Ốc len xào dừa is a traditional dish and a specialty of Ho Chi Minh City. The dish is made by cooking mud creeper sea snails in coconut milk with fresh spices such as lemongrass, coriander, chili, and garlic. The snails are cooked until they suck up all of the sweet and creamy sauce.
Before serving, the dish is usually garnished with fresh coriander leaves. In order to eat the snail meat, it must be sucked out of its shell while making a loud slurping sound. It's recommended to serve Ốc len xào dừa with a glass of beer or wine on the side.
This tangy snail soup is a staple in Hanoi. It is usually prepared with freshwater snails that are combined with a tomato-based broth. The dish also contains rice vermicelli noodles and fresh Vietnamese herbs, while typical garnishes include fish cakes, fried tofu, sliced scallions, fried shallots, or cilantro.
Lime wedges, shrimp paste, or chili sauce can be served on the side. Bún ốc is prepared as a classic winter version or as a refreshing summer variety in which the broth is served cold, and the noodles should be dipped in the broth and then consumed.
MOST ICONIC Bún ốc
View moreỐc hương is a traditional snail dish. The key ingredients in this dish are large and sweet Babylonia snails with white and brown spotted shells. They're usually stir-fried in a large wok with a sweet and sticky sauce. When served, the snails are pulled out of their shells with a small two-pronged fork, then dipped into a combination of salt, pepper, lime juice, and chili sauce.
Oc luoc xa is a traditional dish originating from the Ninh Binh region. It's made with mountain snails which live on the limestone mountains in Tam Diep town. The snails appear only from April to August, making this dish a seasonal delicacy. The texture of the meat is tough and brittle.
Although there are a few dishes made with these snails, they're most commonly boiled with spices such as lemongrass, ginger, and red chili peppers. Once prepared, the dish is traditionally accompanied by fish sauce for dipping on the side.
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