Among the specialties symbolizing the local cuisine, Gia Lai-style banh canh (rice noodle soup) should be the first to come.

A bowl of Gia Lai-style rice noodle - Photo: SGT

Banh canh (rice noodle soup) is a familiar dish in Vietnam, including famous versions such as Trang Bang rice noodle soup, Phan Rang noodle soup with fish paste, Phu Yen chive rice noodle soup, etc. Yet Gia Lai-style rice noodle soup is also worth a try.

Gia Lai-style rice noodles are made from rice powder or tapioca starch. Local cooks in the province usually choose tapioca starch so that their noodles have a soft chewy texture. In fact, tapioca starch is a product extracted from cassava roots. That makes the noodles not too soft like others.

The broth is made by boiling pork bones before shrimp, fish paste and pork leg are added. Next, chili powder is added to the broth to make it tastier and have an eye-catching color. 

Herbs and bean sprouts are indispensable to the dish.

A bowl of Gia Lai-rice noodle soup will have some pepper, minced green onion and cilantro, and served with a small bowl of chili dipping sauce.

The rustic dish is a perfect combination of different ingredients that will satisfy your sense of taste. SGT

Lam Nhu

Trang Bang rice noodle soup

This kind of rice noodle soup which combines the softness and fragrance of Trang Bang rice and the sweetness of the broth from pork bones is sure to win the heart of food lovers.

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Rice vermicelli noodle soup, or bun nuoc leo in Vietnamese, is well known throughout the Mekong Delta’s provinces.