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Hue - the ancient capital of Vietnam, is not only famous for its cultural heritage but also attracts tourists with its abundant cuisine, imbued with royal identity. Coming to this destination, you will have an opportunity to enjoy unique dishes, both sophisticated and savored in the flavor of the Central region. Below is a list of 10 must-try specialties when visiting Hue. Let’s find out with Asia King Travel!
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Hue is a land with many tasty specialties. Source: Tico Travel
This place is not only a land of historical heritages but also a culinary paradise with royal dishes. Hue dishes are not only attractive because of their elaborate preparation but also because of their special flavors, with the characteristics of the Central region. Moreover, trying its cuisine is one of the best ways to understand more about the culture and people here.
Read more: Top 10 unique Vietnamese dishes should not be overlooked
This is a famous dish of the imperial land, famous for its rich broth made from beef bones, combined with lemongrass and typical shrimp sauce. A full bowl of noodles will have tender beef, fatty pork trotter, delicious crab cake, and thick round noodles.
Beef noodle soup takes the first place in the list. Source: Hoa Sen Foods
Enjoying it, travelers will feel the sweetness of the broth mixed with the smell of lemongrass and the slight spiciness of chili. Served with fresh vegetables and a bit of fresh lemon, Hue beef noodle soup will bring an unforgettable culinary experience.
Baby clam rice is a rustic plate but full of Hue flavor. This dish is made of cold rice mixed with stir-fried baby clams, pork greaves, roasted peanuts, raw vegetables, shrimp sauce, and mussel broth. All these ingredients blend to create a mouth-watering, and refreshing flavor.
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This rice is a rustic dish of the old capital land. Source: MIA
When holiday-makers pick up a spoonful of rice, you will feel the harmony between the sweetness of the clams, the nutty of peanuts, the fat of pork greaves, and the good-smelling of Hue shrimp sauce. This is a dish that gives you a memorable taste.
Hue water fern cakes are a popular snack, which is made from steamed rice flour, sprinkled with fried shrimp and fried spring onions, and served with sweet-sour fish sauce. When eating a small plate of cake, tourists will be delighted with the softness of the cake combined with the tasty flavor of shrimp and fish sauce. Just one piece of cake, you will feel the sophistication of Hue cuisine.
Hue water fern cakes are a popular snack. Source: VinWonders
This is a traditional Hue cake made from rice flour, shrimp, and minced meat. Then, it is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. This cake has a moderate softness, when eaten with diluted fish sauce, making it a light but attractive flavor.
This is a delicious traditional Hue cake. Source: VinWonders
These pancakes are a special version of Hue pancakes, with a crispy crust made from rice flour and a filling of shrimp, minced meat, and bean sprouts. The cakes are often served with a special dipping sauce which consists of pork liver, peanuts, and roasted sesame, creating an irresistible divine flavor.
These pancakes are a special version of Hue pancakes. Source: MIA
When taking a bite of the cakes, travelers will be immediately conquered by the crispy crust, fatty shrimp meat filling, and rich dipping sauce. This is a dish not to be missed when exploring Hue cuisine.
Hue pork lemongrass skewers are a popular dish among many street food vendors. They are made of minced pork mixed with spices and grilled over hot coals, skewered on lemongrass stalks to create a distinctive smell. When eating this dish, the rolls are wrapped in rice paper, and fresh vegetables and dipped in a savory dipping sauce made from peanuts and roasted sesame.
Hue pork lemongrass skewers are a popular dish. Source: Review Villa
This street food brings a special taste when diners feel the fragrant burnt crust of the meat rolls, mixed with the fatty flavor of the dipping sauce and the freshness of raw vegetables.
These dumpling cakes are one of Hue's signature dishes, featuring a transparent crust made from chewy tapioca flour, embracing the appetizing shrimp and minced pork filling. There are two popular types of cakes: one is wrapped in banana leaves and plain one.
These dumpling cakes are one of Hue's signature dishes. Source: VinWonders
The leaf-wrapped version has a light smell of banana leaves after being steamed, while the plain version retains the chewiness and transparency of the crust and is eaten with sweet and sour fish sauce mixed with fresh chili.
Having a bite of the cake, visitors will immediately feel the chewy flavor of the flour crust, the fatty shrimp and meat filling, and the tasty, spicy fish sauce, creating a wonderful harmony on the tip of the tongue.
Hue is known as the “paradise of sweet soups”, where dozens of diverse sweet soups converge, from mung bean sweet soup, corn sweet soup, and elegant lotus seed sweet soup to unique grilled pork wrapped in cassava flour sweet soup.
Familiar ingredients such as mung beans, corn, lotus seeds, tapioca starch, or tropical fruits are delicately processed, creating delicious, refreshing cups of sweet soup. Some of them have rich coconut milk, and some are mildly sweet, bearing the distinct flavor of this land.
Hue is known as the “paradise of sweet soups”. Source: Kham pha Hue
Each cup of sweet soup is a different taste experience, from the sweet and fatty taste of lotus seed sweet soup, the chewy and fragrant taste of corn sweet soup to the strange feeling when trying tapioca starch sweet soup with grilled pork filling. Under the hot sun of the Central region, a cool cup of sweet soup not only helps to cool down but also takes holiday-makers on a journey to discover the quintessence of Hue royal cuisine.
This snack is a famous traditional candy of the ancient capital, made from sugar, malt, and roasted sesame. The candy has a moderate chewiness, when eaten it has a sweet taste and the fatty smell of sesame. This is also a meaningful souvenir for tourists when leaving Hue.
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This snack is a famous traditional candy of the ancient capital. Source: MIA.vn
Enjoying a bite of sesame candy, visitors will feel the crunchiness of sesame and the light sweetness of sugar. Taking it with a cup of hot tea further enhances the sophistication of this specialty.
Areca candy is one of the familiar childhood candies of the Hue people, bearing a rustic and simple feature. This candy has the shape of a quartered areca, consisting of two parts: a crispy white shell made from concentrated sugar and a golden brown core with a sweet taste, creating an interesting harmony when enjoyed. When chewed, the candy gradually melts in the mouth, bringing a crunchy, sweet feeling that is attractive.
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Areca candy is one of the familiar childhood candies of the Hue people. Source: MIA.vn
This candy is not only a snack associated with many people's childhood but also has profound cultural value. For the time being, Hue areca candy is often chosen by travelers as a gift after their trip, because of its traditional flavor and the meaning of recalling an ancient, peaceful land.
Each Hue specialty dish carries the refinement of Vietnamese cuisine. If you have a chance to visit the ancient capital, don't forget to take the time to discover these typical flavors. Surely, your trip will be more complete than ever! Plan now with Asia King Travel!
Read more: 3 Vietnamese Noodles honored as Intangible Cultural Heritage
