They bent over, grilling fish day and night leading up to Tet.

Video : Grilling specialty fish day and night under blazing fires leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year).

In Cua Lo ward ( Nghe An province), there are about 30 households engaged in the grilled fish business, mainly concentrated in the former Nghi Hai and Nghi Thuy areas. During Tet (Lunar New Year), these households supply the market with tons of grilled fish of various types, including mackerel, scad, anchovies, silverfish, herring, etc.

Among seafood, mackerel has the highest economic value, becoming a staple delicacy during Tet (Lunar New Year). The fish are bought, cut into pieces, sorted, and placed on steel racks to dry for 3-5 hours before grilling.

Mr. Hoang Van Binh (56 years old, residing in Binh Minh ward) said that during this time, he usually wakes up at dawn and waits at Nghi Thuy fish market to buy seafood to grill and sell for profit. The fish is placed on a cutting board or cut into pieces using a machine before grilling. Normally, he only processes about 100 kg of fish, but this increases to 500 kg per day as Tet approaches. During this period, his business has to hire an additional 3-4 seasonal workers to grill the fish.

"Each batch takes 5-10 minutes, and the griller must carefully monitor the fire and flip the fish regularly. The fish is considered perfect when the outside is golden brown and fragrant, while the inside is tender, sweet, and fatty," shared Ms. Vo Thi Hong (62 years old, a fish griller).

To ensure hygiene and prevent the fish from coming into contact with metal, before grilling, the workers usually wrap banana leaves around the iron skewers before placing the fish on them. After grilling, the fish are arranged on bamboo racks and taken out to the yard to dry for another 30 minutes to an hour to allow the air to evaporate before packaging.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hanh (34 years old, Thanh Cong neighborhood) shared: “Normally, I grill about 200 kg of fish, but during Tet (Lunar New Year), it's 3-4 times that amount. The work starts at 3 am and continues until late at night. It's not too strenuous, but I have to bend over all day, and my clothes always smell of fish.”

Each establishment typically hires a dedicated grill chef for around 300,000 VND per day; during peak seasons, many households hire an additional 3-4 workers to meet order demands.

Grilled fish is packaged in plastic containers or vacuum-sealed in nylon bags, then placed in freezers. The product is distributed by traders to markets in the province and sold to tourists as souvenirs.

Besides mackerel, smoked barracuda is also a specialty fish in Cua Lo, often selling out during Tet (Lunar New Year).

To ensure the fish maintains its round shape and doesn't break apart during steaming and grilling, the grill owner usually selects only the freshest, best-quality fish. After steaming, the fish is smoked with sugarcane bagasse for 10-15 minutes to create a sweet, fragrant flavor and an attractive golden color. Smoked fish is a popular choice for Tet (Lunar New Year) feast menus.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/khom-lung-nuong-ca-ca-ngay-lan-dem-can-tet-post1820696.tpo