Hanoi is experiencing some of the most magnificent weather of the year. The weather is pleasant and bright, ideal for strolling, sightseeing, and outdoor photography. This is also an excellent opportunity to try some Hanoi cuisine. Some foods listed below are also regarded as “indispensable gifts” by people in the upcoming autumn months.
Cốm – Green rice
In Vietnamese cuisine, cốm, also known as green rice, is flattened and chewy green rice. It is not colored green, but rather immature rice kernels that have been roasted at extremely low heat and mashed in a mortar and pestle until flattened.
When the summer heat begins to fade in September, Hanoians begin to harvest and process cốm. This is also the time of year when street merchants selling cốm show up on Hanoi’s streets. The autumn present is delicately wrapped in lotus leaves.
“Eating cốm, enjoying green tea, admiring the autumn sky” has long been a special habit of the people of the capital.
In addition to enjoying it directly, people can try cốm rice-based delicacies such as cốm sticky rice, cốm cake, and cốm sweet soup, among others. Either way, you can still experience “The Taste of Autumn in Hanoi” in every grain of fragrant cốm.
Sấu chín – Ripe Dracontomelon
Ripe dracontomelon is unavoidable while thinking about autumn meals in Hanoi. In late summer and early fall, street merchants in the Old Quarter sell ripe dracontomelon fruits. If the sour green dracontomelon is used to make soup and braise duck, the ripe yellow dracontomelon has a mellow sweet taste and is popular among foodies as a snack.
Ripe dracontomelon with red chili pepper salt
The pickled dracontomelon, which is shaken with a little sugar, a little salt, and a little paprika, softly shaken for the spices to infuse, seeped into each piece of the fruit, is a typical snack of students on autumn days. The slightly sour flavor merges with the sugar and salt, while remaining crisp and crunchy, bringing in more salty, sweet, and spicy sensations to stimulate the taste buds.
Bánh trôi tàu – Floating rice cakes
When it becomes cold in Hanoi, people joyfully invite one other to eat floating rice cakes. This dish features a soft and silky crust with a soft, sweet filling within, and it is served with a light sugar syrup with a little ginger flavor. All of the tastes mingle together to create a distinct sweet and spicy sensation that rapidly wins over consumers.
Floating rice cake has 2 popular fillings: green beans and black sesame. (Photo: An Sap Hanoi)
This dish will help people to warm up their bodies on cold autumn days. (Photo: An Sap Hanoi)
Chả rươi – Sandworm omelet
Rươi (Sandworm) is a water-dwelling animal with a high protein content. Rươi is processed into a variety of meals, the most popular of which is Chả rươi in Hanoi. Chả rươi is a deep-fried dish made up of sandworms, minced pork, eggs, tangerine peel, and dill. Chả rươi is served with vermicelli, fresh veggies, and a sweet and sour sauce.
Chả rươi is available all year in Hanoi, but it is most tasty from September to November of the lunar calendar, according to many gourmets, because this is the breeding season. Following that, it is normally refrigerated to be eaten gradually. Delicious Chả rươi may be found at Ô Quan Chưởng, Lò Đúc, and Hàng Bè markets, among other places.
Ốc – Snail
Snail is most likely a meal that may be eaten at any time of year. They are, however, considerably more delightful on cool, chilly days. While the snails are still hot, you may order some additional popular side dishes like pickled fruits, fried quail with tamarind, steamed clams, and so on.
There are many famous snail diners in Hanoi. (Photo: Halo Travel)
Many people choose to enjoy the autumn ambiance while sitting on the sidewalk next to a dish of hot, steaming snails. The simple and easy technique of processing distinguishes Hanoi hot snails from other sorts of snails in Saigon. Snails are cooked with lemongrass, ginger, and lemon leaves to give them a distinct flavor. The cooking procedure preserves the sweet and crunchy flavor of the snails. Snail dipping sauce contains chile and ginger. This is also the component that makes many diners flutter.
Snails usually taste better when eaten late at night. (Photo: Halo Travel)
Bún riêu – Crab Paste Vermicelli Soup
Bún riêu is a meal that Hanoians are all too acquainted with. Bún riêu is frequently served with a variety of toppings in Hanoi, including beef, pig loin, cartilage ribs, fried tofu, duck eggs, snails, and so on. Despite numerous changes, the distinct taste has not changed. This meal is loaded with nutrients, including calcium from mashed crab shells, iron from congealed pig’s blood, and vitamins and fiber from veggies.
A bowl of Bún riêu in Hanoi usually ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 VND. (Photo: An Sap Hanoi)
Mì gà tần – Chicken stew with herbs noodles soup
When it comes to foods ideal for Hanoi’s fall weather, many Gen Zers instinctively think of mì gà tần. This meal is best enjoyed late at night when the weather begins to cool.
The powerful broth with the scent of traditional herbs and wormwood is the soul of the dish, delicately seasoned to have a cool taste, and eaten with noodles and a few bean sprouts. As simple as that, the meal has become a favorite among many young people and food lovers.
Mì gà tần is often sold on the sidewalk, so it is easy to enjoy the autumn weather of Hanoi. (Photo: Lang Thang Hanoi)
Cháo sườn sụn – Pork rib porridge
Pork rib porridge is another popular dish among visitors to the old town and Dong Xuan market. Rib porridge is smooth and flexible, mashed like a powder. Cooked cartilage ribs are added to white porridge. Cháo sườn is sometimes served with quails and prawns to increase the taste.
Just a bowl of pork rib porridge is enough for you to have a warm stomach right away. (Photo: Riviu)
Cà phê trứng – Egg coffee
Egg coffee is a popular choice for autumn gatherings and meetings. A classic Hanoi drink combines the greasy taste of eggs with the warm, fragrant flavor of coffee. Enjoying egg coffee at a historic coffee shop, reading a book, or watching the flow of people on the street will round up the fall season.
On a cool autumn day, a greasy egg coffee will warm customers’ hearts.
Lòng rán – Fried pork intestine
Every autumn and winter, the pig intestine eateries in Hanoi are crowded. A dish of fried intestines is often filled with marinated and deep-fried viscera such as liver, intestines, and stomach. People can also order extra porridge or hot pot to boost the deliciousness.
Fried intestines have become a familiar dish for young people. (Photo: Halo Travel)
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