 |
Famous Japanese chef Kazuhiro Matsuishi (pictured) has 34 years of experience in the culinary and culinary fields. He is currently the head chef of Sikichi restaurant and the Director of Yoshimasa Joint Stock Company (Japan). During his trip to Hau Giang to show off his skills in processing and preparing delicious dishes from snakehead fish, he had a quick interview with Hau Giang Newspaper reporters.
The first time you came to this land, how did you feel about Hau Giang , sir?
- When I go to a place, the first thing I want to explore is the local culture, especially the cuisine. The first time I came here, I felt the fresh air and the gentle, friendly people.
Even though I had very little time, I still managed to go to the rural market and it was really interesting because there were a lot of agricultural products here, I could freely choose and I chose many ingredients to serve for my culinary performance, besides the ingredients and spices brought from Japan.
Famous Japanese chef Kazuhiro Matsuishi was delighted to visit Vi Thanh Rural Market.
It seems you really like Hau Giang folk cakes?
- Yes, at the rural market, I saw many kinds of traditional cakes made from flour. I also bought some to try. What made me more interested was the food stall at the cultural event about Ao Ba Ba taking place in the province. I enjoyed many dishes. From shrimp and pork spring rolls rolled with vermicelli made from vegetables, tubers, fruits, savory cakes with sliced catfish filling, steamed and fried sliced catfish, rice paper... I also had a cup of very fragrant soursop tea, with its own flavor.
I find Hau Giang's cuisine is also diverse and special.
Which ingredients or dishes of Hau Giang impress you, sir?
- I am interested in Hau Giang's snakehead fish. It was actually the first time I saw this type of fish. Therefore, when I was asked to choose this fish to perform, I was a bit worried, so I did a test session first. I found the fish to have a characteristic toughness, sweet meat and absolutely no fishy smell if handled properly. I boldly tried slicing it to eat raw, as a very popular dish in Japan and to my surprise it was very delicious.
This means that this is a delicious dish that should continue to be prepared to contribute to affirming the value of snakehead fish, bringing it to a new position.
With the experience of a good chef, what do you think Hau Giang needs to do to help snakehead fish go far?
- Hau Giang snakehead fish has great potential and can be exported if the conditions are met. The fish meat is already firm and sweet and perhaps this is the first time you have eaten raw snakehead fish prepared by me. This is a potential that the province needs to research and develop. However, to make a safe raw dish, the fish must be tested to meet standards, not infected with parasites, no worms, and ensure the health of consumers. The province should do this, then the possibility of snakehead fish dishes will go far and can be exported.
Each locality has its own culinary characteristics. If Hau Giang wants to develop tourism, one of the things that needs to be concerned is to promote its typical cuisine, both creating diversity and richness, and having unique products with their own characteristics. From there, it is possible to attract the attention of tourists not only domestically but also internationally. I find it very true that cuisine plays an important role in tourism. When I travel, I also spend most of it exploring the cuisine of the place I visit...
What are your plans in Vietnam in general and Hau Giang in particular?
- I am very busy with my work in Japan. However, I also hope to cooperate, to share and support with a training program on how to handle fish, helping Vietnamese chefs to handle the right techniques so that the dishes are of high quality and food safety in the future. This is also a way for me to learn more about new lands, explore and understand more about Vietnamese culinary culture in general.
Thank you and wish you soon return to Vietnam to carry out your plan.
Performed by VINH TRA
Source
Comment (0)