Goi ca mai (Mai fish salad)

Vung Tau is not home to Mai fish salad but when talking about Vung Tau cuisine, people can't not remember about this dish. And Mai fish salad becomes one of the most attractive dishes in Vung Tau. 

Mai fish is quite like anchovies, white body, small less fishy so that people often use it to make salad. For locals, the best goi ca mai is when selecting the freshest alive Mai fish – the fresher it is, the more delicious the salad will be.

After being caught, Mai fish will be shaved off all flakes. It need to be boneless to be very absorptive marinated.

 

The ingredients to marinate are quite simple such as vinegar, garlic, lemon and chili. When fish is medium-rare, it will be mixed with some “bột thính” (a kind of brown rice flavor), peanuts to raise the smell.

This salad is served with fresh vegetables and rice papers. The sauce of this dish includes garlic, minced chili, sugar, lemon, vinegar, fish sauce, crushed peanuts, soda or shrimp sauce.

 

Pick up a handful of salad and some vegetables to a thin rice paper, roll up, dip into sauce, diners will feel the unique taste, along with fish’s sweetness is sauce’s light salty, spicy chili, sour lime, fat taste of roasted peanuts and rice paper.

Although the ingredients seem simple, making a delicious sauce or not is all about the art.

See more

  • Cao lau - the essence of Hoi An food

    The reason why a specialty in Hoi An named Cao Lau is interesting: Hoi An was used to be an international ports and there were many merchants working in the town. They...

    Read more

  • Bun Bo Hue

    As the name suggests, this dish is a noodle soup that comes from Hue —the former capital of Vietnam and bun bo Hue is one of the most famous food in the...

    Read more

  • Cong Cake

    Cong Cake is a rustic and simple cake which is cheap but very delicious. If you have a chance to try cong cake once time, you can’t forget the taste of this cake. 

    Read more

  • Bun Cha Ca Sua (Rice vermicelli with grilled fish and jellyfish)

    Your trip to  Nha Trang  wouldn’t be complete if you don’t try this kind of noodle soup. Not many people are fan of jellyfish but this is one of...

    Read more

  • Top 5 Coffee Shops in Hanoi

    For a long time, drinking coffee has become an indispensable habit of Vietnamese people. Coffee is considered the culinary culture of Vietnam. Here are top 5 best Coffee...

    Read more

  • Banh trang nuong

    Banh trang nuong is a famous snack in Dalat that you should not miss when traveling to Dalat. The hot cake not only helps people dispel the cold in a Dalat’s night...

    Read more

  • Egg coffee in Hanoi

    Egg coffee (cà phê trứng) is a Vietnamese beverage which is traditionally prepared with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and Robusta coffee. The drink is...

    Read more

  • Trang Tien Ice - Cream

    Trang Tien ice cream is well known for its special flavour, which a countless number of Hanoi generations have a passion for. Visitors who have an opportunity to visit Hanoi...

    Read more

  • Ba Khia

    Ba Khia is a specialty food in Bac Lieu and you should not miss a chance to try this dish when traveling to Bac Lieu. There are many dishes that are cooked from this main...

    Read more

  • Bo bia

    Bo bia is one of those street snacks that tends to be overlooked by the average travelling street muncher. Maybe it’s due to its similarity in appearance to goi cuon,...

    Read more

Destinations

Most popular tours

Business info

  • Vietnam Local Guide

  • Address: 18th Floor, VTC Online Tower, 18 Tam Trinh Str.,Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Email: info@vietnamguider.com
  • Phone: (+84) 0904989890
  • Hotline: (+84) 0904989890