The citizens of Saigon are surely very familiar with snacks such as snacks like rice paper, spring rolls, mini pancakes, milk tea, fried fish balls,… However, if you don’t want to go out to the shops, you can still try making these dishes at home! It’s not complicated at all; Cooking tips will guide you on how to make delicious and affordable snacks in Saigon!
1 Types of rice paper
Mixed rice paper
Mixed rice paper is a legendary snack that has gained fame throughout various regions, and when it became popular in Saigon, you could find a cart selling mixed rice paper just by passing through markets, schools, entertainment areas, and along the road.
Saigon’s mixed rice paper is creatively combined with various flavors and diverse ingredients to make a standard serving, including rice paper, shredded mango, dried beef, dried chicken, Vietnamese coriander, satay, quail eggs, fried onions,…
Grilled rice paper
While mixed rice paper makes you crave it just by looking at it, grilled rice paper will make it hard for you to resist when you smell it. The aroma of grilled rice paper is most enchanting when Saigon experiences breezy nights; holding a hot piece in your hand will warm your heart.
Grilled rice paper is prepared with a unique combination of flavors from eggs, scallion oil, minced meat, butter, satay,… the rice paper is crispy when hot, with a rich flavor, a moderate spiciness on the tip of the tongue, and a hint of sweetness afterward.
Rice paper rolls
As a variation of mixed rice paper, rice paper rolls still hold a place among the delicious and affordable snacks in Saigon. With ingredients similar to mixed rice paper, such as quail eggs, Vietnamese coriander, shredded mango,… but with a different preparation method, rice paper rolls are often accompanied by a dipping sauce that is the key to winning the hearts of Saigon’s street food lovers.
Dipping rice paper
Called dipping rice paper, the soul of this dish lies in the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce can be made in various styles to suit different tastes, and in fact, you can completely create a unique dipping sauce for yourself to enjoy with the rice paper.
Fried rice paper
If you have eaten too much grilled rice paper, you can refresh your palate a bit with this super unique fried rice paper dish. The fried rice paper is crispy and is served with a rich or sweet and sour sauce, making it a simple snack with easy-to-find ingredients that you can make right at home to enjoy.
2 Stir-fried corn
Stir-fried corn is a dish that delights diners of all ages in Ho Chi Minh City, made from simple ingredients and an uncomplicated recipe. With the aroma of butter, the sweetness of corn, and a moderate saltiness enhanced by the unique flavor of dried shrimp, stir-fried corn is both rustic and delicious in the perception of the people of Ho Chi Minh City.
3 Dried beef salad
Dried beef salad is a popular snack in Ho Chi Minh City in recent years, offering an unforgettable familiar taste from dried beef, papaya, beef liver, beef heart, and a well-seasoned dressing. The papaya is crunchy when chewed, and the dried beef has a pleasant chewiness… it’s no wonder that the people of Ho Chi Minh City love this dish so much.
4 Fried dough
In recent years, fried dough has become an indispensable snack whenever Saigon is mentioned. Fried dough originated from China and, when imported to Vietnam, was adapted to suit the Vietnamese palate. Making fried dough is not difficult; the main ingredients are rice flour, glutinous rice flour, chicken eggs,…add a little green onion fat and dip it in sweet and sour soy sauce for a wonderful taste.
5 Toasted bread with chili salt
Once a hot trend, toasted bread with chili salt stirred up the culinary community with its unique flavor. The bread is toasted to a crisp, with shredded pork evenly spread, with a spicy, slightly sweet, and fatty taste from mayonnaise served alongside. It would be a shame if Saigon did not have varied versions of its bread dishes!
6 Thai Dessert
Thai dessert is a sweet dish that is widely loved by sweet-toothed people in Saigon. This snack is made from coconut milk as the base. Other supplementary ingredients to create a typical Thai dessert include various types of fresh fruits such as lychee, jackfruit, longan, or chestnuts, red beans, pineapple jelly, fruit jelly,…
7 Crab Soup
Crab soup is a famous snack in Saigon, and you can easily find this dish at street vendors and sidewalks throughout Saigon. Not only do locals love this dish, but tourists also enjoy holding a cup of crab soup on cool days.
The ingredients to make crab soup include crab meat, shiitake mushrooms, century egg, corn, quail eggs, chicken, and broth made from simmered bones… all the ingredients are not too expensive, so you can completely prepare this dish at home to enjoy.
8 Grilled Sticky Rice Banana
You cannot miss the aroma of the grilled banana leaf cakes in Saigon. When the charred banana leaves are peeled away, a crispy golden layer reveals a smooth banana filling waiting for you to indulge in. This snack is not complete without a layer of coconut sauce drizzled on top, then sprinkled with roasted peanuts or sesame seeds. Are you craving it yet?
9 Beef Offal Stew
Beef offal stew, or phá lấu bò, is a dish made from beef entrails in Vietnam, especially popular among the youth in Saigon. Beef offal stew is quite similar to beef stew, however, this dish includes added offal, usually stomach, heart, and intestines…
To eliminate the unpleasant odors of the offal, people often add white alcohol and pineapple. Beef offal stew is usually served with bread and sweet and sour fish sauce, and this flavor has truly made many people in Saigon “addicted”.
10 Grilled Corn with Scallion Oil
If you ask about a tasty yet inexpensive snack in Saigon, you cannot overlook grilled corn with scallion oil. Grilled corn with scallion oil has a rustic, simple flavor, using sticky corn from the green fields of Vietnam, grilled over charcoal to bring out a delightful aroma and then drizzled with scallion oil and fish sauce.
Everything carries the essence of Vietnam, especially on those childhood afternoons in Saigon, holding a grilled corn in hand, sitting by the sidewalk watching the traffic go by.
11 Bò bía
Bò bía is a unique variation of spring rolls, it can be said that bò bía is most popular in Saigon due to its flavor that suits the local taste. Bò bía is a combination of common ingredients such as Chinese sausage, chicken eggs, cassava, and Vietnamese rice paper, and the special black sauce that is a must-have.
12 Gỏi cuốn
Gỏi cuốn is something that the people of Saigon are very familiar with, if you don’t love it, that’s fine, but if you do love it, you’ll love it for a lifetime. Gỏi cuốn is made with many styles and different ingredients, but it mainly consists of rice paper, fresh shrimp, boiled meat, and fresh vegetables.
Of course, it cannot be called gỏi cuốn if it lacks the dipping sauce, as the dipping sauce is the soul of this dish.
Of course, it cannot be called gỏi cuốn if it lacks the dipping sauce, as the dipping sauce is the soul of this dish.
13 Fried banana cake
You can find fried bananas all over Saigon, with street vendors and smoke rising from a large sizzling oil pan, golden crispy cakes still steaming. While it may seem that way, you can absolutely make fried banana cakes at home with very simple ingredients and can also customize them in various styles.
14 Snails (clams, shells) of various types
It would be a major oversight to mention Saigon without knowing that the people here love eating snails. Snail and seafood restaurants, big and small, can be found in every district, bustling with diners who have a fondness for these snail, clam, and shell dishes.
There are countless types of snails and diverse ways to prepare them easily at home that you can refer to right here:
Finger snails
Finger snails have a long, slender shape, but their meat is very thick and chewy, and perhaps the most popular preparation is finger snails stir-fried with water spinach, but you also cannot miss finger snails stir-fried with garlic, tamarind, or satay,…
Fat Snail
Fat snails, with their adorable round shape, are a dish that is quite selective for eaters. However, if you know how to prepare them properly, they can be incredibly appealing. You can try various ways to cook fat snails, such as fat snails stir-fried with salted egg, fat snails stir-fried with garlic butter, fat snails stir-fried with lemongrass, etc.
Aroma Snail
Aroma snails are very familiar to those who are fond of eating snails, especially for the people in the Mekong Delta. However, aroma snails prepared in the style of Saigonese cuisine are still very attractive and delicious, including dishes like salted roasted aroma snails, garlic fried aroma snails, etc.
Steamed Clams
When mentioning clams, people immediately think of dishes like Thai steamed clams, lemongrass steamed clams, beer steamed clams,… the clam broth is sweet and clear, the clam meat is chewy and tender, and the rich flavor dipped in fish sauce is wonderful.
Long Clams
The nutritional content in long clams is very high, which is why they are loved by many. There are many ways to prepare long clams such as grilled with satay, steamed with lemongrass, stir-fried with green pepper, clam porridge,… these dishes are very delicious and simple, worth trying at home.
Blood Clams
It can be said that blood clams are the most versatile dish, capable of being prepared in all forms from steaming, stir-frying, grilling, cooking with fermented tofu, making salads, or even roasting with salt and chili to enjoy on leisurely days with loved ones.
15 Grilled Skewers
Grilled skewers are an essential snack whenever gathering with friends, each skewer of hot, flavorful meat dipped in various sauces and dips, with golden brown grilled skewers slightly charred, the aroma of charcoal and meat makes the skewers irresistibly appealing.
The method to make grilled skewers is very simple; with just a few steps, you can take a little time to prepare grilled skewers to treat your family!
16 Fried fish balls
It’s truly a pity for anyone who hasn’t tried this dish in their childhood! Colorful fried fish ball stalls and their fragrant aroma are always the most beautiful memories of the children of Saigon.
Fried fish balls are simply made, not complicated, and can be adapted to many different flavors if made at home. But the most rustic flavor is still fried fish balls dipped in chili sauce, sweet sauce,…
17 Butter-fried quail
During gatherings with a bit of intoxication, this dish is the top recommendation of the people of Saigon, delicious fried quail, tender and chewy meat, golden brown, with a rich buttery aroma or a strong fish sauce flavor.
From the moment you hear the sizzling sound of the frying pan, you can smell the delicious aroma of this fried dish, making it suitable for a main meal in daily menus or for snacking.
18 Can cake
When mentioning can cake, people will remember Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Binh Thuan, Da Lat, however, in recent years, can cake has become familiar in Saigon. Saigon can cake is not different from can cake from other provinces, made from rice, rice flour, leftover rice, plus quail eggs,… dipped in mixed fish sauce, this dish deserves the attention of diners.
19 Fried sticky rice
When it first became famous, this dish intrigued and puzzled many people, having only known steamed sticky rice, could fried sticky rice be as delicious as rumored? Absolutely, it is! Fried sticky rice appeared in Saigon and quickly became a favorite snack for many people.
The way to make fried sticky rice is very simple with just glutinous rice, minced meat, wood ear mushroom, cassava root,… crispy and chewy glutinous rice, soft and flavorful meat and mushroom filling, this sticky rice dish will leave you feeling full right away!
20 Mixed Pork Roll
In the late afternoon, people in Saigon often stop by shops selling mixed pork rolls to buy a box full of pork roll, and nem. Like other mixed dishes, a box of mixed pork roll usually contains various ingredients including pork roll, cha, nem, Vietnamese coriander, mango, cucumber, and is mixed with different spices.
Due to the variety of flavors including sour, salty, and spicy, this dish has gained a lot of popularity among young people, those with diverse tastes.
21 Milk Tea
There is no debate about this beverage and snack. Milk tea arrived in Vietnam about a decade ago and has never gone out of “fashion,” becoming increasingly popular. Especially in Saigon, there are unique milk tea brands overflowing in the streets.
If you want to try making milk tea at home, you can absolutely do it, you just need tea, fresh milk, and sugar, and you have made the most basic cup of milk tea!
If you want to try making milk tea at home, you can absolutely do it, you just need tea, fresh milk, and sugar, and you have made the most basic cup of milk tea!
22 Strawberry Tea
Strawberry tea has a refreshing, sweet and sour flavor that is very popular among young people in Saigon. The shops selling strawberries are always bustling every evening. Despite its delicious taste, making strawberry tea is incredibly simple. If one day you feel too lazy to go out to enjoy a glass of strawberry tea from a shop, you can still make it at home with recipes that retain the authentic Saigon flavor!
With the way to make delicious and cheap snacks in Saigon in the article above, TasteVN hopes there are dishes that you resonate with, and if you succeed in making them, don’t forget to share your experience! Wishing you a day full of energy!
