Ninh Binh is a land associated with many famous delicacies, especially those made from mountain goat. Furthermore, fish is also a key ingredient in many of the region's incredibly delicious specialties. For example, the eel salad – a specialty of Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province – is a dish that many tourists remember fondly after trying it once.
Mud eels belong to the same family as regular eels, but mud eels live in slightly salty water (mud eels) and brackish water (shrimp eels). Mud eels are wide, while brackish eels are long. Mud eels resemble regular eels in length, but are similar in width to regular eels. Mud eels can be a meter long, with smaller ones weighing 3-4 ounces and larger ones weighing up to a kilogram. Mud eels are slippery and aggressive, making them difficult to catch.
Eel is meaty, has few bones, is high in protein, and is considered healthy. It can be prepared in simple ways such as braising, making soup, frying, or stewing. However, to truly appreciate the unique deliciousness of this fish, the best way to prepare it is as a salad.
Preparing snakehead fish salad is very elaborate and meticulous, with no part of the fish wasted. The fish used must be large and plump, with a white and yellowish belly and a dark green back. First, the fish must be cleaned of slime on the skin using bamboo leaves, lime, or ash water to prevent a fishy smell, then deboned and sliced. Afterward, the fresh fish meat is mixed with thính (a powder made from roasted and ground glutinous rice), while the bones are crushed to make chẻo (almost a type of sauce). Chẻo is mixed with fermented rice paste, garlic, chili peppers, black pepper, ginger, and lemongrass to create a spicy and aromatic flavor. The chef must cook the chẻo until it is a deep red color, thick and not runny to be considered good. In addition, the fish skin is also used to wrap the salad by being fried until crispy.
The best way to enjoy eel salad is with fresh herbs. While Vietnam boasts dozens of different herbs, the most suitable for this dish are betel leaves, plum leaves, star fruit, or carambola, and chili peppers. The eel slices are wrapped in fresh herbs, topped with dressing, and then wrapped again with a piece of eel skin. This creates a delicious and distinctive flavor. Diners can also add dipping sauce if desired.
The flavor of Kim Son eel salad is not only the crisp, slightly bitter taste of the vegetables, but also the richness of the dipping sauce and the chewy, sweet, and savory texture of the fish, all combined with the pungent aroma of the spices, creating a unique taste for this dish.
Ninh Binh Department of Tourism
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