Nghe An Seasonal Specialties: Cua Lo Krill and Que Phong Chin Xom

Nghe An's cuisine has two very different faces. On one side is the briny taste of the sea at Cua Lo, where every krill season the whole beach seems to wake up at dawn. On the other is the tangy, fragrant flavor of the mountains and forests of western Nghe An, where the Thai people of Que Phong keep alive their traditional way of fermenting sour meat. If you like buying local specialties as gifts and want to know how they're made, both places are well worth a visit.

Dishes to Try

Fresh Cua Lo krill – watch krill netting up close

Ruoc (tiny sea krill) are very small, translucent shrimp that live in swarms close to shore. In late autumn, usually around the end of October, they appear in dense numbers along the Cua Lo coastline. This is the best time to watch krill push-netting (nhui ruoc).

• How to watch: Fishermen usually work early in the morning, following the tide. They wade in waist-deep, brace the bamboo handle of a push net and shove it forward to sweep krill into the net. You can simply watch from the sand – no need to wade in.
• Yield: According to the fishermen, a session lasts about 5 hours, and on a good day they can bring in nearly 100 kg of fresh krill.
• Flavor: Fresh krill is sweet and slightly rich, usually stir-fried with onions, dry-roasted with crispy pork cracklings, or cooked in vegetable soup.
• Where to find it: Along Cua Lo beach in the early morning, or at the seafood market in town.

Dried krill – the easiest gift to carry

Most fresh krill is sun-dried or made into fermented paste. Dried krill is light, keeps for a long time and makes a great gift.

• How to use: Roast it with pork belly, stir-fry it with garlic and shallots, or add it to sour soup for extra depth.
• How to choose: Good dried krill has a natural pale pink or orange-red color, fairly uniform size, and feels dry rather than damp or sticky, with a pleasant sea aroma rather than a pungent one. An overly vivid red may be a sign of added dye.
• Where to find it: Cua Lo market and the specialty stalls around the beach resort area.

Herring and sardines from the beach seine

Beach seine hauling (keo luoi rung) is an inshore fishing method that requires many people working together. A boat carries the net about a kilometer offshore and lays it out in an arc; then two groups of several people each stand on the beach and pull the two ends of the net, walking backward as they haul. One haul can take more than two hours. Depending on the weather and tides, fishermen may pull several hauls a day, in both the morning and the afternoon.

• In the net: Usually herring and ca soc (small sardine-like fish), along with many other small fish and shrimp.
• How to buy: Fish is usually sold by the bunch, tray or basket right on the beach, not weighed individually.
• Flavor: Herring is sweet and good for grilling or braising; small fish braised with pepper or simmered until dry are wonderful with rice.

Charcoal-grilled mackerel

This is the standout dish in Cua Lo. Fresh mackerel is cut into steaks and grilled over charcoal until the skin is slightly charred, leaving the flesh firm, sweet and smoky. It's served with salt, pepper and lime or with chili fish sauce. You'll easily find it at seaside eateries, especially on evenings during the tourist season.

Muc nhay (fresh-caught squid)

Muc nhay are squid caught at night, so fresh when they reach shore that their bodies still shimmer. Steamed with ginger or grilled, they keep their sweet, crunchy texture. Muc nhay are mostly available in summer, so ask the seller whether the squid was caught that day or has been on ice for a while.

Que Phong chin xom – Thai-style sour meat

In the Thai language, "chin" means meat and "xom" means sour. Chin xom (fermented sour pork) is a traditional dish of the Thai ethnic community in the mountains of Nghe An, and is especially famous in Que Phong District.

• Ingredients: Lean pork (usually rump, tenderloin or shoulder) and boiled pork skin cut into thin strips.
• How it's made: The meat is thinly sliced and mixed with the pork skin, salt, sugar, black pepper, garlic, fresh chili and golden toasted rice powder. The mixture is packed tightly into traditional bamboo tubes; nowadays many producers use plastic tubes or food containers for convenience.
• Fermentation time: About 2–3 days in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place, faster or slower depending on the weather. Only once the meat is evenly soured is it moved to the fridge. That's why customers often have to order ahead and wait a few days.
• How to eat it: Dip it in fermented soybean sauce or pure fish sauce and wrap it with fresh herbs, fig leaves and dinh lang (polyscias) leaves. It's mildly sour, fragrant with toasted rice, with crunchy pork skin.
• Best season: Available year-round, but demand surges around Tet as it's bought as a gift, so order early.

Thanh Chuong nhut

Nhut (pickled young jackfruit) is a familiar Nghe An specialty, especially from Thanh Chuong. It's eaten raw tossed with garlic and chili, stir-fried with meat, or cooked in fish soup. Sour and crunchy, it goes perfectly with rice. Jarred nhut is easy to buy at Vinh market and specialty shops.

Chao luon

If you pass through Vinh, don't miss a hot bowl of chao luon (eel rice porridge) with eel stir-fried in turmeric, scallions, Vietnamese coriander and a touch of spicy pepper. It's great for breakfast or dinner and is served at many casual eateries around the city.

Tips for Enjoying

Timing

• Krill season usually peaks in late autumn; ask locals or your accommodation before your trip, since krill depend on weather and tides.
• To watch krill netting or beach seine hauling, head to the beach early in the morning.
• When watching a seine haul, stand well away from the ropes, don't step on the net, and ask before taking close-up photos of the fishermen.

Reference prices so you don't overpay

• Fresh krill: about 20,000–30,000 VND/kg (buying price on the beach).
• Dried krill: about 120,000–150,000 VND/kg. Prices at specialty counters in tourist areas may be higher; compare a few places before buying.
• Chin xom: at producers in Que Phong, a tube of about 220g costs around 50,000 VND, and a 250–300g box about 65,000 VND. Buying in the city or through middlemen is usually more expensive.
• Fish from the beach seine: sold by the bunch or basket, with prices varying by haul; agree on the price clearly before the seller bags it.
• These prices are for reference only and change with the season and catch.

Storing your purchases

• Dried krill: keep in a dry place in a zip bag or airtight container; for longer storage, keep it in the fridge or freezer.
• Chin xom: only buy batches that are fully soured. For long journeys, use a cooler with ice, refrigerate it as soon as you arrive, and eat it within the time the seller recommends. Don't eat it if it smells off or turns slimy.
• Fresh seafood: ask the seller to pack it on ice or buy a styrofoam box; for long trips, choose dried goods instead of fresh.
• International visitors: check your home country's customs rules before taking meat or seafood abroad; dried krill and sealed nhut are usually easier to carry than fermented meat.

Ordering and eating

• At seafood restaurants, ask the price per kg before choosing and specify how you want it cooked (grilled, steamed, stir-fried).
• Chin xom is raw meat that is naturally fermented; young children, pregnant women and people with sensitive digestion should think twice.
• If you don't eat spicy food, say so in advance, as many Nghe An dishes are quite heavy on chili.

Final Thoughts

A seasonal trip to Nghe An can bring together both sea and mountains: one morning standing on the sand at Cua Lo watching fishermen haul their nets, a few days later sitting down to a tray of chin xom fragrant with toasted rice. Once you understand how much effort goes into what you buy, the gifts you take home become far more meaningful.