Squid terrine
Regarded as the delicacy of the land of black gold Quang Ninh, Ha Long squid terrine has its reputation spread throughout the country. Arriving at Ha Long market, you shall find even a “squid terrine” town to watch in person the processing of squid terrine.
To make the most of the delicious tastes of squid terrine, the processing is supposed to take place in deft and experienced hands, from the selection to the initial processing. Squids used to make terrine should be fresh and newly caught from the sea. To ensure that the terrine is crunchy and chewy, it must be pound by hand. Pound squids are marinated with some broken pepper and fish sauce and kneaded into balls and deep fried in a saucepan until they grow yellow. Squid terrine is at its finest served with refined sticky rice, as the scents of soft and fluffy glutinous rice are combined with fatty squid terrine, giving you a deep inner touch of the sea.
Peanut worms
Reaching Quan Lan – Minh Chau islands (Van Don, Quang Ninh), one is usually fascinated with peanut worms, a quite expensive specialty of Ha Long because peanut worms are fairly rare on Quan Lan island. To process fresh peanut worms, chefs are supposed to vertically rip the worms, turn them inside out and carefully rub with salt to rid all the smells and sands inside its intestines. After washing multiply under the tap, fresh peanut worms are blurry white. Peanut worms are used for a variety of foods; particularly stir fried peanut worms with garlic.
Horseshoe crabs
Horseshoe crabs are known as a nutritious dish and one of the top 10 best foods of Ha Long. Only in Quang Yen can you make the most of the tastes of this special treat. To catch horseshoe crabs, fishermen have to calculate the tidal calendar and determine their sailing date because one tides are missed, horseshoe crabs will wash away. Horseshoe crabs are frequently found in deep waters in Ha Long sea. They look flat, with a shell and diminutive body of a hand span’s size only. Foods related to horseshoe crabs are extremely fragrant, tasty, sweet and chewy.
The processing of horseshoe crabs is of utmost importance because improper processing will make it unable to pick up its flesh and even make it toxic to guests. In the deft hands of chefs, horseshoe crabs are deployed for a wide range of foods such as horseshoe crab salads or grilled horseshoe crab eggs. Grilled horseshoe crabs are very sweet and delectable, given its irresistible and voluptuous qualities.
Van Don jelly fish
Visitors can barely miss out on jelly fish salads in Van Don. Not only a very convincing treat for its fine and cool tastes, jelly fish is also eye catching because of the processing. Jelly fish salads are ubiquitous all over restaurants along the coast of Quang Ninh from Mong Cai and Van Don to Ha Long. Fresh jelly fish is jelly-like and transparent. Just a bite enables you to taste the salty breezes, crunchy, chewy and yummy. Jelly fish can also be made into different dishes such as salads and jelly fish paste, briefly poached, steamed with pork thighs or served in hotpot…
MT