Through more than 10 stages with a braising time of more than 10 hours, the braised sardine product of Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city, has become a famous specialty and a precious gift every time Tet comes and Spring comes.
One morning in mid-November 2024, at the Thai Tin braised sardine facility in village 4, Kien Quoc commune, Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city, the scene was busy and bustling. Nearly 10 workers were busy sorting sardines, washing green bananas and galangal, preparing dried herbs and lighting the fire to braise the fish.
Talking to Nguoi Dua Tin , Mr. Nguyen Sy Thang - Owner of Thai Tin braised sardine establishment, said that he used to be the head chef for a large restaurant in Nui Doi town, Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city.
Among the dishes on the restaurant’s menu, the traditional braised sardine dish of Kien Thuy district is loved by many diners. Therefore, after each meal, they order a few boxes to bring home as gifts for colleagues, friends, and relatives.
Sort and clean sardines before braising (Photo: Thai Phan).
Realizing the great demand of the market, in 2010, Mr. Thang decided to quit his job at the restaurant to open a sardine storage facility. At first, he transported a large pot of sardine storage every day and asked a ready-to-eat food facility in the inner city of Hai Phong to sell it for him.
Later, when they had many stable delivery relationships, Mr. Thang and his wife decided to invest heavily and systematically to expand production. To meet consumer tastes, Mr. Thang and his wife packaged the finished braised sardines in clay pots and plastic boxes.
“Except for the product packaging stage which is supported by machines, all 10-plus stages from selecting fish, scaling, gutting and stewing are done by hand. Thanks to that, the braised sardine dish still retains its traditional flavor,” said Mr. Nguyen Sy Thang.
According to Mr. Thang, sardines are a popular dish in his hometown. At the markets, sardines are very cheap, just over 15,000 VND/kg, the selected type is 30,000 - 35,000 VND/kg. In the past, sardines were bony and were only for the poor. Now, when favored by the market, this popular fish has become a specialty with a selling price of 150,000 VND/kg of finished braised fish.
Every day, Mr. Thang and his wife's facility stores more than 100 kg of sardines, with an annual output of 25-30 tons of finished fish. All products are made to order from all over the country. The most consumed are in Hai Phong City, Hanoi, Quang Ninh Province, and Ho Chi Minh City. In 2021, Mr. Thang's family's sardines were certified with 3-star OCOP.
Traditional braised sardines from Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city, are braised for more than 10 hours in a cast iron pot (Photo: Thai Phan).
According to information from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Thuy district, in addition to Mr. Thang's and his wife's facility, there are many other facilities producing traditional braised sardine specialties to meet the needs of diners in and outside the city.
In particular, the Lang Chai braised sardine product of Lang Chai processing facility in Dai Ha commune, and the Sovi Food Company Limited's braised sardine product are 4-star OCOP products. Not only developing the economy and getting rich thanks to the traditional specialties of the homeland, the braised sardine facilities also create jobs for hundreds of local workers with an income of more than 10 million VND/month.
To support the development of the traditional sardine-stewed profession of the homeland, Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city supports establishments to expand production, strengthen the link between production and product consumption to other provinces and cities. At the same time, promote the Kien Thuy sardine-stewed brand.
In Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong city, at the end of the year, everywhere you can smell the fragrant aroma from dozens of traditional sardine cooking establishments. The sardine cooking is compared to the black carp cooking product of Vu Dai village in Ha Nam province, helping many households in Kien Thuy district escape poverty and become rich legitimately.
Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/hai-phong-dua-loai-ca-binh-dan-thanh-san-pham-ocop-noi-tieng-204241117112947794.htm
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