Moc Chau in autumn is as beautiful as a peaceful, vibrant natural painting, attracting tourists with its cool climate, romantic scenery, and pristine beauty. Located on the vast plateau of Son La province, Moc Chau is adorned with the golden hues of autumn sunshine, with lush green meadows interspersed with endless rolling hills of tea plantations.

In particular, Moc Chau also captivates tourists with its rustic dishes, rich in the flavors of the Northwest mountains.

Here are some of the most popular dishes among tourists visiting Moc Chau:

Beef stir-fry

Veal stir-fry is a famous dish from Moc Chau, made from young veal marinated with spices and quickly stir-fried in hot oil, creating a crispy outer layer and a tender, flavorful interior. The veal is served with various herbs, dipped in fermented soybean paste, and topped with a little mac khen spice.

Grilled stream fish

Photo: Vnexpress

Stream fish in Moc Chau are typically of moderate size, with firm, sweet flesh. After being cleaned, the fish are grilled over charcoal until golden brown and fragrant. Grilled stream fish can be served with a dipping sauce of salt, pepper, and lemon or a special dipping sauce of the Thai people.

Five-colored sticky rice

Photo: Pham Hang

Five-colored sticky rice is a traditional Thai dish, made from glutinous rice and naturally colored with various forest leaves. Its eye-catching colors and fragrant, chewy texture make it particularly appealing, perfect for enjoying during festivals or as a souvenir.

Dried buffalo meat

Dried buffalo meat is also a distinctive traditional dish of the Thai ethnic group, made from fresh buffalo meat. After being marinated with spices, the buffalo meat is hung in the kitchen attic to dry, creating chewy, flavorful pieces of meat. This dish is often enjoyed with chẳm chéo (a type of dipping sauce).

Pa pỉnh tộp

Photo: Luu Huyen

Pa pỉnh tộp has become an indispensable part of the cuisine of the northern mountainous region of Vietnam. The fish is cleaned, marinated with characteristic spices, and grilled over charcoal.

This dish is appealing not only because of the naturally sweet and savory flavor of the fish, but also because of the delicate blend of spices such as mắc khén seeds, lemongrass, ginger, and herbs.

Man pig

Photo: Nha Trang Nguyen

Moc Chau's free-range pigs are raised naturally and are renowned for their delicious flavor and firm meat. This type of meat can be prepared into many attractive dishes such as steamed, roasted, grilled, stewed, or made into sausages. With its tenderness and rich, savory flavor, free-range pork is not at all cloying, making it an ideal choice for tourists' feasts.

Salmon

Photo: Nha Trang Nguyen

Moc Chau salmon is one of the outstanding specialties of the highland region, raised in a cold-water environment. As a result, the salmon here has a sweet, fragrant taste and is very nutritious. Salmon is prepared in many different ways such as grilled, fried, or in sauces... However, tourists still prefer to enjoy the freshest and most delicious salmon sashimi when visiting.

Rice porridge with green rice flakes

Photo: Nha Trang Nguyen

Green rice porridge is made from fresh green rice flakes, giving it a refreshing aroma and beautiful natural color. A distinctive feature of Moc Chau green rice porridge is the delicate aroma of the rice flakes blending with the broth, creating a pleasantly sweet and refreshing taste.

Rice porridge with young rice flakes is usually cooked with minced chicken or pork, and a few chopped scallions can be added to enhance the aroma. Some places also add minced meat and a few characteristic spices of the Northwest region such as mắc khén and hạt dổi to make the porridge more unique.

Source: Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Magazine