Pickled shrimps are among the most popular side dishes in Vietnam’s central coast region. However, it is the version in Binh Dinh Province that is most appealing to food lovers because of its distinctive flavor.
Binh Dinh-style pickled shrimps
The unique taste of the dish comes from its preparation. As for the ingredients, fresh shrimps are of course the key. The shrimps are soaked in Bau Da wine—a very well-known wine of Binh Dinh—within 30 minutes to remove their stink. Then, the heads of the shrimps are cut off. Next, they are soaked again in Bau Da wine until they turn red.
A mixture of glutinous rice flour, hot water and a pinch of salt is prepared so that the wine-soaked shrimps are immersed in it. After that, the mixture is marinated in galangal, ginger, garlic and fish sauce before being put in a jar for one week. Guava leaves are put on the surface of the jar to prevent the shrimps from coming up.
Binh Dinh-style pickled shrimps are a side dish often served with rice vermicelli, slices of boiled pork, herbs and rice paper. The pickled shrimps and hot rice are also a perfect match.
Jars of Binh Dinh-style pickled shrimps are now available on e-commerce platforms.