Long tong fish, a freshwater fish that used to swim densely in the canals of the Western region, was ignored by everyone, but is now a specialty fish for the rich.

When the heavy rains come, in the West, it is also the season for the long tong fish to breed and form schools. The canals and ponds around the house become the habitat of many schools of long tong fish.

When I was young, I liked to sit with my close friends against the banana and coconut trees in front of the house, studying while watching the schools of fish swimming on the water's surface, it looked very beautiful.

Long tong fish used to swim everywhere in the canals of the Western region. They were small, cheap fish and were often "ignored". Now, long tong fish has become a specialty fish. This freshwater fish can be processed into many delicious, rustic dishes that the rich and powerful still crave.

At that time, there were not many types of nets like there are now. My father and I had to use our patched mosquito net to catch fish for the whole family. Sometimes, it did not dry fast enough and we had to sleep in a mosquito net that smelled of mud and had to be hastily tied up with banana strings to keep out mosquitoes.

My father taught me how to make fish balls very quickly, which made me laugh out loud. I kept apologizing to the fish while doing it because I was afraid that if I rubbed the fish too hard, it would hurt the fish the first time I tried it.

The fish is put in a basket, brought down to the pond in front of the house, lightly rubbed with a piece of areca leaf to clean the scales, remove the intestines, and drain.

Although the size of the snakehead fish is smaller than other types, it can be processed into many delicious dishes such as deep-fried, or marinated with salt to make the fish firm and then cooked in sour fruit soup, especially braised with pepper...

I like to eat braised catfish with pepper with white rice and boiled water spinach or young water hyacinth shoots. At home, to have delicious and flavorful braised catfish with pepper, after cleaning the fish, my mother taught me to marinate it with a little caramel sauce, let it soak for about 10 minutes before stewing until the water is almost dry, then add some fried pork fat.

Finally, sprinkle some ground pepper, a pinch of chopped green onions, a few slices of red chili peppers and remove from the stove to create a delicious, characteristic flavor and beautiful color. Braised fish with pepper is simple but delicious.

For children who often live in nostalgia for their beloved home with their parents and siblings, along with many childhood memories like me, the season of long tong fish is always full of emotions.

Source: https://danviet.vn/ca-long-tong-ca-dong-xua-boi-day-dac-kenh-rach-mien-tay-ai-cung-ngo-lo-nay-la-ca-dac-san-nha-giau-20250103192747527.htm