In the season of shrimp in Duong land

When mentioning Duong, people immediately think of the specialties of dried squid, fan-shaped scallops or clams, snails... because this is a coastal commune with a long tradition of diving. But for those far from home, just hearing about shrimp paste is enough to remind them of the taste of their hometown - a salty dish, full of the countryside.

In these coastal communes, shrimp appear most in the sea of ​​Phan Ri Cua commune, helping nearshore fishing earn more income.

Shrimp exploitation

We returned to Duong land (formerly Chi Cong commune, now Phan Ri Cua commune, Lam Dong province) on the days when sea shrimp began to appear. According to local fishermen, shrimp, also known as small shrimp, are only a few centimeters long, and are available all year round but are most abundant from the 9th to 12th lunar months, depending on ocean currents and weather. In the Phan Ri Cua sea area, shrimp often come in large numbers, helping fishermen who exploit nearshore to increase their income. This year, shrimp came earlier than expected, making the working atmosphere bustling from mid-October.

Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Mr. Nguyen Van Cu - a fisherman in Ha Thuy village was busy preparing his net to go fishing near the shore. He said that fishermen here mainly catch shrimp manually, using drag nets or rafts, immersing themselves in the water to "hunt" for shrimp schools. "Shrimp are very sensitive, moving quickly in schools. We often stand on the shore to observe, seeing dark water means we know there are shrimp. Then, wade down about 10 - 20 m, walk slowly and you will see shrimp flicking your feet, that means you have "hit the nest", you have to drop the net immediately", Mr. Cu shared.

In one morning, Mr. Cu and his group of fishing friends pulled several hundred kilograms of shrimp, each person collecting an average of 50-70 kilograms per day. Fishermen whose boats go further can catch 300-500 kilograms per day. With a selling price of 10,000-15,000 VND/kg, they can earn millions. In addition to selling fresh shrimp to traders, people also dry them, priced from 80,000-100,000 VND/kg. This year, shrimp have come in a lot but not as abundant as before, the season only lasts about half a month and then ends.

Special shrimp paste

Shrimp is not only a source of income for fishermen, but also a valuable ingredient for local cuisine . In Duong land, fresh shrimp is processed into shrimp paste - a thick, fragrant paste, often used to braise meat or eat with rice paper. This dish is rustic but makes many people remember it.

Most of the women in Duong land know how to make shrimp paste because this profession has existed for a long time. However, to produce batches of fragrant, delicious fish sauce, which become a specialty of this coastal area, each has its own secret. Mrs. Phan Thi Chung - a person who has made shrimp paste for many years said: Duong land has 2 types of shrimp, which are giang shrimp and seasonal shrimp. However, fishermen only choose seasonal shrimp, as small as toothpicks, to make fish sauce because they are delicious... Most of the steps in making shrimp paste are done by hand, the most difficult step is pounding the shrimp with a mortar which takes an hour to make the shrimp finely shredded but still retain its sweetness. Fresh shrimp after being harvested are washed with seawater, dried in the sun for just one day to make it tough and not broken, then sifted to remove sand so it does not get dirty when eaten. After that, the shrimp is pounded by hand, mixed with salt, sugar, garlic, chili... in a specific ratio. The mixture is put into a jar, covered with fresh banana leaves and a heavy object placed on top to keep out the wind, helping the shrimp to cook quickly. When the shrimp turns from purple to bright red and has a characteristic aroma, it is ready to use.

In recent years, shrimp paste makers often use blenders to save time and effort, making more batches, but it is not as delicious as hand-pounded shrimp paste. Duong shrimp paste is usually thick, just right, not too sweet, and has a beautiful dark red color. People often eat shrimp paste with rice paper, or braise pork belly, add a little lemongrass, it is very fragrant, goes well with rice. Therefore, when many people hear about Chi Cong land, they immediately remember this typical specialty dish of rice paper with shrimp paste. Most people who live far away from home bring a few jars of shrimp paste when they go to work far away as gifts or store them in the refrigerator for later use.

Hopefully in the near future, Duong shrimp paste will not only be consumed domestically but also exported abroad, contributing to promoting Vietnam's unique culinary culture.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/vao-mua-ruoc-xu-duong-400564.html