These days the city is stormy and rainy. Every time I come home from work and see children bathing in the rain on the porch, I miss my parents and my hometown terribly. Because, I was once mischievous like that.
Braised tilapia with young squash - a rustic delicacy that many people crave.
I remember when I still had my hair in a three-patch style. Whenever it rained, I would go out to the fields with my friends in the neighborhood to catch perch.
The rain created a strong current, so water kept pouring out of the canals and small ditches in the rice fields. The perch and snakehead fish kept swimming in schools along the current.
So we kids used our handmade tools to block the end of the ditch to catch fish. In no time, we had a bucket full.
Each tilapia was big and fat, looking very pleasing to the eye. Since we all worked together to catch them, the results were divided equally among us. After finishing the fishing, we placed the catch on the dike and jumped into the river together to bathe.
The pouring rain added to the excitement of swimming in the river. Children in the countryside learn to swim from the age of 5 or 6, so none of them are afraid of drowning.
When I brought home a bunch of tilapia, my mother only gave me a brief scolding for fear of catching a cold, before cleaning the fish. Then she told me to run to the squash trellis behind the house to pick some plump young squash to make stewed young squash with tilapia. This dish is loved by my whole family, so the squash trellis my mother planted behind the house was only for eating and giving away, not for sale.
Rustic delicacy - braised tilapia with young gourd.
After cleaning the tilapia, my mother marinated it with spices and coconut caramel for about 15 minutes and then braised it. When the fish sauce was almost dry and the fish meat was firm, my mother added a cup of water to continue braising.
When the fish pot boils, add the young squash cut into triangles. The squash is young so there is no need to peel it, just leave it whole and it will be soft and chewy and delicious. My mother did not add much water because during the braising process, the squash will release water.
Cook for about 5 minutes, when the squash is soft and fragrant, mom seasoned it to taste, sprinkled with chopped green onions and turned off the stove. At this time, dad had also finished picking the fresh young vegetables from the backyard.
So dinner was served in my impatience. Children in the past did not have many snacks and cakes, and lacked food, so their stomachs were always growling.
Attractive dish of braised tilapia with young gourd.
The tilapia has firm, fatty, fragrant meat. The young squash is sweet and has a slightly sour taste that dissolves in the fish, making the braised water taste indescribably delicious.
Seeing me quickly eat a few bowls of rice, my mother kept watching and gently reminding me for fear of choking on a bone.
In the chilly air of the river region, while it is still drizzling outside, the whole family gathers together to eat hot rice with tilapia and fresh vegetables from the home garden, how cozy!
Source: https://danviet.vn/troi-mua-bat-loai-ca-dac-san-dong-que-nay-ngo-toan-vay-voi-xuong-kho-voi-trai-bau-non-ngon-luon-20240726190449041.htm
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