Jellyfish salad is a refreshing side dish that is light and colourful and contains a variety of textures. Photo sesofoods.com

QUY NHƠN — An unexpected trip to Quy Nhơn Ward in Gia Lai Province recently turned into a new culinary discovery along the south-central coast region. 

Among the local specialties I tasted, jellyfish stood out as a delicious and affordable dish that deserves to be better known and enjoyed by friends and families around the country.

Jellyfish, or sứa in Vietnamese, is not exclusive to Quy Nhơn, but it’s more common in this area than most other regions. The jellyfish is cut into bite-sized pieces and served either raw or in a hot broth. Either way, its flavour is more subtle than its texture, with a delicate, briny taste of seawater as the most prominent note.

Gỏi sứa (jellyfish salad), a refreshing and light dish made from fresh blanched jellyfish, is a perfect way to cool down in summer.

The jellyfish is thoroughly cleaned and blanched and mixed with a salad of shredded green papaya, carrots, herbs and toasted peanuts for a nutty crunch. The jellyfish itself has a crunchy, slightly rubbery texture, with a mild, clean sea salt flavour that absorbs a sweet-and-spicy chilli dressing made from lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and hot chilli peppers.  

The ingredients for jellyfish salad. VNS Photo Mỹ Lệ

A delicious jellyfish salad depends on a harmonious balance of ingredients, but the dressing is what truly makes the dish stand out. While the ingredients themselves are readily available at markets, the dressing is the deciding factor. The popularity of a bustling jellyfish salad stall is often a testament to its owner’s skill in crafting the perfect sauce.

Jellyfish salad is a delicious and refreshing snack that is well-suited to the hot coastal climate, especially during sweltering summer days. In Quy Nhơn, it is often served as an appetiser at family meals or parties, or as an ideal accompaniment to drinks when gathering with friends. 

It can be found either in restaurants or street stalls. To fully enjoy the experience, try it with crispy grilled rice paper or prawn crackers for a perfect combination of textures and flavours.

The second best jellyfish dish is jellyfish noodles.

Its name may not sound too appealing, but the soft yet crunchy texture makes jellyfish a unique addition to a bowl of noodles. This delicacy is among the most delicious seafood noodles you can find in the streets of the popular beach city.

Its subtle flavour makes jellyfish noodles a popular specialty in Quy Nhơn. Photo quynhonreview.vn

Whether enjoyed as a full meal or a light starter, this noodle soup is a satisfying bowl of contrasting textures and flavours. The wheat flour noodles come topped with fried fish cakes, grilled jellyfish and roasted peanuts, while chopped scallions add a fresh, aromatic note.

The star, however, is the broth, which is light yet deeply aromatic, with the flavour of the herbs simmered into it. A must-have accompaniment to this dish is a slice of sour mango, which cuts the broth's sweetness and creates a taste that's hard to describe. The jellyfish is crunchy and delicious in this noodle soup, which is sold at most street food stalls.

Út Hạnh, the owner of a bún sứa (jellyfish noodle) food stall, said: “During the jellyfish season, roughly from late spring to early summer, there is an abundance of jellyfish here. Originally, it was just an added topping to enhance the appeal of a bowl of noodles.

Ingredients for a bowl of jellyfish noodles, which contribute to its impressive flavour and taste. Photo baoangiang.com.vn

"Over time, jellyfish noodles evolved into a distinct delicacy that piques the curiosity of visitors. It is now a specialty of Quy Nhơn that captivates diners with a broth that is refreshing and naturally sweet, yet rich in flavour. As you enjoy the dish, you feel as though you are enveloped by the essence of the sea."

Hạnh added: "You may not know this, but consuming jellyfish also has a range of health benefits and helps contribute to a sustainable diet. You can find more information on the internet, but it's rich in collagen, which helps improve skin elasticity, slow down ageing and alleviate joint pain, while also supporting cardiovascular health."

After trying the first two dishes, it was the third — jellyfish hotpot — that impressed me the most.  

Jellyfish hotpot is a great choice for meeting family or friends in Quy Nhơn. Photo courtesy of Madam Sen Restaurant

The hotpot broth is typically prepared from simmered bones combined with shrimp paste, tomatoes and seasonings to create a flavour that is pleasantly tangy and rich, yet not harsh. 

As the broth boils, golden clumps of shrimp paste rise to the surface, mingling with the red of the tomatoes and the green of scallions and dill, resulting in a hotpot that is as visually appealing as it is aromatic.

The key is to buy jellyfish that has already undergone the salting and de-salting process to remove toxins and achieve the desired crispness. When dipped into the hotpot, it only needs a minute or two to heat through, retaining its delightful chewy, slightly firm texture. It adds a unique mouthfeel that's both surprising and addictive.

In addition to jellyfish, the hotpot features other fresh seafood such as shrimp, squid or fish depending on the restaurant, along with vegetables such as water spinach, mustard greens, shredded banana blossom, aromatic herbs and rice vermicelli.

There's nothing like having a steaming hotpot by the seaside at sunset, enjoying the fresh air and a unique delicacy of the sea at the same time. — VNS