Mui Ne fishermen are famous for a typical hotpot with the main ingredients are various types of fish like ca duc (smelt-whitings), ca suot (atherinidae).
However, the fish that gives best taste and flavour is ca mai (deep herring), the fish species that are abundant in Phan Thiet waters, Binh Thuan Province. Professional chefs in restaurants often pick deep herrings in the early morning, cut along the sides of the fish, blanch in boiling water, and then rewash the fish with lime juice before marinating it with crushed chili and garlic, and ginger juice.
On a bamboo tray, spread a layer of green banana leaves. Each red banana bract which is arranged like a flower petal is a container of egg, cucumber, pork belly, vegetable, green mango. The flower stigma is a plate of white flesh of deep herring with red dots of fresh chili.
A boiling clay pot over charcoal filled with an aromatic broth makes diners cannot wait to enjoy a delicacy of coastal residents. Ingredients for the broth which is later used to add fish and vegetable include fresh tomato, fresh prawn and brown onion which are stir-fried before adding water.
The hot pot tastes best when enjoying with fresh noodle and dipping sauce made of Phan Thiet original fish sauce, dried tamarind, chili, and minced peanuts. Diners can feel the aromatic, fatty taste of peanuts and the freshness of deep herring.
Various types of vegetable with the rich taste of pure anchovy fish sauce, the sourness of tomato and the mildly sweet taste and flavour of seafood is an unforgettable culinary experience./.
