The fish salads are selected by locals, and easy to find. Additionally, these dishes are recommended by local tourism departments.
Salmon Salad
Salmon from Sa Pa, Lao Cai, or Moc Chau, Son La has become a local specialty over the years. The fish are imported from Europe and farmed locally in cold water environments. When they weigh between 2 to 2.5 kg, they are ready for cooking.
Vietnamese salmon salad
Sa Pa and Moc Chau salmon are used in various dishes such as salads, grilled, fried, hot pots, floss, and smoked. Among these, salmon salad is the most popular. The fish has a deep orange color and is crunchier than Norwegian salmon. It can be eaten raw, or semi-cooked with lemon juice, wrapped in mustard greens, and dipped in soy sauce or wasabi.
Eel Fish Salad
A specialty of Nga Son, Thanh Hoa, eel fish salad is not only nutritious but also has a unique eating method. The eel, which resembles a small snake, is cleaned, gutted, de-headed, de-tailed, deboned, and sliced. The meat is then mixed with fresh lemon juice, seasoned, and blended with roasted rice powder.
Vietnamese eel fish salad
Diners use fig or guava leaves as wrappers, add various herbs such as perilla, basil, coriander, chameleon plant, pennywort, and mint, form a cone shape, and stuff the eel salad in the center, then drizzle with fish sauce and add ginger, onions, and chili as desired. The dish is sweet, cool, and rich with the fragrance of fish sauce.
Mai Fish Salad
Mai fish salad is common in the southern central coastal regions such as Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan. The mai fish looks slightly like anchovies, with a translucent body. The fresh fish is firm, crunchy, and sweet, making it perfect for salads.
Vietnamese Mai fish salad
Mai fish salad can be enjoyed in two ways. First, by breaking a piece of rice paper or using shrimp crackers to scoop up the salad and dip it in sauce. Second, by rolling the fish salad with lettuce and herbs in rice paper. The sauce, made from peanuts, is sweet, salty, and rich, and is the highlight of this dish.
Nam O Herring Salad
Named after Nam O fishing village at the foot of Hai Van Pass, Lien Chieu District, Da Nang City, Nam O herring is available year-round and is caught daily. The herring, about the size of two fingers, is cleaned, de-headed, filleted, and cut into small pieces.
Nam O herring salad
Initially, this dish was only for locals, but it has become a specialty, available at most restaurants in Da Nang. Nam O herring salad comes in two types: dry and wet. The dry salad is made by slightly cooking the fish with vinegar and lemon juice, then squeezing out the moisture before mixing with roasted rice powder and seasoning. The wet salad is mixed with a spicy broth made from Nam O fish sauce, ginger, garlic, chili, and sugar. The fish is sweet, and the spicy seasoning makes for an exhilarating eating experience.
Phu Quoc Herring Salad
Phu Quoc's herring is delicious and nutritious, prepared in various ways such as grilled in wild betel leaves, fried, in sour soup, braised, in tomato sauce, or made into fish cakes, with the standout dish being the salad. Herring salad is a must-try when visiting the Pearl Island.
Phu Quoc herring salad
After being caught, the herring are descaled, gutted, de-headed, de-finned, de-tailed, and deboned, using only the meat from the sides. The soft, fresh, and sweet herring meat is usually mixed with onions, grated coconut, and peanuts to make the characteristic salad. When eating, diners wrap it in rice paper with various herbs and dip it in a sweet and sour fish sauce. Phu Quoc herring salad is also packaged for travelers to take home as gifts.
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