Many grilled snakehead fish shops on Tan Ky Tan Quy street (Tan Phu district) are lit up all night long - Photo: AN VI
From around 2am on February 7 (January 10), many grilled snakehead fish shops were busy preparing, marking the upcoming busy day.
Right at the beginning of the street, shirtless young men began carrying coal into the furnace, while others took a nap after grilling snakehead fish all night.
God of Wealth's Day is a prosperous occasion for grilled snakehead fish sellers - Photo: AN VI
According to Ms. Hong Nhung, owner of a grilled fish shop here, there is only one occasion each year when the street becomes as bustling as this. She said grilled snakehead fish is sold here all year round, but only about a few dozen fish per day.
“As for today, my shop took about 300 fish, estimated at more than 300kg of fresh fish. We only have one meal like this in the whole year, so I took advantage of it to get a lot to earn a little extra money,” Ms. Nhung shared.
Fish is skewered on grilled sugar cane to increase the aroma - Photo: AN VI
This quantity is more than 10 times the amount of snakehead fish Ms. Nhung sells on normal days. This is her family's main job, and also the source of income that helps her raise her two daughters to go to university.
Selling on this street for more than 10 years, she said the 10th day of the God of Wealth's day is the happiest but also the hardest day.
“The hardest part is grilling the fish. Standing next to this charcoal stove all the time, the fat will melt,” Nhung said.
Ms. Nhung brings hot grilled fish for customers to choose - Photo: AN VI
At around 3 o'clock, the first customer of the day appeared. Ms. Nhung held out two types of fish and introduced them to the customer: "The big one is 300,000 VND, the small one is 250,000 VND, with full vegetables...".
When the customer is satisfied, she wraps the fish, adds all kinds of vegetables, peanuts, scallion oil... and does not forget to wish her customer a lucky new year.
Fish served with peanuts, scallion oil, vegetables and rice paper - Photo: AN VI
Not far away, the grilled snakehead fish shop owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Van had just finished grilling its first batch. Pointing to the fish shelf behind, she said she had started grilling since yesterday afternoon to be able to sell to customers on God of Wealth Day.
On God of Wealth's day, many grilled snakehead fish shops set up shop at 2am - Photo: AN VI
“It’s too late to start grilling now. A batch can roast about twenty fish, and it takes more than half an hour to finish a batch. We grill it first, then wait until early morning to grill it again until it’s hot enough to sell,” said Ms. Van.
Ms. Van quickly turns the fish to avoid burning, each batch of grilled fish usually takes about 30 minutes - Photo: AN VI
The 40-year-old woman's nimble hands turn each fish over the hot coals, and every now and then she sits down to skewer a few more sugarcane sticks into the fish.
She and her younger brother worked together to catch hundreds of fish. She said that to save money, she did not hire anyone, and that her husband and daughter would come out in the morning to help.
Mr. Tho said that in the past two days he has grilled nearly 2 tons of snakehead fish - Photo: AN VI
Meanwhile, Mr. Le Van Tho (65 years old), one of the most experienced grilled fish sellers on this route, said that in the past two days his shop has grilled nearly 2 tons of snakehead fish.
He mobilized his children and grandchildren and people in the neighborhood to help on the God of Wealth's day. The total number of people in his shop was about 15.
Mr. Nguyen Trung's snakehead fish shop has nearly 30 people busy grilling nearly 3 tons of fish on the occasion of God of Wealth's day - Photo: AN VI
A few houses away, Mr. Nguyen Trung’s grilled snakehead fish shop imported about 2,000 snakehead fish this year, estimated at nearly 3 tons. With such a large number of fish, Mr. Trung had to call his younger brother back home to come and “reinforce.”
Mrs. Nga, Mr. Trung's younger sister, came from Dong Thap to help her brother sell fish on God of Wealth's day - Photo: AN VI
Ms. Le Thi Nga, Mr. Trung's younger sister, and eight relatives from Dong Thap came to help Mr. Trung's snakehead fish shop from February 6 (the 9th day of Tet). Ms. Nga said that she and her grandchildren are used to this job, because for the past 10 years, every 9th day of Tet, she has come to help.
Most of the employees in Mr. Trung's shop these two days are family members - Photo: AN VI
There was also Ms. Lan, Mr. Trung's daughter-in-law who is working as a worker in Binh Duong, who also asked for a day off to help her husband's father.
“Every year when we sell well, each person gets 3-4 million. It’s hard to stay up late and work all night. It’s only once a year, so I take a day off to help my dad and earn some income after Tet,” Lan added.
Fish sellers have been grilling fish all night for the past two days to serve the occasion of God of Wealth's day - Photo: AN VI
Just like that, Mr. Trung’s family of nearly 30 people has been busy for the past two days. The belongings and suitcases of those who came from the countryside have not yet been put away. They sleep next to the shelves of thousands of fish waiting to be sold on the God of Wealth’s day.
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