Unique way to prepare and enjoy delicious La Vong fish cake

What makes the difference and is recognized by the Ministry of Culture as “knowledge” is the entire set of skills, secrets, experiences, and customs of preparing and enjoying Cha Ca dishes in the community.

La Vong fish cake has become a famous culinary brand of Hanoi people. The way of preparing and enjoying La Vong fish cake shows the sophistication of the chef and the diners using the dish.

What makes La Vong fish cake famous and recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage is the entire skill, secret, experience, and custom of preparing and enjoying this dish in the community.

How to prepare and enjoy the unique dish of Fish Cake

The essence and uniqueness of La Vong Fish Cake is the fresh and delicious catfish ingredient. Catfish meat has a natural sweetness, moderate fat, very suitable for making fish cakes. The catfish chosen must be the type of fish with thick body, white meat, few small bones, usually caught from large rivers such as Da River, Lo River.

The process of making La Vong fish cakes goes through many meticulous steps. After cleaning, the catfish is deboned and cut into bite-sized pieces. Then, the fish meat is marinated with ground galangal, fermented rice (a typical sour spice of the North), crushed fresh turmeric, shrimp paste, sugar, lard and some other secret spices. The marinating process helps the fish meat absorb the spices evenly, creating a rich flavor and attractive golden color.

After marinating, the fish is grilled over charcoal until rare and fragrant. This is an important step, helping the fish meat retain its natural sweetness and not dry out when fried again. When served, the fish cakes are fried again in a hot cast iron pan with fat. The fat when fried melts, creating a rich flavor and helping the fish cakes to cook evenly and fragrantly.

The special thing about La Vong Fish Cake is that this dish is eaten hot right at the table, on small cast iron pans placed on a simmering charcoal stove, keeping the fish cakes hot and delicious.

An indispensable part of La Vong Fish Cake is the herbs served with it. Dill and green onions are cut into pieces, drizzled with hot fat on top, creating a strong aroma, mixed with the aroma of fish cakes. The raw vegetables served with it often include vermicelli, crispy roasted peanuts, and shrimp paste mixed with lemon and chili. Shrimp paste with its characteristic flavor is the soul of this dish, creating a unique and unforgettable combination of flavors.

Catfish is marinated with turmeric water and minced galangal. (Photo: Vietnam+)

The way to enjoy La Vong fish cake is also very special. People pick up each piece of hot fish cake, dip it in shrimp paste with lemon juice, add some fresh chili, then eat it with vermicelli, herbs and roasted peanuts. The sweet and fatty taste of catfish, the strong aroma of dill and green onions, the salty taste of shrimp paste, the sour and spicy taste of lemon and chili and the crunchy and fatty taste of roasted peanuts blend together to create a symphony of delicate flavors, captivating any diner.

Enjoying La Vong Fish Cake is not only enjoying a delicious dish but also experiencing a part of the history, culture and soul of Hanoi people.

The distinctive flavor of grilled and fried catfish, combined with the strong aroma of dill and scallions and the rich flavor of shrimp paste, has become an indispensable part of many people's culinary memories.

La Vong fish cake is forever a legend, a culinary symbol of Hanoi, a destination not to be missed for those who want to discover the delicate flavors of the capital.

History of famous dishes

Ingredients of La Vong Fish Cake. (Photo: Vietnam+)

La Vong fish cake is a historical story, a unique culinary culture, an attractive dish that has captivated generations of Hanoians and tourists from all over.

The famous fish cake specialty was born in 1871, invented by the Doan family at 14 Cha Ca Street, Hanoi. During the French colonial period, Mr. Doan Xuan Phuc, a painter, lived at 14 Hang Son Street, Hanoi. Out of resentment towards foreign invaders, he joined the De Tham army to fight against the French.

The Doan family's house became a secret meeting place for the rebels in the middle of the old town. The Doan family had a secret recipe for making delicious Cha Ca and often made this dish to entertain guests. Seeing the delicious food, the guests helped the Doan family open a Cha Ca restaurant to do business.

The Cha Ca restaurant was opened both as a source of income to support the family and as a cover to avoid the prying eyes of the French secret police. Over time, the restaurant's cha ca became famous for its special flavor and unique preparation method. The reputation of the Doan family's cha ca restaurant has since spread throughout the capital.

The name "La Vong" comes from the statue of Mr. La Vong - Khuong Tu Nha sitting with his knees bent fishing, placed in the restaurant, with the hope of bringing luck and attracting customers. Gradually, Hanoi people became familiar with the Cha Ca dish and called it Cha Ca La Vong, that name has become a brand, associated with this small street.

Through the ups and downs of time, Cha Ca La Vong restaurant at 14 Cha Ca street still retains its traditional flavor and unique service. Although there are many other restaurants serving Cha Ca today, the "original" Cha Ca La Vong still holds a special place in the hearts of Hanoians and tourists.

Up to now, the Cha Ca La Vong restaurant of the Doan family has been passed down through 5 generations, existed for more than a century, and become a famous address on the culinary map of Hanoi.

La Vong fish cake has become a cultural feature and specialty, attracting food lovers. The dish was included in the book "1,000 places to see before you die" and ranked in the top 5 of the 10 global culinary destinations. In 2016, La Vong fish cake was featured on CNN as one of the best Vietnamese dishes in the world.

This is also one of the dishes that Tripadvisor recommends visitors to try when coming to Hanoi. This is also a dish that appears in the Michelin Guide's recommendations in Hanoi.

To preserve and promote the value of Cha Ca La Vong, the descendants of the Doan family continue to preserve the family secret and the quality of the dish. They also expand branches to serve the increasing demand of diners, but always ensure the traditional flavor and uniqueness of the dish.

In the future, La Vong Fish Cake hopes to develop further and become a special dish with the flavor of the "Peaceful Capital" as well as the Vietnamese style of "sincerity, simplicity but profound and delicate" spreading to the world./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/doc-dao-cach-che-bien-va-thuong-thuc-mon-ngon-cha-ca-la-vong-post1078909.vnp