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

  • The most wanted Hanoi street foods

    There are top foods and drink that you should try before leaving Hanoi .

  • Tiet Canh Tom Hum (Lobster blood)

    Vung Tau has a long coastline with 5 beaches so seafood is very diversified as shrimp, crab, snail, lobster, sand crab, fish, etc. One of the most famous food related to...

  • Bun Mam

    Bun mam is a robust Vietnamese soup that’s packed with contrasting flavours, textures and colours. Pungent, fishy, sweet, sour, dark, vibrant, silky and crunchy, this...

  • Bo la lop

    Vietnamese go gaga over two things: grilled meats and wrapping said meats. Bo la lop combines these two things in a harmonious flavourful package.

  • Lau mam

    Mekong Delta has many rivers and canals so it is reason why Mekong Delta has many different kind of seafood. Therefore, the famous food in Mekong delta is often related...

  • 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...

  • Com Hen (Mussel Rice )

    Visiting to Hue , visitors not only enjoy the stunning view of the Huong River but also have a chance to taste the best food in Hue is Com Hen ( Mussel Rice). Com...

  • 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 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...

  • 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....

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