Phu Yen Seafood Delight

Phu Yen Seafood Delight

Phu Yen is a coastal province in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. Naturally, seafood is the local cuisine. Blood oysters, tuna and jellyfish are among the most abundant specialties in the place, which are then served in different, unique ways only the province can offer.
Blood oysters in Phu Yen are found in O Loan Lagoon, specifically located at the side of Highway 1A, below Quan Cau Pass, approximately 22 kilometers from Tuy Hoa City. O Loan Lagoon is said to look like a “phoenix spreading its wings in the air.” Just as well because the lagoon is known to be home to certain kinds of endangered species of birds. It is also known for its golden sands and casuarinas forest.
O Loan Lagoon is an inland body of water though. For this matter, it has brackish water. In the same line, blood cockles abound in the area. But the specific clam species differ in other regions in the country in that it has high nutritional value. In Phu Yen, it is best served charcoal grilled and medium cooked. A dip composed of salt, pepper, and lemon juice is prepared for the clam's insides. The meal is best accompanied with herbs, grilled rice paper and liquor wherein the different tastes, textures, and smells of the ingredients actually combine to make a perfect dish. Blood cockles can also be boiled or steamed and its meat used in other dishes, but locals and foreigners alike prefer the grilled technique, enjoying the meal even more with the beautiful sight of O Loan Lagoon.
Tuy Hoa City in Phu Yen Province is known as the Tuna Capital of Vietnam because it has the biggest tuna wharf in the Central region. Naturally, it also has the most number of tuna fishermen compared to the other localities. Tuna is famous for both its high nutrition value and delicious taste. It can be cooked in many ways, including raw, grilled, steamed, fried, and even as a porridge. But in Tuy Hoa City, they make it even more interesting by making a one-of-a-kind dish of the fish meat: steamed tuna eyes.
Aside from its delicious taste and high nutrional value, tuna stands above most saltwater fish even more by its exceptional vision which can reach up to three hundred meters. Like its meat, tuna eyes have special nutrients and even medicinal value, a possible cure for people who have poor eyesight or eye disease. The special dish is prepared by first rinsing then marinated with onion, garlic, pepper, herbs, salt, and seasoning for around 15-20 minutes. Each eye is then steamed for thirty minutes inside a small ceramic pot. Local herbs and spices are added to balance the meal, and a strong rice liquor is a perfect accompaniment.
Jellyfish salad is another Tuy Hoa specialty. The seafood is mixed with aromatic herbs, coconut meat, roasted peanuts, and fish sauce to make a salad. The dish is then served with crispy grilled rice paper. The result is a cool, sweet and crunchy taste that guests easily come to love and actually come back to.
Tuy Hoa City is also known as the Locality of Nau (xu Nau), a form of endearment to the city and local people. Since the place is popular for its unique seafood cuisine, the name is only apt for the many who have come to love Tuy Hoa City and Phu Yen Province because of this gastronomical delight.