“No artificial colourings or preservatives” are words you will hear from the seller and see from the banner when you stop by a recipe shop in Tay Ninh province, the location famous for the production of traditional seasoned salt.

The province, about 100km west of Ho Chi Minh City, boasts 100 producers of seasoned salt,  mostly located in the districts of Trang Bang and Go Dau, and the city of Tay Ninh.

Among the many types of seasoned salt, shrimp salt is the most popular product. It is a combination of dried shrimp, carrots, garlic, chili pepper and table salt.

Other seasoned salt products include pepper salt, lemongrass salt, vegetable salt and chili pepper salt.

Drying chili salt under the sunshine to give it a special taste. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP - Seasoned salt product is drying at a temperature of 80-90oC in a kiln. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Ready for packaging.Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Packaging. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP

Tay Ninh seasoned salt is served with various types of food from fruits to sticky rice, rice, or used as flavourings for culinary.
According to Luong Thi Nghiep, owner of Y Nhu seasoned salt brand in Tay Ninh, a good seasoned salt is a mixture of table salt and spices and then dried under the sun for a day.
After that, the mixture is heated in the oven for 12-15 hours at 80-90oC before being grinded.
The final production process is ultraviolet exposure, which will ensure the hygiene of the products.

Nghiep, 70, the oldest in a family of three generation involved in the traditional seasoned salt making business. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Shrimp salt is the most popular product. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Vegetable Salt products.Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Pepper Salt products. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Tay Ninh seasoned salt has become popular both at home and abroad. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP

Nghiep, 70, the oldest in a family of three generations involved in the traditional seasoned salt-making business, said the business of making seasoned salt in Tay Ninh started to develop after 1975, the year of country reunification.

In addition, the development of the country’s economy over the past 20 years has helped commercialize the products with expanded markets all over the country.
 

Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat    Photos: Nguyen Luan/VNP    Translated by Nguyen Tuoi