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

  • 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...

    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

  • Tasty Grilled Abalone in Phu Quoc

    In many types of seafood as crab, clam, snail, shellfish, oyster is the best nutrition seafood that you should try in Phu Quoc by the sweeter and fragrant taste of...

    Read more

  • Bien Mai Scallop

    The unique feature of the dishes from Bien Mai Scallop is the combination between fresh coi bien mai and spices with the method of cooking that make it become very famous....

    Read more

  • Halong Prawn

    Halong is not only proud for being one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, but also one of the most famous destinations for high quality seafood. Among all, the most...

    Read more

  • Top 10 Street Drinks in Hanoi

    Hanoi is not only famous for street foods but also for cool and healthy street drinks.

    Read more

  • Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa

    Talking about the cuisine of Nha Trang, people will surely mention "nem nướng" (girlled nem) Ninh Hoa or Nha Trang. Nem Nuong Nha Trang is also known as  the...

    Read more

  • Bun Cha Hanoi

    One of the iconic dishes in Hanoi , Bun Cha is one of our favourite of all street foods in Vietnam. It’s got two types of pork, a smoking hot grill, a tangy fish sauce...

    Read more

  • 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,...

    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