyone knows. Trang Tien ice cream has imprinted in heart of both the Hanoians and tourists. 35 Trang Tien Street therefore becomes an unmissable destination in Hanoi.

Trang Tien ice-cream (Kem Tràng Tiền) attracts tourists not by its appearance, but by its natural and delicate flavor that is deliciously buttery and luscious. There are many types of Trang Tien ice cream like coconut milk ice cream, chocolate ice cream, ice cream cone, etc. Ones enjoy the ice cream in all four seasons. A Trang Tien ice cream can cool the scorching summer off or makes ones melt into the frosty winter of Hanoi.

A Brief Introduction of The Fried fermented pork sausages (Nem Chua Rán)

Fried fermented pork sausages (Nem Chua Rán) are like those of Nem chua including cured pork and pork skins mixed with flour then stored for natural fermentation process. However, the fried one should be fermented in shorter time to avoid too sour taste. The sausages are mixed with seasoning, covered with flour and deep fried in hot oil. The fried sausage is cut into small pieces and placed on a fresh banana leaves. It is dipped in chili sauce and eaten with cucumber, pineapple, and guava. When people enjoy the hot fried sausage, they will find a greasiness, catch the aromatic smell of fried fermented pork along with a piquant taste of chili.

In chilly days, Nem chua ran places are so busy with crowded customers enjoying the delicious food and chatting excitedly. The hot fried sausage is a awesome nosh, which is crispy outside and soft inside.

A Brief Introduction of The sweet fermented rice in Tó village (Rượu Nếp Làng Tó)

Sweet fermented rice in Tó village (Rượu Nếp Làng Tó) - a typical nosh on Dragon Boat Festival day, also known as "Killing vermin Tet", held on the fifth day of the fifth month of traditional lunar calendar. The Hanoians are familiar with tonic, aromatic, delicious alcoholic rice. However, many of them do not know that traditional cuisine originated from Tó village along To river in Ta Thanh Oai commune, Thanh Tri, Hanoi.

Ingredients of the sweet fermented rice in Tó village (Rượu Nếp Làng Tó) are black sticky rice and ferment wine. Villagers select the finest scrumptious gold sticky rice type then remove the moldy rice. The glutinous rice needs separating from paddy but still remain its black bran layer. Afterward, the black rice is washed, soaked in water from 28 to 32 hours, then taken out, drained and steamed. Cooked sticky rice is put on a flat bamboo basket, spread out in order to cool off. The outer rice husk is clearly peeled of the alcohol yeast, then pounded smoothly. Once the rice is completely cool, it is mixed well with the ferment, covered for fermentation. It is better to use dried banana leaves for brewing wine to have the best taste. In hot weather, the alcoholic rice is matures in about a day, and when it is cool, the brewing time increases. When the rice matures, it will be plump, and secrete spicy and sweet yellow brown mash liquor with good smell. The rice should be brewed in certain time; otherwise, fermented wine taste will not be delicious. Tó villagers have an unique fermentation and good skills in brewing the fermented rice.

Sweet fermented rice in Tó village (Rượu Nếp Làng Tó) is particularly tasty, but the service makes customers more impressive. Seller use a small skewer bamboo stick to gently take fermented rice, place it in a bowl, and pour the wine over the rice. Diners use a small spoon and take a half spoon of the rice to enjoy its aroma; the mash liquor is sweet and spicy. The plump fermented rice with buttery taste makes diners’ lips soft. Alcoholic rice is just a delicious nosh, if take too much, ones will get slightly drunk.

Girls in brown clothes caring shoulder hangers, walking and singing: “Ai ruou nep day” (sticky rice wine, please!) has become a gorgeous, familiar image on Hanoi streets in the early morning on "Killing vermin Tet".

A Brief Introduction of The green papaya salad with beef jerky (Nộm Bò Khô)

Green papaya salad with beef jerky (Nộm Bò Khô) with simple ingredients and plain recipe, this dish lures customers of all ages, and can be eaten in all four seasons. Green papaya dried beef salad is offered not only in small streets, shops in the market or along the roads but also in luxury places as the top Vietnamese restaurants, etc. Each kind of salad has its own features and taste made from all sorts of vegetables such as papaya, carrots, bean sprouts, lotus, water spinach, herbs and meats such as beef, chicken, birds, jellyfish, etc., but when becoming a mixture, it is so tasty, bold, crunchy, sweet, and pleasantly sour.

Among countless salad types that vary in different flavors, perhaps the most popular and best-selling one is green papaya with dried beef salad. These fibers papaya and carrots are trimmed very tiny, after that they are processed to be brittle and put in a dish; dried beef is cut into long slices properly, unshelled roasted peanut is crushed and then sprinkled over the salad. The salad should be eaten with some herbs, coriander, marjoram and salty spicy sweet and sour fish sauce which are blended cleverly. This mixture becomes a flavorous dish and stunning either. Just with an overlook, diners are easily appealed with harmonious colors: white green of papaya mixed with orange of carrots, fresh green color of basil, golden brown of dry beef, dotted with yellow of roasted peanuts. Mixing and eating, picking up some mannequins to taste, everyone can hear the crisp sound of the fiber crunchy papaya and carrots, feel delicious and spicy taste of thoroughly marinated dry beef, a little greasy taste of roasted peanuts, fresh taste of basil, marjoram, etc. blending with sweet sour salty spicy gravy that everyone can hardly forget.

Hanoi salads whose flavor is unique and elegant have simple ingredients. They have become a sophisticated and indispensable treats of Ha Thanh. Hoan Kiem, Ham Long and many other streets in Hanoi have long been destination of gourmets when they want to enjoy this beguiling dish.

A Brief Introduction of Boiled snails (Ốc Luộc)

Boiled snails (Ốc Luộc) are favorite rustic dishes of Hanoians. Most fatty and delicious snail is sold in lunar October. By the clever hands of the homemakers, it is processed into many dishes from ordinary to advance.

First of all, snail boiled with lime leaves is one of the oldest rustic cuisine, as well as preferred nosh of many young people. Most boiled snails are small. The dip to use with boiled snails is also very picky and delicate with finely shredded lime leaves, ginger, garlic, fresh chili, sugar along with fish sauce, rice vinegar and an extra spoonful of boiled snail water which makes a spicy, sweet, sour and typical dipping sauce.

A Brief Introduction of sweet glutinous flour candy (Chè Lam Thạch Xá)

Sweet glutinous flour candy (Chè Lam Thạch Xá) is made carefully from bucolic simple ingredients including grained glutinous rice, refined sugar and malt by professional bakers. Moreover, in order to add flavor to the sweetened cake, other spices like fresh ginger, cinnamon or roasted peanuts are used.

Visiting Tay Phuong pagoda in Thach Xa commune - Thach That district, Hanoi, tourists should not ignore Che lam (a kind of sweetened pudding) - a special food regarded as a gift from the Buddha. The local people believe that the specialty Che lam Thach That derived from their heart and devotion to the Buddha.

In spring time, especially Tet holiday, Thach Xa villagers are jubilant and busy with Che lam preparation for the Buddha and ancestors worship. Che lam is also a simple nosh bought as a gift by tourists. Today, Che lam is sold in Tay Phuong pagoda area, and it becomes one of the well-known Hanoi specialties which everyone desires to enjoy once he or she visits the city.