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

  • Tam bi cake

    Banh tam bi is a specialty and one of the most famous rustic food in Can Tho. This cake is very delicious with the harmonious taste between sweet and saltiness. 

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Ngán

    Ngán is a mollusk species which is popular in the Northern Vietnam coastal area. Although it can be seen along the coast of the country, Quang Ninh Province, Halong...

  • Quai Vac cake

    Quai Vac cake has been existed for a long time and is sold along the streets in Phan Thiet . It is a rustic dish and delicious tasty. 

  • Bun rieu

    Bun rieu is one of the lesser-known noodle soups in Vietnamese cuisine, perhaps due to its rather unappealing hodge-podge, thrown-together appearance. However, each part of...

  • Hu tieu Nam Vang

    Hu Tieu Nam Vang, Vietnam rice noodle with pork and seafood is one of the very popular street food dishes in Vietnam, especially in the south. With the great taste of...

  • Bun bo cay (chili beef vermicelli)

    Unlike bun mam, bun bo or bun cha, etc.,  bun bo cay in Bac Lieu has an unique taste and special hot chili. The method of cooking bun bo cay is still a secret of Bac...

  • Goi ca trich (Herring salad)

    Vung Tau is famous for Mai fish salad, Danang is famous for Nam O fish salad and Phu Quoc is famous for herring salad. It is a harmonious combination of the sour,...

  • Banh tet la cam

    Banh tet is traditional cakes that people in the South usually use in Tet holiday. And Banh tet la cam is one of the most specialties in Can Tho because of its unique taste...

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