DIY Canned Fish Salad Thai Cuisine Backpack Trips

DIY canned fish salad with mr.hotsia's backpacking style

When it comes to an easy menu that's portable and can be made anywhere for backpack travelers like me, mr.hotsia has to recommendcanned fish saladas one of the top choices. Whether going on trips anywhere in Thailand or even neighboring countries, I always carry canned fish in my bag because it’s convenient and delicious, allowing a DIY style to suit our own taste easily.

The last time I backpacked to Hạ Tĩnh Province (read more details atHạ Tĩnh Province), a small town with cultural diversity among Thai-Lao-Vietnamese, I didn’t forget to take out canned fish to make a simple canned fish salad at the Binh Minh Hotel where I stayed, right opposite Coop Mart mall.

Why canned fish salad? The perfect convenience for independent travelers

For backpack travelers like me, preparing for independent travel (read tips for preparing independent travel) is the key to making trips fun and stress-free. Carrying simple food like canned fish saves both time and budget because sometimes we might be in places without nearby restaurants or local food that’s unfamiliar to our taste buds.

Canned fish salad is therefore a perfect choice because canned fish has a mild flavor. I personally adjust the recipe slightly by adding sliced fresh bird’s eye chili, sliced kaffir lime leaves, and fresh lime juice bought from the local market in Hạ Tĩnh to get the sour, spicy, and fragrant herbal taste in a genuine Thai DIY style that I really like.

Easy-to-find ingredients from local markets and the traveler's lifestyle

I clearly remember that the market in this town had very fresh and cheap ingredients, such as fresh chili, shallots, lime, and coriander sold by local people. There were also many brands of canned fish to choose from. I picked one with a bit firmer meat to make the salad taste better.

On the day I rode a tuk-tuk around Hạ Tĩnh (imagine the atmosphere of locals speaking a mix of Lao, Vietnamese, and Thai), I stopped to buy fresh ingredients from the market to prepare canned fish salad in my room. It was a small joy for a traveler who doesn’t want to fuss about food but still wants to experience home-style flavors in a friendly atmosphere.

DIY canned fish salad with tips from mr.hotsia

My favorite simple recipe is to open the canned fish, squeeze out a little liquid, then add sliced shallots, sliced bird’s eye chili, finely sliced kaffir lime leaves, fresh lime juice, and a little fish sauce. Taste to adjust sour, salty, and spicy to your liking. You can add a little palm sugar if you prefer a slightly sweet taste.

The advantage of this dish is that you can adjust ingredients according to your preference and what’s available locally. For example, if lime is hard to find, you might use tamarind paste instead or add roasted peanuts for crunchiness.

Travel and experiences that make canned fish salad taste better

The fun of making canned fish salad on a backpacking trip is doing it yourself in a new and unfamiliar atmosphere, like when I made it while resting at a small hotel in Hạ Tĩnh or even while riding the train or bus during travel, eating canned fish with sticky rice bought from roadside stalls.

I really enjoy eating simple food like this when I’m tired from traveling because it feels like resting and recharging for a new day. It also lets me truly experience the local way of life, which is the charm of independent travel that I love so much.

Want to try making canned fish salad in mr.hotsia’s style?

For anyone planning a backpack trip in Thailand or neighboring countries and wants an easy menu to make anywhere, I recommend carrying canned fish and simple ingredients with you. Don’t worry about it being complicated because making DIY canned fish salad is not just about food; it’s a travel experience that lets you enjoy eating and living like a real traveler.

If you want to know backpack travel preparation tips or see the atmosphere and how I really make DIY canned fish salad, you can watch the video here:DIY Canned Fish Salad Thai Cuisine Backpack Trips