When the winter-spring rice crop flowers, the appearance of rice planthoppers (also known as rice leafhoppers or sesame beetles), a type of insect, is when the people of Tan Minh village, Cua Viet commune, Quang Tri province, get busy preparing to hunt and catch these insects. Each year, rice planthoppers only appear for less than a month at the beginning of summer, around dusk.
Having hunted grasshoppers for many years, Le Van Lanh (33 years old, residing in Tan Minh village) said that people can catch these insects by bringing a fine-mesh net and a flashlight .
The grasshopper resembles a beetle, about the size of a thumb, reddish-brown in color, with a hard body but a soft, round interior. During the day, they hide underground or in bushes. Only after sunset do the grasshoppers fly out to find places to perch. People set small-mesh fishing nets in areas with bushes, near rice fields, waiting for the grasshoppers to fly in before catching them.
"Previously, these insects were considered enemies of farmers because they often bit and damaged young shoots, affecting crop yields, especially winter-spring rice during the flowering stage. Now it's different; we hope they appear more often so we can catch them to sell and use in cooking," Mr. Lanh said.
According to some residents in Tan Minh village, one person can catch 100-300 grasshoppers per night. The grasshoppers caught are sold to traders for 2,000-2,500 VND each. For many families, this is a supplementary but significant source of income during the agricultural off-season.
After being caught, the grasshoppers are cleaned and can be prepared into many dishes such as deep-fried, stir-fried with salt, and especially stir-fried with fish sauce, a dish favored by many diners.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, owner of a restaurant in Lai An village, Gio Linh commune, Quang Tri province, after removing the wings, claws, and legs of the grasshoppers, they are washed clean, drained, and then stir-fried in a pan with seasonings such as salt, fish sauce, green chili, and green pepper.
"This dish is best eaten with young gourd leaves. The rich, creamy flavor and aroma of the mudskippers blend with the spiciness of chili and pepper, creating a unique taste. Stir-fried mudskippers with fish sauce are very popular; we sell out as soon as we have any," Ms. Anh shared.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/doc-dao-nghe-di-san-bu-ray-post848263.html
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