KIEN GIANG – Chicken, after burning, has a shiny golden color, chewy meat is soft and not friable, spices are evenly absorbed, with aroma from lemongrass, chrysanthemum leaves…

Ha Tien city is one of the famous lands for culture and tourism in the Mekong Delta. Because it is located next to Kampot – a province in the south of Cambodia, Ha Tien is also heavily influenced by your country’s culture, especially cuisine. Among the typical dishes, Kampot burnt chicken leaves many impressions in the hearts of visitors because of its rich and aromatic flavor.

Ms. Lui, one of the owners of the famous Kampot burnt chicken restaurant in Ha Tien, said the important thing when making this dish is that the ingredients must be unique and the chicken must be delicious. Chicken can choose about 1.2 to 1.5 kg, shiny skin, no strange smell to ensure freshness. The chicken is then rinsed with diluted brine and white wine.

An indispensable ingredient to successfully make a grilled chicken dish is the chrysanthemum leaf (also known as Thai lemon), of which a few leaves are left whole, the rest are chopped. This leaf is like a special spice that creates a unique flavor because it is more fragrant than ordinary lemon leaves. Mix the seasonings including shredded leaves, Korean paprika, satay, olive oil, finely chopped lemongrass… and then apply evenly from the outside to the inside of the chicken, stuffing a few leaves and lemongrass into the chicken’s belly.

Place the chicken in an inner pot lined with lemongrass, willow leaves, garlic, cooking oil, chicken marinade, cover, and burn on the stove over low heat for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, increase the heat to high and burn for another 5 minutes. Next, flip the chicken and drizzle the oil in the pot evenly over the chicken until the chicken is golden brown, fragrant, then turn off the heat.

The chicken, after burning, has a characteristic Kampot flavor with a shiny yellow color, soft, non-greasy meat, and the ingredients are absorbed with the scent of lemongrass and willow leaves. This dish must be eaten with a plate of stir-fried morning glory, raw tomatoes and spicy chili garlic fish sauce.

Burnt chicken dish captivates many tourists when they have the opportunity to stop at Ha Tien. “Every time I come to Ha Tien, I always stop by the grilled chicken restaurant near Mui Nai to enjoy. I am forever impressed with the unique flavor in each rich fiber of chicken with crispy, fragrant and stimulating water spinach,” Ms. Thi said. Thao, Ho Chi Minh City, shared.

If you have the opportunity to go to Ha Tien, you can go to some chicken shops with Kampot characteristics such as Doc Nui chicken, Y Mom’s chicken, and some chicken shops near the Xa Xia border gate, the price is about 280,000 VND to 320,000 VND. depending on time.