Trying New Foods In Vietnam: Ốc Lễ

We recently tried a local speciality at the Chợ Bắc Mỹ An that are as beautiful to look at on the outside as they are tasty on the inside. Ốc lễ are teeny tiny sea snails which are harvested by hand from the ocean and prepared for eating by steaming with sliced lemongrass, red chilis, and other aromatic seasonings. Presented for sale in large bowls and sold by the cupful for just 15,000 VND (about 66 cents in USD), our to-go purchase of Ốc lễ was poured into a clear plastic baggie then topped with several long thorns (compostable utensils!).

This YouTube video gives a perfect illustration of an Ốc lễ stand:

We carried our treat home and set up an ersatz dining area on our balcony with a few small plastic stools so that we could enjoy learning how to eat this miniature meal in the sunshine.

Our thanks go to Robin’s Seadev colleague Kat for explaining how to finagle the sea snail’s meat out of its spiral interior. The thorns provided by the vendor were truly perfect utensils for their spearing abilities. The method Kat taught us was to plunge the thorn into the shell as deeply as it would reach, then rotate it in a clockwise motion out of the canal in order to extract the snail meat.

The Ốc lễ’s natural flavor is abundantly of the sea, reminiscent of a salty clam with lots of umami flavor. The additional bursts of spicy chili and fragrant lemongrass added to the party. And it’s a party that goes on for a loooong time given the ratio of labor intensiveness to the quantity of food one can wrangle from these little guys. Eating Ốc lễ is usually reserved for social gatherings when family and friends can casually work their way through a bowl while talking for hours. We hope someday you’ll visit Vietnam and eat them for hours with your friends and family!