Vu Dai villagers in the northern province of Ha Nam are now racing against time to prepare their signature braised carp fish to fulfill orders by customers from different parts of the country who use it as a Tet (Lunar New Year) specialty.
“Ca tram den” (black carp) is the most popular choice of fish for the delicacy. The fish should be around 2-3 years old and weighs 3-5kg.
According to a villager, in order to give the delicacy its special taste, clay to make the pots should be taken from Thanh Hoa and Nghe An province to ensure no cracks or damage during at least 16-hour braising process.
Before cooking, pots must be boiled for hours on end to remove all the dirt, as without this process, the pot of braised fish will surely fail.
After the fish is processed, it is embalmed with lemon juice, ginger, galingale, broth made from pig bone and traditional spices of the village.
An important step is adjusting the fire to cook the dish. The wood should be from longan trees to ensure the unique flavour of the dish which needs to simmer for more than half a day.
The finished fish is supposed to be brownish black and boasts toned flesh yet soft bones.
A local is paid about VND800,000-VND1 million for a day of work.
A pot of braised fish from Dai Hoang village currently fetches around VND500,000-1,500,000 (up to US$71).
The delicacy makes a mouth-watering dish for Tet get-togethers and a great gift for the occasion.
The dish has brought fame to the village, making it very popular across Vietnam.
Today, most of villagers are involved in this trade, selling their fish braised in earthenware pots not only in domestic but also in overseas markets.
