Hue-style braised mackerel pot, eat 'rice with fish like mother and child'

Among the 202 dishes made from 112 types of Vietnamese fish in the program Journey of the Full Flavor of Vietnamese Fish, there is a rustic and familiar dish of mackerel braised in chili from the Hue Culinary Culture Association.

Braised mackerel with chili

Braised mackerel with chili was once sent by people from Hue to people in Ho Chi Minh City during the days of isolation due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Braised fish inspired by breast milk

Vietnam has a long coastline, many rivers, lakes, ponds and streams, so fish is processed into many dishes. "Rice and fish are like mother and child" - fish is closely associated with the rice farming culture of the Vietnamese people and becomes an ingredient in dishes that strengthen family ties.

Among fish dishes, everyone knows and eats braised fish. Artisan Ly Sanh shared: “I like braised fish the most. Perhaps the inspiration for braised fish comes from mother’s milk.”

He explained: “When giving birth, most women eat a lot of braised fish, which passes through their breast milk into their baby’s bloodstream. So I think almost all Vietnamese people like braised fish.”

"The variety of braised fish dishes is a treasure trove of Vietnamese culinary culture. Braised fish may sound simple, but this dish is also a medicine. Braised snakehead fish with pepper, braised catfish with turmeric. In the Central region, braised fish is added with shallots. In the North, fish is often braised with galangal.

The spices used to cook fish are medicinal herbs that warm the body, relieve colds, and are very good for health. Therefore, although the dish of braised fish is simple, it is a cultural chain passed down to us by the ancients,” said Mr. Ly Sanh.

Culinary artist Hong Loan carefully cooks fish - Photo: NVCC

Hue-style braised mackerel with chili

Culinary artist Tran Thi Hong Loan made the dish of mackerel braised with chili, recalling: “When the COVID-19 epidemic broke out in Ho Chi Minh City, the Hue businesswomen's association joined hands to buy fish ingredients to braise. I was one of the cooks. In total, nearly 2 tons of fresh fish were processed and sent to the people of Ho Chi Minh City.”

The most challenging thing is how to make the braised fish still edible after the long journey of several days.

From then on, Ms. Hong Loan found the secret to having braised mackerel that can be eaten for a whole month without spoiling even when kept at normal temperature.

The secret, according to her, is not too difficult. “The most important thing is that the fish must be fresh. Braised mackerel is more delicious. Clean the fish, put it in a layer of good fish sauce and then drain. Ingredients include onions, fish sauce, chili, sugar, cooking oil. Braise the fish for 8 hours. Initially, keep the heat high, after 1 hour reduce the heat, and continue to simmer for another 1 hour,” she instructed.

“The braised fish only needs to be enough to eat with rice. Braising the fish with salt does not help the fish last longer and is also not good for your health. One secret is to add a little extra cooking oil. That is a natural preservative that helps the fish last longer. When eating, we just need to remove the oil layer,” Loan shared.

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HOANG LE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/noi-ca-nuc-kho-kieu-hue-an-com-voi-ca-nhu-ma-voi-con-20251029075137235.htm