Preserving the traditional fish sauce making craft.

Currently, Mrs. Nguyen Thi My Linh, residing in Ba Rinh hamlet, Dai Hai commune, Can Tho city, is busier than ever with her fish sauce making business. Due to increased demand, Mrs. Linh has to continuously import fresh fish to ensure sufficient supply for the market.

Ms. Nguyen Thi My Linh, residing in Ba Rinh hamlet, Dai Hai commune, Can Tho city, stands beside her finished fermented fish paste product.

Ms. Linh primarily makes fermented snakehead fish paste, using both wild and farmed snakehead fish. Wild snakehead fish paste is made during the flood season (August to November), when the wild fish supply is quite abundant. However, she makes fermented fish paste from farmed snakehead fish year-round to ensure sufficient production for the market.

During each flood season, Ms. Linh purchases 400-500kg of fresh wild snakehead fish (3-5 fish per kg). For farmed snakehead fish, she buys 500-600kg per month (2-4 fish per kg). In addition, Ms. Linh also makes fermented fish paste. The finished paste is packaged in jars weighing from 1-10kg.

Fermented snakehead fish paste (made from wild snakehead fish) costs 180,000 VND/kg, farmed snakehead fish paste costs 150,000 VND/kg, and carp fish paste costs 100,000 VND/kg. All of these types of fish paste are sold year-round, with quantities ranging from 300-400 kg per month. During the months leading up to the Lunar New Year, sales increase to 500-600 kg per month.

Ms. My Linh shared: "The secret to making delicious fish sauce is to use live fish, the fish must be cleaned of scales, and the slime must be removed to eliminate the fishy smell. In particular, the fish sauce must be fermented twice with sugar water and allowed to mature for 4-5 months before being delivered to customers. This profession provides my family with an income of 120-150 million VND per year."

According to Mr. Le Minh Trung, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dai Hai commune, although Ms. Nguyen Thi My Linh's fermented fish sauce does not yet have its own brand, it is quite well-known to consumers both locally and outside the area. Because the sauce is made using a traditional family recipe, it retains its authentic flavor, making it popular with customers.

Ms. My Linh's traditional fermented fish paste is considered a potential OCOP product, so the leaders of Dai Hai commune said they will promote, encourage, and support the product's participation in the OCOP 3-star product ranking competition. If recognized, it will be a good opportunity to promote the potential and strengths of the locality, contributing to the further development of the commune.

Text and photos: THUY LIEU

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/gin-giu-nghe-lam-mam-truyen-thong--a197268.html