By Đình Nhi

BÌNH PHƯỚC Almost every locality in Việt Nam has a speciality crop or a must-try dish that both locals and visitors swear by.

The southeastern province of Bình Phước, about 140km from HCM City, is no exception to the rule on standout culinary creations.

The land of the red soil is famous for its quality crops, especially cashew apple and jackfruit, and the tasty dishes made from these fruits.

When cashew apples are ripe, their pulp and nuts can be used to make some mouth-watering dishes. VNS Photo Thành Chương

“Thanks to its unbeatable quality, Bình Phước’s cashew apples can be used to make several wonderful delicacies that have won the hearts of foodies across the country,” food expert Chiêm Thành Long, who has devoted nearly all his lifetime to travelling around the country and exploring the fine foods at each place, says.

“I cannot remember exactly when I first tried cashew apples and delicious dishes made from the fruit, but what I am sure of is that it will astound you with its look and taste.”

Though not commonly sold in grocery stores, cashew apple is the pear-shaped edible fruit of the cashew tree, from which the cashew nut hangs. They have a sweet but slightly astringent flavour and firm, juicy texture, and are often used to make jams, juices and alcoholic beverages.

“When the fruit is ripe, it has a very special fragrance and sweet taste. Food artisans often combine the cashew apples and nuts with local foods and herbs to create delicacies that you cannot imagine,” Long says.

Among the exceptionally delicious dishes are cashew apple rolls. To make the rolls tasty, ripe cashew apples are chosen. The riper the fruit, the sweeter it is.

Cashew apple rolls are perfect in everything from look to taste. VNS Photo Thành Chương.

First, the fruit is cut into thin slices and then rolled with sliced boiled pork, fermented sheatfish and local aromatic herbs with a roasted cashew nut on top.

Bedsides its stunning looks, the roll also explodes with flavours with the slight astringent taste of the fruit, the fatty pork belly, spicy fermented fish, and aromatic herbs.

It is ideal for lunch and dinner, but can also be served as finger food at outdoor parties. Its advocates are confident that those who try it once will crave more and never forget its unique taste.

Long says the best quality cashew nut is from ripe fruit, when the nut is naturally separated and dried.

The nuts are nowadays used to make a range of nutritious foods like cakes, snacks and candies.

The standout dishes from Bình Phước's cashew nuts include xôi mít hạt điều (steamed sticky rice with cashew nuts, jackfruit, coconut milk, and sesame salt), bánh tét hạt điều (sticky rice cake with pork belly and cashew nuts), kẹo hạt điều (cashew nut candy), and hạt điều rang (roasted cashew nuts ).

A young foodie who worked for several years in a five-star hotel in Nha Trang City and attended a recent talkshow on the fascinating delicacies made of Bình Phước's cashew apples, says: “I tried bánh tét hạt điều and will never forget the wonderful taste of the cake, which was a special home-made gift from a friend of mine at university from Bình Phước.

“Too poor to afford pork belly and mung bean stuffing for sticky rice cakes, an indispensable traditional cake for Vietnamese families during Tết (Lunar New Year holiday), my friend’s mother used cashew nuts harvested from their farm to make the stuffing.”

Shelled nuts should be soaked in water overnight before they are made into stuffing for the cake.

“The cashew stuffing made the cake unique,” she goes on.

“Without pork and mung bean, the taste of the cake was different but perfectly fine. It is an exquisite combination of sticky rice and cashew nuts. I loved the cake and wish to eat it again.”

Xôi mít hạt điều is another must-try dish made of cashew nuts. Again the rice and nuts have to be soaked in water for a night before they are steamed with coconut milk.

Diced jackfruit is added to the steamed mixture which is stuffed inside jackfruit bulbs with sesame salt added on top.

Steamed sticky rice with cashew nut and jackfruit is among Bình Phước’s spectacular dishes. VNS Photo Thành Chương

Long says only jackfruit from Lộc Ninh, a district in Bình Phước, is perfect for making this mouthwatering dessert thanks to its thick, sweet and crunchy bulbs and irresistible flavour.

Cashew nuts can also be roasted with salt, garlic, honey, seaweed, or fish sauce and chilli.

Among the favourites is cashew nut roasted with high-quality fish sauce, chilli and garlic. Delicious, firm and fragrant Bình Phước cashews combined with the finest fish sauce create a dish that embodies the essence of Viêt Nam.

The cashews are lightly roasted with fish sauce until they absorb all the flavours before being dried to achieve a crispy texture.

Cashew nuts roasted with high-quality fish sauce and chilli is a pride of Mặn Mòi Thảo Điền, a Vietnamese restaurant in HCM City’s District 2. VNS Photo Thành Chương

The final result is a visually appealing and appetising cashew.

It is easy to discover authentic cuisines and dishes from around the country when you are in HCM City.

If you are a foodie, making a trip to try out more fascinating Bình Phước specialities at Mặn Mòi Thảo Điền in the city’s District 2 is then a no-brainer. Just do it. VNS