The striped fish of the Central Highlands, a giant fish in the Se San River, lives up to 50 years and is a specialty fish of the rich.

Amidst the vast mountains and rivers of the Central Highlands, nature has bestowed upon the Se San River many special fish species, including the striped melon fish which has a particularly delicious flavor. This special fish species can live up to 50 years and reach enormous weights.

Speaking of the delicious taste of natural specialty fish, who wouldn't love to bite into a piece of sweet, aromatic, flavorful fish raised from a cool stream.

If you want that, come back to the great Central Highlands, where the Se San River flows strongly day and night, embracing the striped melon fish whose meat becomes more delicious and flavorful every day.

When the fish season comes, people follow the Se San River to Se San 3 Lake, it is not difficult to see places that buy giant fish right around the lake.

The striped fish mainly weigh from 5 to 10kg, some striped fish weigh up to 20kg. Some even weigh 40-50kg.

Mysterious fish living in strange lakes, the more you look, the rarer it becomes

The striped carp looks like a carp, has a yellow mouth, and large, thick scales arranged in neat rows.

Notably, this rare fish has five or seven black scales on both sides for identification. During the rainy season, striped melon fish dive deep into the water and are difficult to find.

When the rainy season comes, the Se San River flows rapidly, muddy and red, and striped fish are quite rare because they have gone looking for food.

If you want to see more striped fish in the Se San River, you should probably come during the dry season, from around Tet to around February.

This is the breeding season so this giant fish seeks out deep holes in calm waters. Therefore, even if you have money, you may not be able to appreciate the taste of striped catfish meat when it is not in season.

Striped fish is not too expensive for diners to afford, around 700,000 VND/kg.

But if you have the chance to enjoy striped fish that have lived for many years in the lake, their sweet meat enriched with moss over decades, then no matter how expensive it is, it is worth it.

Cá sọc dưa Tây Nguyên, cá khổng lồ ở dòng sông Sê San sống thọ tới 50 năm, là cá đặc sản nhà giàu- Ảnh 5.

The meat of the striped catfish is tough and fatty, with marbled fat between the layers of fish, similar to premium Kobe beef. But striped catfish is striped catfish, carrying the soul of the wild, and cannot be mistaken for any other flavor.

Cá sọc dưa Tây Nguyên, cá khổng lồ ở dòng sông Sê San sống thọ tới 50 năm, là cá đặc sản nhà giàu- Ảnh 6.

Cá sọc dưa Tây Nguyên, cá khổng lồ ở dòng sông Sê San sống thọ tới 50 năm, là cá đặc sản nhà giàu- Ảnh 7.

How to eat striped catfish to make it delicious and juicy?

Striped catfish is one of the rare specialty fish that diners can feel the harmonious delicious taste. Because fish with crispy meat is very difficult to chew, but striped catfish meat is so special.

So no need to be fussy, steamed striped melon fish or hot pot is great. The fish pieces are sliced, fresh and succulent, dipped in the hot pot, the meat is delicious, the water is sweet with the rich flavor of wild fish.

Striped fish do not live long out of water, so choosing fresh fish to dip in hot pot will bring the most delicious flavor.

Striped melon fish can weigh up to 70kg and be nearly 2m long because they can hide under the Se San for up to 50 years.

Cá sọc dưa Tây Nguyên, cá khổng lồ ở dòng sông Sê San sống thọ tới 50 năm, là cá đặc sản nhà giàu- Ảnh 8.

After decades of growing up eating algae and drinking water from the great forest, striped melon fish is increasingly rare and sought after by gourmets to "enlighten" their taste buds.

Diners come to the restaurant to enjoy mainly grilled striped catfish wrapped in banana leaves or sour striped catfish hotpot.

Coming to the Se San River region, each restaurant has its own secret recipe with beautiful names.

But the nature of this giant fish meat is already excellent, so dipping it in a steaming, fragrant hot pot is also very delicious.

Cá sọc dưa Tây Nguyên, cá khổng lồ ở dòng sông Sê San sống thọ tới 50 năm, là cá đặc sản nhà giàu- Ảnh 9. — Grilled striped fish

Cá sọc dưa Tây Nguyên, cá khổng lồ ở dòng sông Sê San sống thọ tới 50 năm, là cá đặc sản nhà giàu- Ảnh 10.

Clean and slice the striped catfish, arrange on a plate, and marinate with a little chili sauce and minced ginger. Then dip it into the hot pot, the fish will be cooked just right, crispy, chewy, and very attractive.