Mantis shrimp (Tôm tích) is a special gift from Mother Ocean to Ca Mau people and travelers coming to Ca Mau. Ca Mau Mantis shrimp flesh is sweet and salty, comfort and seductively fragrant so that it is a favorite food of many people. It is called mantis shrimp because it looks like both mantis and shrimp. Its legs are similar to mantis’s leg which help it to hunt and fight. Mantis shrimp are known to be among the most faithful species on the planet, forming close relationships with a single partner until 20 years.
Local people row boats, sampan to the mouth of the sea to catch mantis shrimps. It is easy to buy this kind of shrimp at many markets or order mantis shrimp dishes at most of the local restaurants in Ca Mau. However, it is better to come to Song Doc, Da Bac, Khai Long, Dat Mui, Nam Can to enjoy delicious dishes from fresh mantis shrimps which have just been caught from the sea while sightseeing immense forests and sea.
The simplest and quickest way to eat mantis shrimp is that boiling it, dipping in a mix of salt, ground black pepper, lime juice and eating with aromatic herbs. Other more difficult recipes are Steamed mantis shrimp with beer, Steamed mantis shrimp with coconut water, Steamed mantis shrimp with lemongrass, Grilled mantis shrimp, Stir-fried mantis shrimp with garlic.
Ca Mau is the kingdom of dry foods from fish, seafood, buffalo, beef. They make dry mantis shrimp to store it longer. Grilled dry mantis shrimp is attractively smelling, crunchy and sweet-salty. Dishes from mantis shrimp and dry mantis shrimp pair well with beer/wine. If you have a chance to visit Da Bac, Khai Long beach, Mui Ca Mau – the southernmost point of Vietnam, do not taste and buy some dry mantis shrimp to bring home.
Besides Mantis shrimp, Ca Mau has a lot of specialty foods that should not be missed. Read more about Specialty foods of Ca Mau.
