I fondly remember the taste of braised mudfish with turmeric.

I remember when I was a child, during summer vacation, I used to go to the fields with my friends, carrying buckets, to catch fish. On hot summer afternoons, the muddy puddles revealed patches of cracked clay soil in various shapes.

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I remember when I was a child, during summer vacation, I used to go to the fields with my friends, carrying buckets, to catch fish. On hot summer afternoons, the muddy puddles revealed patches of cracked, irregularly shaped soil. However, the soil beneath remained soft and moist. This was how various fish could survive, waiting for the rains. Among them were mud eels. If you saw small, round holes the size of chopsticks (called "eel holes") in those puddles, you knew they were hiding places . Without hesitation, we all scrambled to catch them.

Catching mudfish isn't easy because they're slippery, scaleless, flat-bodied, and have tiny heads. You have to gently press down around the round hole to scoop up the mud (like catching eels). When you see them hiding in the mud, quickly scoop them up into a basin and then flush the mud out. If you don't see the fish, you have to "track" their tracks because they'll just be lurking somewhere.

There were also dry depressions in the ground, requiring a hoe to dig deep into the mud beneath the eel holes. Back then, there were so many eels that we could fill half a bucket in just a short time, each one as big as a thumb. We happily placed our catch on the dike and then jumped into the canal to wash off the mud before heading home.

Mud eels have firm, sweet flesh, making them delicious in any dish. My mother usually braises them with turmeric because the dish can be kept for several days, and turmeric is good for health.

Add a handful of coarse salt to the bowl of fish, shake several times to remove the slime, then clean and marinate with your preferred seasonings and a little turmeric powder for about 30 minutes. Avoid using too much turmeric as it will create a pungent smell and bitter taste. Place the pan of fish on a wood-fired stove and simmer until the fish is firm. Reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the fish is tender, then turn off the heat.

The meat of the mudfish is fragrant, firm, sweet, and fatty, with bones made only of soft cartilage, making it delicious to chew slowly. Furthermore, the rich, pure turmeric flavor permeates the fish, adding to its appeal. Served with a bowl of hot rice and braised mudfish with turmeric, along with a handful of water spinach to dip in the braising sauce, it evokes the rich, rustic flavors of the countryside.

Many types of eels are now imported into Vietnam, but none can compare to the deliciousness of wild eels from the rice paddies due to their natural flavor. Moreover, this rustic dish is associated with the childhood memories of so many people.

Nguyen Thanh Vu

Source: https://baolongan.vn/nho-da-diet-vi-ca-chach-dong-kho-nghe-a193673.html