People in the fishing village burn fire to make the special 'goose fish' for Tet

TPO – The round fish, often called 'sky fish' by the people of Nghi Thuy fishing village (Vinh city, Nghe An ). This is a unique dish that is very popular, especially during Tet.

December 27, 2024 | 08:49

TPO – The round-shaped catfish is often called 'sky fish' by the people of Nghi Thuy fishing village (Vinh city, Nghe An). This is a unique dish that is very popular, especially during Tet.

At this time, people in Nghi Thuy fishing village (Vinh city, Nghe An) are busy steaming the specialty fish. Every day, some households process 300-500 kg of fish to supply the Tet market.

From 3am, Ms. Vo Thi Thu (born in 1975) and her daughter went to the wharf, waiting for the fishermen's boats to return, choosing to buy batches of fresh, delicious, and evenly sized fish. They brought the fish home, washed them, let them drain, and then began shaping them.

“The fish is selected to be fresh and delicious, with firm meat. After being cleaned with salt, it is bent so that the fish’s mouth covers the tail to form a circle. The process of bending the fish requires skill and meticulousness to ensure the fish is symmetrical and does not break the fish bones. The fish is then put in a pot to steam until cooked, placed on an iron grill to drain and then steamed,” said Ms. Thu.

Fish are placed on an iron grill to be steamed.

To create a sweet aroma and eye-catching yellow color for the fish, the secret of the people of Nghi Thuy fishing village is to smoke it with sugarcane residue (skin) in a tightly closed barrel. “The fish is smoked with sugarcane residue so it will be fragrant and sweet thanks to the layer of molasses left in the residue, the layer of sugarcane residue permeates each fish. After smoking, the fish will turn a delicious golden yellow color. A batch of fish is smoked for about 10 minutes. When smoking fish, you must pay attention to the temperature, do not let it get too hot, the scales will be charred black, making it look unsightly. When touching the fish and feeling that it is dry and no longer sticky, take the fish out of the charcoal stove”, Mr. Dinh Van Suu (born 1973, resident of Nghi Thuy ward) shared.

“Salted fish sells very well during the Tet holiday season. There are times when the products are not enough to meet the demand. Many tourists love to buy them because they are delicious, have a unique shape, and last a long time, and the longer they are cooked, the better they taste. Many people also choose to buy them as Tet gifts or send them abroad,” said Ms. Thu.

The fish after being smoked has a golden yellow color.

Catfish is processed all year round, however, the busiest time is from November to February of the lunar calendar. During Tet, catfish prices range from 120,000 to 150,000 VND/kg.

Catfish is a unique and very popular dish, especially during Tet.

In the beliefs of coastal people, the catfish symbolizes the round sky. Therefore, in the Tet tray, besides green banh chung, almost every house has a plate of catfish, praying for a new year of calm seas and fishermen catching lots of fish and shrimp.

Thu Hien

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nguoi-dan-lang-chai-do-lua-xong-dac-san-ca-ong-troi-dip-tet-post1704451.tpo