Eel from Nghe An: From a folk dish to a national culinary heritage.

SKĐS - Recently, the folk knowledge about eel cuisine in Nghe An province was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage, standing alongside other culinary heritages such as Hanoi pho, Nam Dinh pho, Quang noodles, and Hue beef noodle soup…

Eel dishes from Nghe An province, in particular, as well as other dishes included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, belong to the category of folk knowledge, fully meeting the criteria of being representative, reflecting the identity of the community and locality, as well as reflecting cultural diversity and human creativity, and being passed down through many generations. Furthermore, these dishes have the potential for restoration and long-term preservation, are nominated by the community with consensus and voluntary commitment to protection.

"Folk knowledge about eel cuisine " has been inscribed on the national list of intangible cultural heritage, under the category of folk knowledge. (Photo: CSCC)

Why are eels from Nghe An province so deserving?

Unlike Hanoi pho or Quang noodles, Luong from Nghe An captivates diners with its rich, spicy flavor characteristic of Central Vietnam. The broth is simmered from bones, blended with shallots, fresh chili peppers, turmeric, scallions, coriander… and many traditional spices, creating a fragrant aroma and a deep, satisfying taste.

Eel has been a staple in the daily meals, festivals, ancestral worship ceremonies, and celebrations of the people of Nghe An for generations. Each dish, each eel restaurant, holds its own story of family and lineage, creating "pieces of memory" to better understand the people and culture of this land of hot winds and white sands.

Locals gather to process eels at a business facility in Phan Thanh village, Long Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (formerly).

For those living far from home, eel from Nghe An is a memory, a "taste of home" intertwined with feelings and pride in their roots in Nghe An. Through its formation and development, eel cuisine has transcended the boundaries of a mere dish, becoming a representative culinary cultural symbol of Nghe An, contributing to promoting the image of the region to friends both domestically and internationally.

Many diners from all over often jokingly say that if you can cook delicious broken rice, Hue beef noodle soup, Hanoi pho, Nghe An eel, noodle soup, and banh mi, you'll never have to worry about starving. In Nghe An, it goes without saying that eel is a dish people can eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even late at night...

Ms. Le Thi Manh Tuong (55 years old), owner of Nhi Tuong eel restaurant and one of the long-time eel processing professionals in Nghe An, said that she inherited the trade from her mother, starting to sell eel in 1988 on Minh Khai Street (formerly Vinh City). From familiar dishes like eel soup and eel porridge, the restaurant gradually expanded to include export-quality dried eel, marinated eel stir-fried with lemongrass, eel rolls, etc., aiming to develop OCOP (One Commune One Product) products.

"For people from Nghe An, not having eaten Nghe An eel is like not having been home at all. And if you come to Vinh and haven't visited Nhi Tuong restaurant, you're still missing out on a flavor," Ms. Tuong said.

Eel has become a popular dish throughout the country.

Since ancient times, people have practiced catching eels using traditional methods such as fishing with hooks, scoops, traps, and nets to improve their meals in a self-sufficient economy. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time when eels became a specialty, but dishes made from freshwater eels have long been present on the dinner tables of the people of Nghe An, gradually becoming a distinctive culinary feature and a source of pride for this region.

Initially, eel was just a simple dish, serving the needs of family meals. Dishes like eel porridge, stir-fried eel, eel stewed with banana blossoms, eel stewed with eggplant, etc., though simple, are rich in nutrients, helping to nourish the body and strengthen health. Many ancient texts such as "Nam Duoc Than Hieu" by Tue Tinh (14th century) and "Hai Thuong Y Tong Tam Linh" by Hai Thuong Lan Ong (18th century) record that eel is not only a food but also a valuable medicine with warming properties, nourishing the kidneys and blood, supporting the treatment of physical weakness, anemia, and malnutrition; at the same time, it helps strengthen the spleen, aids digestion and restores vitality, especially suitable for people with weak constitutions.

Nowadays, eels are processed in various ways, conveniently packaged, meeting consumer demand and facilitating transportation to many locations, and even for export.

According to many sources, since the 1990s, along with the development of the culinary industry, eel dishes in Nghe An have entered a period of strong commercialization. Many famous eel restaurants have sprung up in the former Vinh City and surrounding areas, becoming familiar destinations for locals and tourists alike.

Many culinary artisans are known for their unique recipes for eel porridge and soup, building their own reputations and brands, such as Ba Lan Eel Porridge Restaurant (Truong Vinh Ward); Long Tuyen Eel Farm, Nhi Tuong Eel Restaurant (Thanh Vinh Ward), Ba Lieu Eel Porridge Restaurant, Ba Ngo Eel Porridge Restaurant… This process has contributed to elevating these dishes from humble beginnings into distinctive culinary symbols, playing an important role in promoting culinary culture and developing the local economy.

Today, eels from Nghe An have expanded beyond the local area, reaching major cities nationwide such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, and are exported to many countries around the world… with flexible adaptations in various forms.

Eel rolls are a dish often served during holidays and festivals, showcasing the sophistication and refinement of Nghe An's cuisine.

To meet the growing demand and stabilize supply, many establishments are using farmed eels instead of wild eels, while also developing processed, vacuum-packed, canned, and ready-to-eat eel products for tourism, e-commerce, and export, such as the Khoi My eel processing facility (Hop Minh commune), the Sen Que eel processing facility (Kim Lien commune)... This process demonstrates the enduring vitality of eels while highlighting the need to preserve and maintain traditional flavors to avoid losing the cultural identity of Nghe An province.

Thus, although there are no documents recording the history of eel cuisine, we can still imagine that dishes made from eel reached their peak within the last hundred years or so.

Eel and its variations

Using eel as the main ingredient, more than 50 different dishes can be prepared, named according to their preparation methods (stir-fried eel, braised eel, grilled eel, eel rolls, etc.), the combination of ingredients (braised eel with banana and beans, eel cooked with sour bamboo shoots, eel sour soup, etc.), or their characteristic cooking methods (eel porridge, eel soup, eel vermicelli). Each dish is a culmination of folk culinary knowledge and flexible creativity in development. All of this creates a culinary symphony deeply rooted in the identity of Nghe An province.

Eel can be used to prepare more than 50 different dishes, named according to their preparation methods.

Eel porridge, eel vermicelli, eel soup, eel stewed with banana and beans, eel stewed with banana stem, eel stewed with tomatoes, eel stir-fried with turmeric, eel rolls with meat, eel stir-fried with lemongrass and chili,... These dishes are prepared using various techniques, catering to both everyday meals and special occasions such as holidays, ancestral worship ceremonies, and entertaining guests.

Previously, to make porridge, eels were usually boiled, then the meat was removed, marinated, stir-fried, and added to the porridge. For stir-fried or braised dishes, the eels were cut into pieces to avoid separating the bones. Nowadays, most people use live eels, separating the bones depending on the needs for cooking, stir-frying, or grilling. For braised eels, many places still leave the bones intact before cutting them into pieces.

After cleaning, the eel is marinated with characteristic spices such as fresh turmeric, shallots, fish sauce, fresh chili... in just the right amount, allowing the eel meat to absorb the flavors before cooking. After marinating, the eel is stir-fried until cooked before being added to porridge or soup. Some dishes, such as braised eel with banana blossoms, braised eel with bananas, braised eel with tomatoes, etc., are fried in oil to firm them up before braising. To prevent the eel from breaking apart while stir-frying, a large pan should be used, and the eel should be stirred gently over high heat to ensure even cooking.

Eel from Nghe An, with its vibrant yellow color from fresh turmeric and spicy flavor from shallots and chili peppers, has become a culinary symbol deeply intertwined with the lives of the local people.

The knowledge of preparing eel dishes in Nghe An is a treasure trove of unique folk knowledge, reflecting the flexible adaptation of agricultural communities in the North Central region to harsh natural conditions.

This culinary knowledge is evident in the diverse range of dishes such as eel porridge, eel soup, eel vermicelli, stir-fried eel, eel stewed with banana and beans, grilled eel, etc., with the secret lying in the meticulous preparation, the use of characteristic spices such as shallots, fresh turmeric, chili peppers, lemongrass, and the elaborate technique of simmering the broth from eel bones.

The richness of eel cuisine was affirmed at the Nghe An Culinary Culture Festival in July 2019, when the "50 Eel Dishes" event was held and set a Vietnamese record, featuring dozens of unique eel dishes showcased by skilled artisans.

Eel from Nghe An has evolved from a traditional folk dish to a national intangible cultural heritage, contributing to promoting the image of Nghe An province both domestically and internationally.

Currently, building upon traditional flavors, eel dishes from Nghe An continue to be innovated in a modern way, catering to consumer tastes, such as crispy fried eel, dried eel, canned eel, packaged eel vermicelli, etc., contributing to the widespread dissemination of this culinary heritage in contemporary life.

Eel from Nghe An has been transformed into unique culinary products that transcend the local boundaries. These renowned eel dishes have become "cultural ambassadors" of Nghe An in major economic centers such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and even at international food festivals and fairs.

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With the emergence of new dishes such as Thai-style green curry eel and Japanese-style kabayaki grilled eel, the country demonstrates its adaptability and enriches the repertoire of eel dishes.

If we consider different regions, perhaps each area has its most representative and quintessential dish. Mentioning Nam Dinh and Hanoi brings to mind pho, mentioning Quang Nam noodles, Hue beef noodle soup, Saigon broken rice, and Nghe An eel – all undeniably delicious dishes.

According to Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An province, on January 6, 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a decision to include two typical cultural heritages of Nghe An in the national list of intangible cultural heritage: the Mai Bang Temple Festival and eel dishes. The Ministry also recognized folk knowledge about eel dishes as a national intangible heritage, belonging to the category of folk knowledge.

Nutritional value of eel dishes according to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Eel is considered warming, nourishing the blood, and strengthening the spleen. It is often used in medicinal dishes to treat anemia, weakness, and stunted growth in children. On average, 80-120g of eel meat contains 15-24g of protein, an essential nutrient that helps build muscles, tendons, internal organs, skin, and hormones.

Furthermore, eel meat is rich in vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12, D, E) and minerals (iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, etc.), supporting bone development, and is especially good for children and the elderly. The fat in eel contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help reduce bad cholesterol, improve blood circulation, and lower the risk of heart disease.

The broth of eel soup, simmered from pork bones, contains glucosamine, chondroitin, and collagen—substances beneficial for the skeletal system. When combined with vegetables and spices (basil, scallions, chili peppers, etc.), the dish becomes a natural "tonic," both delicious and beneficial to health.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/luon-xu-nghe-tu-mon-an-dan-gian-thanh-di-san-am-thuc-quoc-gia-169260203155741949.htm