Many types of fresh and famous seafood specialties. Photo: THANH CHINH
Bustling early morning market
At dawn, while the sun was still half-asleep, we arrived at Bac Son market, where the seafood trade was bustling. From the canal, boats docked, unloading fish to be weighed for retailers at the market. As people from the Mekong Delta, seeing the lively scene of an early morning market in Rach Gia for the first time, we felt like we had stumbled into a seafood paradise. Asking the vendors, we learned the names of the different types of fish. Even with just a brief mention, we couldn't possibly remember all the varieties being sold there.
Every day, vendors display their freshly caught seafood along the road leading to Bac Son market. Looking at the bright blue eyes of the various fish—song, ba thu, bac ma, quịt, thu…—you can tell how fresh they are. Shiny, plump squid are displayed throughout the market, attracting those from the riverine regions who have just arrived in this salty, seafood-rich coastal area. Many friendly female vendors enthusiastically invite customers to buy fish, shrimp, and squid, creating a lively atmosphere in the market.
The coastal town of Rach Gia is abundant with fish and shrimp, and prices are cheaper than in the lowland markets. Popular fish species like mackerel, scad, and silver pomfret are fresh and cost between 30,000 and 40,000 VND/kg. If these fish were to reach Long Xuyen market, the price would increase to 60,000 VND/kg, but they wouldn't be as fresh and delicious as here. People from the Mekong Delta who come to the coast and don't know what to cook with the fish can simply ask the vendors, who will enthusiastically recommend a variety of delicious dishes. Holding about 1kg of very fresh silver pomfret in our hands, one vendor said cheerfully, "Steaming this fish with ginger or making a stew would make a hearty and nutritious meal."
We were getting tired of buying all kinds of seafood at the market every day. Looking for something more unusual, we spotted a stingray bigger than our outstretched hands, its skin still shiny. We stopped to ask about buying one, and the vendor was only selling it for 60,000 VND/kg. We were stunned by how cheap it was! Fresh stingrays are rare in the lowland markets and usually cost around 100,000 VND/kg. This fish is delicious in any dish, especially sour soup with mint and various herbs like cilantro – absolutely fantastic! That day, we bought two stingrays weighing over 1kg each and prepared two dishes: sour soup and fried stingray with lemongrass and salt to treat our colleagues.
The stingray meat is very fresh, so it cooks up deliciously without any fishy or pungent smell. The sour soup, just taken off the stove, is still piping hot. Pick up a piece of stingray, dip it into a bowl of fish sauce made with anchovies and a chili pepper, then slowly chew it. The stingray has crunchy, chewy cartilage, a light fattiness, and a sweet, refreshing taste that makes you exclaim with delight as you eat. "This is the best stingray sour soup I've ever tasted. There's nothing better than enjoying the taste of the sea in Rach Gia during the north wind season," a colleague commented.
Taste of the Sea
After more than four months "living" in Rach Gia, we felt the warmth of the land and people in this salty coastal region. The neighbors were enthusiastic and friendly, and the vendors didn't overcharge. On days when the north wind swept across the southwestern coast, everyone felt the refreshing chill of early winter. In the mornings, strolling along Quang Trung Street, we saw people huddled around basins of fish, waiting for customers. Turning into the April 30th Market, we heard the crackling sound of vendors hawking seafood. On many days, several loudspeakers enthusiastically advertised their catch. Along the roadside were mobile stalls selling all kinds of fish, shrimp, crabs, squid, and other shellfish... whenever a car passed by, the vendors would call out to it.
Deep inside the market, we encountered many vendors selling specialty fish from the coastal region such as grouper, snapper, stingray, barramundi, mackerel, squid, etc., priced from 200,000 to 250,000 VND/kg. The vendors said that this year, the local fishermen caught and raised many delicious types of fish, selling them at high prices and earning better incomes. Ms. Kim (65 years old), who has over 30 years of experience selling fish, has expertise in selecting specialty fish to sell to discerning diners. Ms. Kim said that this year, grouper is abundant and fetches a high price, around 200,000 VND/kg. The larger the grouper, the firmer and tastier its meat, making it highly sought after by restaurants.
Among the various seafood options, we were particularly surprised to find such large spotted catfish in this coastal region. The vendors explained that the locals raise these fish in cages. Surprisingly, this was the first time we'd ever seen such a large spotted catfish from the coast. We bought a piece weighing about 1kg, and Mrs. Kim cleaned it thoroughly before taking us home to prepare it. She said whole spotted catfish cost between 120,000 and 150,000 VND, while cut pieces were more expensive. Perhaps because this fish lives year-round in salty seawater, its fishy smell is largely eliminated. When cooked in a sour soup with pineapple and coriander, it becomes a renowned and delicious dish of Rach Gia, a culinary delight that few people know about.
While on a business trip from Long Xuyen to Rach Gia, Mr. Le Trung Dung, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Fisheries Association, visited a house right during lunchtime. He was surprised to taste the incredibly delicious pineapple and snakehead fish sour soup from the coastal region. He explained that snakehead fish have traditionally only appeared in the Mekong River from November to May of the following year. During the northeast monsoon season, they begin to appear in the Vam Nao River. This is a renowned specialty fish of the Mekong Delta, but its presence in Rach Gia was quite unusual. “The fish meat is fragrant and delicious, with a firm texture similar to freshwater snakehead fish. It's not fishy, has a sweet aftertaste, and is rich in flavor…,” Mr. Dung said.
For a long time, Rach Gia has been considered a culinary paradise with countless varieties of fresh seafood. Visiting during the monsoon season, if you haven't sampled the local seafood specialties, it's as if you haven't truly experienced this dreamy coastal region.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/huong-vi-bien-mua-bac-a468531.html
Comment (0)