Top 4 Ninh Binh snacks that make diners miss them

Ninh Binh not only impresses visitors with its poetic natural beauty and majestic mountains, but also attracts visitors with its unique culinary culture. In particular, Ninh Binh snacks with traditional flavors, simple but attractive, are always a favorite choice of visitors when visiting. From fragrant sticky rice cakes to crunchy peanut candy, all show the sophistication of local cuisine, and are also gifts with a strong regional mark.

1. Banh troi

Ninh Binh floating cake (Photo source: Collected)

Not only is it a traditional dish during the Cold Food Festival, Banh Troi has also been transformed by Ninh Binh people to become one of the Ninh Binh snacks that attracts diners from near and far. The cake not only impresses with its round, pure white shape, but also with its creativity in flavor and presentation.

Ninh Binh floating cakes are made from special yellow sticky rice, ground finely and kneaded with water to form a soft dough. The fillings are varied: from traditional rock sugar to pureed mung beans, grated coconut or black sesame. The cakes are colored with natural ingredients such as pandan leaves for green, gac fruit for orange-red, or butterfly pea flowers for blue-purple, creating eye-catching five-color floating cakes. After shaping, the cakes are boiled and dropped into a bowl of fragrant ginger water, bringing warmth to this sweet cake.

When enjoying, you will feel the soft, sticky rice crust, combined with the sweet, fatty filling and the spicy taste of ginger. All create a delicate cake, both familiar and new - true to the traditional cuisine of Ninh Binh.

Visitors can easily find banh troi at local markets, street vendors or shops selling Ninh Binh sweet specialties. This is a light but rich dish that you should not miss when visiting the ancient capital.

2. Crispy rice with shredded pork

Ninh Binh crispy rice (Photo source: Collected)

As one of the most prominent Ninh Binh snacks, burnt rice with shredded pork has long been a source of local culinary pride. The dish is not only "nostalgic" for the locals but also makes tourists from all over the world buy it as a gift because of its characteristic crispy taste, easy to eat and rich Northern flavor.

Ninh Binh crispy rice is usually made from sticky rice, cooked until soft, then pressed thinly and dried in the sun until naturally crispy. After that, the rice is deep-fried until golden brown, drizzled with fish sauce mixed according to a traditional recipe, sprinkled with shredded pork and golden, fragrant fried onions.

Taking a bite of the crispy rice, you will feel the crispiness, the harmonious salty-sweet taste of the fish sauce, the fatty taste of the shredded meat, and the very attractive smell of fried onions. All blend together to create a dish that is both rustic and attractive.

Tourists can easily find crispy rice with shredded pork at famous tourist areas such as Trang An, Tam Coc, Bai Dinh or specialty stores in the city center. Some highly rated brands such as Com Crispy Co Do, Hoa Lu, Dai Long… are also reliable choices for those who want to enjoy the right taste.

3. Sesame candy

Sesame candy (Image source: Collected)

As a rustic dish associated with childhood memories, sesame candy – also known as sesame peanut candy – has long been a Ninh Binh snack loved by many tourists. In the ancient capital, this candy is made entirely by hand according to traditional recipes, preserving its own unique flavor.

Sesame candy is made from familiar ingredients such as peanuts, sesame, cane sugar, malt and a little fresh ginger to enhance the flavor. Peanuts and sesame are roasted until crispy, then mixed with a mixture of sugar and melted malt. This mixture is poured into a mold, rolled out thinly and cut into small, bite-sized pieces.

The candy is crispy, sweet, fragrant with sesame and peanut flavor, mixed with a little spicy ginger, making it unforgettable for anyone who has eaten it once. This is a suitable dish to sip with a cup of hot tea on chilly afternoons.

You can find sesame candy at specialty stores, local markets or visit traditional handmade candy villages in Ninh Binh to witness the processing process.

4. Mixed rice paper

Mixed rice paper (Image source: Collected)

Mixed rice paper is one of the Ninh Binh snacks that is extremely loved by young people. Although this dish is popular in many places, in Ninh Binh, mixed rice paper has a very unique color - rich, harmonious and typical of the flavor of the ancient capital.

Rice paper is cut into thin strips, combined with familiar ingredients such as shredded beef jerky, boiled quail eggs, shredded green mango, Vietnamese coriander, crushed roasted peanuts, crispy fried onions and indispensable sweet and sour tamarind sauce mixed according to a special recipe. Some places also add dried squid to enhance the flavor and richness of the dish.

The light sourness of green mango, the sweetness of tamarind sauce, the saltiness of dried beef and dried squid combined with the crispiness of rice paper, all create an unforgettable culinary experience. This is not only an afternoon snack for students but also a familiar choice when exploring Ninh Binh street food.

You can easily find Ninh Binh mixed rice paper in areas near schools, night markets, or famous snack shops in the city. These places are always crowded, especially in the late afternoon - the ideal time to enjoy these delicious snacks.

Although they are simple dishes, Ninh Binh snacks contain the soul of the countryside, humanity and the beauty of the culinary culture of the ancient capital. If you have the opportunity to visit Ninh Binh, do not forget to take the time to enjoy these rustic and unforgettable flavors - because they will make your journey of discovery more complete and memorable than ever.

Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/mon-an-vat-ninh-binh-v17364.aspx