Grilled sandworm with salt and chili

"I heard Ca Mau is very far away" made me hesitate for someone who loves to travel. It wasn't until last weekend, at the invitation and provocation of some ladies: "Let's go to Ca Mau, you're from the West and you don't know that Ca Mau is so rustic". Angry, I nodded my head immediately!

When mentioning Ca Mau, a culinary enthusiast like me immediately thinks of the well-deserved specialties of this land of vast mangrove forests: spicy curry rice noodles, crabs, snakehead fish, dried shrimp, three-sided crab, water fern, mudskippers... I have had the opportunity to eat all of them, even though not in Ca Mau. The mudskippers are the ones that I am most curious about, because I have not yet tasted them but have heard gourmets praise them so much.

This fish is similar to the star goby but has rough skin, two large bulging eyes on top of its head, can crawl on water, crawl quickly on the ground, and even climb trees thanks to its two fins like two arms. Restaurants in Ca Mau all have hot pot, pepper braised dishes, mixed salad, grilled with salt and chili... made from the mudskipper.

Departing from Ho Chi Minh City at 6am, the bus stopped at some spiritual places of Mother Nam Hai and Father Diep Church for the sisters to pray. When it was almost dark, we arrived in Ca Mau City. At that time, everyone's stomach was growling, demanding to recharge.

We went to a seafood restaurant, the first dish I ordered was grilled mudskipper with salt and chili. The ladies who went with us, some stuck out their tongues, some shook their heads and said "no way, mudskipper is so disgusting". The owner of the restaurant enthusiastically said: "Oh my gosh, going to Ca Mau without eating grilled mudskipper with salt and chili is a loss! This dish is very simple to make, just clean the fish, spread a layer of salt and chili on it and grill, turn it evenly when the skin is golden brown and fragrant, then spread a layer of scallion oil to enhance the flavor. That's why customers love it so much. It's addictive, your family should try it!" She was so enthusiastic, everyone agreed.

In no time, the plate of grilled fish with salt and chili was brought out, golden brown, fragrant, and decorated with some green vegetables, looking very eye-catching. All the negative feelings about its appearance seemed to disappear. Everyone eagerly used their chopsticks to break off a piece of fish, dip it in the bowl of fish sauce with garlic and chili, put it in their mouths and had to exclaim. The fish meat was firm, sweet, and fragrant without being dry or fishy, ​​mixed with the sweet and sour taste of fish sauce with chili, we can say the delicious taste penetrated to the teeth!

Grilled mudskipper with salt and chili is perhaps a gift from nature to this land at the end of the country, motivating diners who are "afraid of the long distance" to come!

Source: https://nld.com.vn/diem-den-hap-dan/thoi-loi-nuong-muoi-ot-20201203214932702.htm