Sapa is famous for the majestic beauty of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range and is a destination that attracts tourists because of its cultural diversity. This place converges many ethnic minorities such as Hmong, Dao, Tay, Giay, Xa Pho, and especially the Red Dzao. Thanks to that, Sapa’s famous food has a vibrant and different cuisine. The following are famous dishes available at most Sapa restaurants. They are traditional dishes of the Sapa ethnic people and were improved by people from other regions.
- Lam steamed rice
Lam steamed rice is a traditional dish of the Red Dao people, one of the famous foods in Sapa. Plain rice is inserted into a bamboo tube, banana leaves or purple dong leaves are used to cover the mouth of the bamboo tube, then steamed. Lam rice has no taste, only the aroma of bamboo. If you want the dish to be more attractive, you can steam it with pandan leaves. This dish can be eaten directly or fried and eaten with peanut salt.
- Black pork meat
Vietnamese people love to eat armpit pigs, also known as black pigs. This line of pigs is raised in a natural environment. Small pig size. Armpit pigs can be grilled whole, stir-fried with lemongrass, or boiled. The meat of armpit pigs is sweeter, more fragrant, and chewier. The skin of the armpit pig is crispy.
- Salmon
Sapa is a high mountain area with many clean, cool spring water streams. This creates an advantage in salmon farming. Salmon in Sapa is sweet, fatty, and fresh. Vietnamese people love Sapa salmon when it is prepared to be eaten raw, also known as Sashimi. In addition, salmon can be eaten in a hot pot.
- Thang Co
Thang Co is a very very famous food in Sapa. Thang Co is a traditional dish of the H’Mong people. In the past, this dish often appeared during Tet holidays, or when people went to the market. The original version of Thang Co includes the six internal organs of the horse. All are chopped and cooked with highland spices in a large pot. The original version of Thang Co is not easy to eat. To accommodate more people, lowland people migrated and changed a few spices, added horse meat, and cooked it for a longer time to make the meat tender.
- 7-color sticky rice
7-color sticky rice is made from sticky rice combined with black leaves, turmeric, banana leaves, black pandan leaves, and a few other natural herbs to create eye-catching colors. This dish comes from the Nung Nin ethnic group. They are preparing a lot during the Lunar New Year and the 7th Lunar New Year holidays. 7-color sticky rice will be more delicious when combined with shredded coconut, roasted peanuts, white sesame…
Sturgeon can live in cold water below 23 degrees Celsius. Therefore, Sapa’s weather is very suitable for raising this fish. Similar to salmon, sturgeon are cared for on farms with abundant natural spring water. Sturgeon tastes best when eaten with hot pot, you will feel the sweetness and freshness that nature brings. In addition, sturgeon can be grilled or fried to eat with rice noodles. Tourists traveling to Sapa cannot miss this famous food.
- Braised pork trotter
Pig is a type of meat that can be easily prepared in many different ways. Pig legs usually have little meat, but you don’t want to waste it. Sapa people will burn them in firewood, then cut them into small pieces and stir-fry them with lemongrass, onions, star anise, and a few other herbs to create an attractive dish.
For Vietnamese people, black chicken is considered a chicken breed with higher quality than all other types. This line of chickens is small, firm, and fragrant because it is grazed in natural, cool, and unpolluted mountainous areas. Chickens run a lot so their meat is tough. Therefore, black chicken meat is very suitable for stewing with traditional medicine. It’s even better when combining this dish with pumpkin. A famous food in Sapa, you should not miss it.
- Meat jerky
In the past, people in the highlands of Sapa could not eat pork buffalo, or cow meat all in a short time. Lacking electricity and modern equipment such as refrigerators, they will marinate meat with spices and hang it on a wood stove. Every day of cooking, smoke, and heat will dry out the meat. Thanks to that, it can be preserved for a longer time. Every time they eat, people just need to wash and cook again. The dish is very delicious when combined with white rice.
Experiencing Sapa cuisine is not only an opportunity to enjoy unique flavors but also an opportunity to better understand the diverse culture of the ethnic people in the northern highlands of Vietnam. You can easily find these dishes at restaurants in each village, restaurants in the town center, or night markets.
In addition, exploring Sapa cuisine contributes to supporting the Government in preserving and developing the culinary culture of ethnic minorities. At the same time, it creates a source of income for the locality, helping to improve living conditions and reduce poverty in the community.
When traveling to Sapa, don’t miss all the delicious, unique dishes that are only available in Sapa.
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