Musings on grilled snakehead fish

For the people of Ca Mau, a land blessed by nature with abundant fish and shrimp resources, the snakehead fish is not only an ingredient in traditional dishes but also a symbol of community cohesion, pioneering spirit, and harmonious interaction with nature.

• Grilled snakehead fish
• Grilling over 2 tons of snakehead fish on the day of the God of Wealth festival.
• Net cages for raising squarehead snakehead fish.

The Ca Mau region , with its intricate network of rivers and canals, is rich in fish and shrimp, among which snakehead fish is a familiar freshwater species, present in many families' daily meals. Snakehead fish is also associated with the arduous yet determined story of the pioneering efforts of two ancestors, To Minh Chanh and Nguyen Van Lanh, approximately 200 years ago.

The locals select the large, fresh snakehead fish and release the smaller, undersized ones back into their natural environment.

According to legend, the two men initially settled temporarily in the Nha Vi area (now part of Tran Thoi commune, Cai Nuoc district) with their families. Later, they used a dugout canoe to explore upstream along the Bay Hap River, passing through the Ong Do canal, then downstream along the Cua Lon River to the Cai Ngay River, and finally along the canals to the present-day Thi Van Canal (Thanh Tung hamlet, Thanh Tung commune, Dam Doi district). Recognizing that the land was fertile, with abundant freshwater and countless fish and shrimp, they prayed to the mountain and water spirits for permission to cultivate the land and establish their lives there.

The prayer, as passed down through generations, reads as follows: “We, Tô Minh Chánh and Nguyễn Văn Lành, have come from afar to this desolate land, not knowing how to make a living! We beg the gods to guide us, Tô Minh Chánh and Nguyễn Văn Lành, to a safe, prosperous place with fertile land so that we may clear the land, establish a village, and make a living. If our wish is granted, we will build a shrine to express our gratitude and vow to live virtuously, raise our children to uphold moral principles, and maintain our traditions for generations to come.”

After praying to the mountain and water spirits, the two men paddled their boat around and saw many lush plants and, in particular, many snakehead fish leaping across the boat. Determining that this would be a land of "human prosperity and abundant resources," they returned to Nha Vi and brought their families to settle there.

To express their gratitude to the deities, the two men established temples dedicated to the Mountain God (the Tiger God Temple) and the Water God (the Water Dragon Goddess Temple, also known as the Water Dragon Goddess). The Water Dragon Goddess Temple became a landmark commemorating the pioneering and expansion of the Vietnamese community in this new land. The people here and in neighboring areas continue to worship the Water Dragon Goddess, and today, the Water Dragon Goddess Festival is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Amidst that generous natural landscape, grilled snakehead fish emerged as an essential part of Ca Mau's culinary culture. This is a rustic dish, often appearing in the simple yet warm meals of the people in this riverine region.

To prepare this dish, people in Ca Mau usually select large, fresh snakehead fish from ponds and release the smaller, underdeveloped ones back into the pond. Keeping the smaller fish demonstrates respect for and awareness of protecting natural resources. After catching, the fish are grilled directly over dry straw, an easily obtainable material after each rice harvest. The distinctive aroma of the straw combined with the smell of grilled fish creates an irresistible appeal.

Grilled snakehead fish is typically served with a dipping sauce of chili salt or tamarind fish sauce, accompanied by fresh vegetables from the garden, demonstrating the maximum utilization of nature's bounty. The sense of community is clearly evident in the shared dipping sauce during daily meals. This is a distinctive culinary tradition, reflecting the sharing and bonding among family members and friends in Vietnam.

In particular, this dish also embodies a dialectical philosophy about the balance of yin and yang and the five elements. The harmonious combination of these elements not only creates a unique flavor but also reflects the Vietnamese concept of balance in the universe and in life.

Grilled snakehead fish is served with various vegetables.

The grilled snakehead fish dish also reveals the generous and loyal nature of the people, as expressed in the folk verse: "Catch a snakehead fish and grill it / Prepare a feast with white wine to entertain a distant friend / Pickle the wild spinach / Eating a pair of grilled fish would make even the king crave it."

This simple, rustic folk song paints a true picture of the generosity of the Ca Mau region, readily sharing its most precious possessions with friends from afar.

Not only is grilled snakehead fish a familiar dish in daily meals, but it is also a cherished offering in Ca Mau on the day of the God of Wealth . They believe that the distinctive flavor and rustic nature of this dish, when offered to the God of Wealth, will bring good fortune, wealth, and success in business.

Tang Vu Khac

Source: https://baocamau.vn/tan-man-ca-loc-nuong-trui-a39891.html