On the daily meal tray to the death anniversary and Tet feast tray, minced fish sauce has become a specialty that anyone passing by here buys as a gift.
rustic dishes
From the skillful hands of grandmothers and mothers, Hoa Long minced fish sauce has been created with a unique flavor that cannot be found anywhere else, becoming a famous specialty of the ancient Ba Ria - Vung Tau region.
The elders in Hoa Long often tell each other the story of the fish sauce making profession that appeared around 1930-1940. When fishermen returned from fishing trips full of fish and could not eat all of them, the remaining small fish were minced, salted and stored in jars by the women. At first, they were used for daily consumption, then they were brought to the market to sell in exchange for rice, meat, etc. Gradually, through skillful and creative hands, it became an indispensable dish in every family meal.
A bowl of minced fish sauce is steamed, eaten with winged beans and cucumbers to create a delicious meal with a strong rustic flavor.
Over time, the fish sauce making profession took root in life, becoming a "father-to-son" profession. Many families now have two or three generations of making fish sauce, preserving each method and secret of their grandparents' poor days.
Although it has its own secret, the ingredients to make minced fish sauce include fish sauce, papaya, chili, garlic, sugar... These are ingredients available in home gardens in Hoa Long, the processing method is also mainly based on experience passed down from generation to generation, minced fish sauce is easy to combine with other foods like the sincere and open personality of the people of the South.
Young generation continues the profession, turning minced fish sauce into a brand and tourism product.
Fish used to make fish sauce is usually anchovy or anchovy, caught from the sea of Phuoc Hai, Long Hai to ensure freshness and deliciousness. After being salted, the fish is filtered to get the lean part, then mixed with rice powder and fermented for two months to let the fish absorb the aroma of the rice powder before being used to make fish sauce.
The secret to creating a unique flavor
Mrs. Tran Thi Hong Tuyet (also known as Bay Gai) is now over 65 years old and has been making minced fish sauce for over 45 years. She said that according to the old tradition, to make a delicious minced fish sauce, the fish sauce after being carefully selected will be minced together with green papaya. After being minced, the mixture of fish sauce and papaya is mixed with other spices such as garlic, chili, sugar, and MSG, which not only enhances the flavor but also makes the dish more attractive. Papaya not only helps the fish sauce to be crunchy but also reduces the saltiness of the fish sauce, balancing the flavor.
Mrs. Bay Gai's minced fish sauce is sold at Hoa Long market (Photo: Minh Thanh)
Depending on the taste of each family and the creativity of each worker, the ratio of spices will be adjusted, creating diversity in the flavor of Hoa Long minced fish sauce.
In particular, the papaya making process is considered the most time-consuming, because it has to go through many stages. The papaya used to make the fish sauce must be ripe, still crispy, picked from the tree no more than a day old, then peeled, soaked in diluted salt water to remove the sap. After washing, drain the water, then chop into small pieces, squeeze out the water and mix with the fish sauce.
Ingredients that create the characteristic flavor of minced fish sauce
According to Mrs. Bay Gai, when mixing fish sauce and papaya, the ratio must be appropriate. If you add too much fish sauce, the dish will be too salty and difficult to eat. If it is too bland, it will easily spoil and not taste good. After mixing, wait a few hours for the fish sauce to absorb the spices and start fermenting before you can eat it.
If the seasoning creates deliciousness, the color, crispness, toughness, and sweetness of papaya increase the attractiveness and aesthetics of the dish. That is why it has created a very unique flavor of Hoa Long minced fish sauce, salty but not harsh, fragrant but not smelly, sweet aftertaste like this land has been used to the rain and sun but is still tolerant. A bowl of minced fish sauce with garlic and chili, eaten with hot rice, herbs with boiled meat, or dipped in fried fish, is full of the flavor of the sea.
Nowadays, the younger generations not only keep the traditional recipe, fermenting the fish sauce for 12 months, but also gradually build a brand, turning the traditional minced fish sauce of their ancestors into a unique tourism product. In addition to minced fish sauce, there is also vegetarian minced fish sauce to suit the taste and needs of diners.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/mam-bam-hoa-long-thom-nong-vi-bien-196251122124232454.htm
Comment (0)