Reviving traditional values ​​from Dai Hoang braised fish pot

VTV.vn - Dai Hoang village still burns red hot every day with traditional pots of braised fish. The people here persistently maintain their profession, bringing their hometown specialties to domestic and foreign markets.

Photo: Ninh Binh Newspaper

In the middle of the low-lying countryside of Dai Hoang village (Nam Ly commune, Ninh Binh), kitchen smoke still rises every day, carrying the strong aroma of braised fish, a traditional dish that has transcended time and become a symbol of unique culinary culture .

Golden fish stewed on the stove. Photo: Ninh Binh Newspaper

Journey from countryside to famous specialties

Dai Hoang village used to be a low-lying area, flooded all year round. The fields were difficult to cultivate, but in return, the system of ponds, lakes and rivers was rich in fish. According to the people, every Tet, when there were not enough chickens or pigs, the villagers still chose to cook a pot of braised fish to offer to their ancestors, considering it a symbol of abundance in poverty. Over the years, cooking a pot of braised fish gradually became the village's profession and specialty.

Fish is braised in a clay pot on a wood stove for 10-20 hours continuously. Photo: Ninh Binh Newspaper

Among the households that maintain the profession, the family of Mr. Tran Ba ​​Luan, 65 years old, is a typical face. Initially, he and his family only braised fish for food. But the rich, aromatic flavor spread far and wide, many people ordered, and the braised fish pot became a stable source of income, contributing to the pride of the people of Dai Hoang village.

Keep the profession with all passion and experience

To make the right Dai Hoang fish pot, the craftsman must be very meticulous. Mr. Luan shared: the pot must be made of clay that has been "tempered" by cooking rice porridge, making it more flexible and durable. The firewood used is longan wood, because it burns evenly and has a light smell, helping to bring out the fish flavor without overpowering the galangal flavor.

The fish chosen is black carp weighing about 3-5 kg, cleaned, marinated with salt and washed thoroughly. Preparing the pot, the cook arranges layers of crushed galangal, ginger, shallots, and chili peppers between the fish, then sprinkles a mixture of Hai Hau fish sauce, field crab juice, cane sugar, lard, etc. On top is a layer of crushed galangal before pouring boiling water over the fish.

The step of sprinkling seasoning water on the fish to make it more flavorful. Photo: Ninh Binh Newspaper

In the first stage (3-5 hours), the cook must watch the fire carefully, use boiling water to add when needed, absolutely do not use plain water. When the water thickens, the cook adds fish sauce and lemon juice to create a characteristic aroma, continue to cook until the pot is only a layer of sticky liquid like honey. The fish is now soft, the bones are easy to separate but the meat is still firm, fragrant with galangal and ginger from the wood stove.

Traditional products but rich in economic potential

Thanks to his dedication to preserving the profession, Mr. Luan's family's braised fish products have been widely recognized. In 2014, he won the gold prize at the "Essence of Vietnamese Culinary Delicacies" contest.

By 2020, his facility continued to receive a certificate of merit for famous agricultural products of Ninh Binh province and aimed to build a brand that met OCOP standards.

Each pot of fish is neatly arranged on the stove. Photo: Ninh Binh Newspaper

Not stopping at the domestic market, Mr. Luan has applied modern technology to preserve braised fish by freezing, at the same time building a website and promoting the product on the Internet. Thanks to that, traditional braised fish pots have reached the hands of diners everywhere and even the overseas Vietnamese community.

On average, his facility produces 80 to 90 pots of fish per day, with prices ranging from 450,000 to 1.6 million VND depending on the type and weight.

During Lunar New Year, when demand increases, output can reach up to 1,000 pots per day, mostly used as gifts or to worship ancestors.

Keeping the passion for the profession alive in modern life

Currently, Dai Hoang village has only about ten households that maintain the traditional fish braising craft. Each family still quietly preserves the fish braising secret, inherited from the previous generation.

The image of the red fire in Mr. Luan's house is not only a rustic image of the countryside but also a symbol of the enduring spirit and pride in the culinary cultural heritage of Dai Hoang people. The tireless efforts of him and the households who are attached to the profession contribute to keeping the "professional flame" of braised fish of Dai Hoang village always burning brightly, spreading the flavor of the homeland everywhere.

Source: https://vtv.vn/khoi-day-gia-tri-truyen-thong-tu-nieu-ca-kho-dai-hoang-100251120163518765.htm