Dried snakehead fish, a local specialty.

In the past, the U Minh Thuong region was teeming with striped snakehead fish. Back then, this simple dish consisted of frying it until golden brown, stewing it in a salty sauce, or drying it to preserve it during lean times. Today, dried striped snakehead fish has become a renowned specialty, chosen by many as a gift during holidays and festivals.

Memories of the past remain vivid in the stories of the elders, from a time when this land was wild and mosquito-infested. To avoid mosquito bites, people would bring basins of fish into their mosquito nets, working and chatting merrily at the same time. The scene of scaling and salting the fish amidst laughter and conversation still warms the hearts of many when they recall it.

Of all the delicious dishes made from striped snakehead fish, the most popular is still dried fish. The secret to making delicious dried fish seems simple but requires skill: Fresh fish is scrubbed clean with coconut husks to make the skin bright, the flesh soft, and free from scratches; then seasoned with just the right amount of salt, left overnight, then rinsed briefly and sun-dried. If done correctly, the dried fish is chewy, fragrant, and flavorful without being overly salty or greasy. When grilled, the rich, savory aroma will leave a lasting impression on those who taste it.

To this day, many families in the U Minh Thuong region still maintain the habit of drying and storing snakehead fish at home. Dried snakehead fish is grilled, shredded, and mixed with mango salad or bitter melon leaf salad, dipped in tamarind fish sauce – simple dishes that warmly welcome guests and evoke a sense of hometown warmth.

Dried striped snakehead fish are sun-dried by people in Vinh Hoa commune. Photo: AN LAM

From the familiar freshwater fish, the people of Vinh Hoa commune have skillfully built a renowned brand of dried striped snakehead fish, certified as a collective trademark by the Intellectual Property Office. Ms. Pham Cam Chi's Kenh Sau dried fish processing facility is one of the places preserving the craft and elevating the product's quality. "Every year, my family produces 2 tons of various dried fish. I make a small amount, but it has to be delicious, clean, and safe to retain customers. Striped snakehead fish is popular because of its rich, fatty, fragrant, and chewy taste. To make delicious dried fish, you have to wait for the end-of-year pond draining season when the freshwater fish are plump and have firm flesh before cutting and drying them," Ms. Chi shared.

According to Ms. Chi, the secret to making delicious dried fish lies in fresh fish, salt, and fish sauce, but it requires skill and a precise balance of spices so that the dried fish is neither too salty nor too bland. For sun-dried fish, only one drying cycle is needed, followed by vacuum sealing and refrigeration to preserve the natural sweetness of the freshwater fish. On average, 4 kg of fresh fish yields 1 kg of dried fish. Dried striped snakehead fish costs 400,000 - 450,000 VND/kg and is always in high demand during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).

From a humble dish dried in front of houses, dried striped snakehead fish has now reached far and wide. Locals have elevated it into a marketable product, appearing in rural markets, supermarkets, and cities, and accompanying tourists as gifts everywhere. It's still the same fish, still has the salty taste of the southern sun and wind, but now dried striped snakehead fish is branded with the OCOP (One Commune One Product) label, becoming a " culinary ambassador" of the homeland.

Today, not only Vinh Hoa, but many other localities in the province such as Thanh Hung, An Bien, and Vinh Phong are participating in the OCOP program, putting dried snakehead fish on specialty shelves with attractive packaging and full traceability. Thanks to this, the province's dried snakehead fish is available on e-commerce platforms and reaches major provinces and cities. This seemingly simple dish has become a source of pride for the homeland, preserving the essence of the land while increasing income for many households involved in this traditional craft.

AN LAM

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/kho-sac-ran-dac-san-que-a427386.html