Unforgettable catfish stew

Although it is not a high-class river fish specialty, too expensive and rare like fried, lang, kumquat... but catfish - a type of catfish, present in most rivers in the province, especially Lo River, Da River is always considered a delicious dish, easy to prepare with many cooking methods that make diners unforgettable, always being paid attention to by diners in restaurants when they want to enjoy the river cuisine of the Ancestral Land. There are many delicious dishes made from catfish such as braised catfish, braised catfish, braised eggplant, grilled catfish... In particular, the dish of catfish cooked with fish sauce is only available in the Lo River region with a unique preparation method, combined with the unique cooking style of fishermen, always bringing a unique and unforgettable taste to culinary connoisseurs.

There are only two types of river catfish: farmed and wild caught by fishermen for sale. Farmed fish along the Lo River in Phu Ninh district are abundant, however, according to gourmets, farmed fish are not as “quality” as wild fish, even though they look big and beautiful. Gourmets can distinguish farmed fish by their color, size and meat.

The common characteristic of catfish meat is yellow color, the darker the meat, the more natural or long-raised the fish. Batches of catfish of the same size (about 3-4 fish per kg) are usually farmed fish, the fish skin is pale white, and more crumbly than wild fish.

The "vo vo" (or "con vo") is found in abundance in the Bach Hac River junction (Viet Tri City), the Red River... and is only found around the 2nd and 3rd lunar months every year. It is a crustacean with a short life cycle. It only surfaces in the early morning to molt and lay eggs, then returns to the same life cycle as above.

When the weather changes, there is a lot of fog... fishermen often catch cod. Caught with a net, after the cod is collected, it will be sold to customers or cleaned, vacuum-packed to keep in the refrigerator and used gradually. When cooking, defrost cod, clean again and stir-fry with rice water, tomatoes, green onions, lard... to bring out the aroma and flavor. After processing, cod will be kept separate from catfish to achieve the best taste...

At peak times, cod is sold for around 250,000 VND/kg and is also very difficult to buy if you do not know the source, because it is often purchased by restaurants right after fishermen catch it ashore. Cod hunting every 2-3 lunar months in recent years has brought high income to fishermen who do not mind waking up early and working hard to catch it...

In addition to yeast, tomatoes, lard... which are the main spices that make the fish smell good, when eaten, the color... the dish of catfish cooked with fish cannot lack herbs. Hoa Nham fish restaurant at the head of Viet Tri bridge, Bach Hac ward often prepares the dish of catfish cooked with fish by choosing good perilla leaves, fresh onions with onion heads and wormwood... cleaned, chopped finely for customers to season when eating, creating a delicious feeling, rich flavor and removing the fishy smell of fresh catfish...

After being caught, the catfish will be pre-processed, cleaned of slime, fins cut and cut into pieces depending on the size of the fish. Usually 5-7 pieces for one fish. After cutting into pieces, the fish will be marinated with onions, garlic, fermented rice, fish sauce, salt and chili... for about 15-20 minutes to absorb the flavor and then set aside on a large plate, to be eaten dipped in the broth.

These naturally golden river catfish pieces are marinated with spices in a pot of broth with the taste of fermented rice, stir-fried tomatoes... sweet and naturally sour and spicy, stimulating the taste and smell of diners. The pot of broth will be put on a gas stove or induction stove, brought to a boil, then the processed fish is added to increase the unforgettable and unique sweetness, creating a nutritious, fatty dish with a unique way of eating of fishermen, making it difficult for diners to resist the craving...

After the pot of broth has boiled, diners put the processed catfish pieces into the pot. Usually the head and tail will be put in first to increase the rich sweetness. After about 3-5 minutes, diners can scoop the catfish and the fish, add a little chopped herbs and add hot broth to the bowl to start eating. The cooked fish pieces will be intact, not mushy, just need to use chopsticks to gently separate the golden fish pieces from the bones, making eating the fish easy and delicious. Catfish do not have small bones, so the lean part is abundant and fatty, rich... unforgettable.

The pot of broth for the finished dish of cooked catfish has a very beautiful color and an extremely unforgettable aroma for diners. Usually, a tray for 6 people will use about 1.5 kg of catfish and 2-2.5 kg of catfish, along with dill, onions, vermicelli... Raising a cup of country wine, in the cold weather, sitting and sipping, chatting about family, life, business... a bowl of cooked catfish also contributes to the warm atmosphere of friends gathering and the pleasure of enjoying the unique river cuisine of the homeland...

Priced from 250-300 thousand/kg, farmed catfish or river fish will be sold by restaurants or fishermen depending on the quality of the fish. However, when entering a restaurant, the dish of catfish cooked with vo will be more expensive and not all diners know how to order this dish. Not too rare, but the uniqueness of the combination of catfish and vo vo has brought to the cuisine of the Land of Ancestors an unforgettable delicacy for visitors from near and far.

On a Spring day, on the porch, raising a cup of strong wine and enjoying a dish of catfish cooked with friends near and far is also a relaxing occasion to enjoy delicious dishes and promote the culinary specialties of the homeland such as banh te, banh chung, banh tai, ca thinh... To see more love and appreciation for the land of our ancestors...

National Assembly

Source: https://baophutho.vn/kho-quen-ca-nganh-nau-vo-226367.htm