Mr. Tran Thanh Binh takes advantage of the beautiful sunshine to dry the first batches of shrimp paste of the season, preparing for the traditional shrimp paste processing stage.
At dawn, Mr. Tran Thanh Binh's yard was already a vibrant red with shrimp paste. Baskets of fresh shrimp paste were carefully sorted, removing any unwanted fish, before being passed through the grinding, pounding, and molding processes. The atmosphere was bustling, but everyone was careful, because, according to those in the trade, even a single mistake in one step would ruin the quality of the fish sauce.
Binh's family has been involved in shrimp paste making since his mother, Lam Thi Duong, was young. Now nearly 90 years old, Mrs. Duong no longer directly participates in the process, but she still closely monitors each batch of shrimp paste, reminding her children and grandchildren to maintain the traditional method.
The shrimp paste season usually lasts from May to the end of August in the lunar calendar. This is also the period when households involved in the trade have almost no days off. Everyone has a task, from selecting ingredients, drying, grinding to molding, all done right in their yard.
Weeds, trash, and impurities are carefully removed to ensure each batch of fish sauce is clean and retains the distinctive flavor of traditional fish sauce.
According to Mr. Binh, the secret to delicious shrimp paste lies in the quality of the shrimp used. The shrimp must be very fresh, clean, and free of impurities. On average, 3 kg of fresh shrimp are needed to make 1 kg of dried shrimp paste. Therefore, even though the price of raw materials has increased, his family is determined not to buy low-quality shrimp.
"I only produce a moderate quantity to maintain quality. If the shredded pork is dirty or contains impurities, I return it immediately. People are used to eating it, and if I maintain my reputation, customers will keep coming back," Mr. Binh said.
Besides dried shrimp paste, the family also makes sour shrimp paste. This type of paste requires more steps, from salting, extracting the liquid, cooking, filtering until clear, and then fermenting. After about half a month, the paste is ready and develops its characteristic aroma. On average, during each shrimp season, Mr. Binh's family produces 1-2 tons of raw shrimp paste.
Under the scorching summer sun, Mrs. Tran Thi Le Hoa diligently turns over each layer of shrimp paste, preserving the traditional fish sauce making craft that she has been involved in for many years.
Under the scorching summer sun, Mrs. Tran Thi Le Hoa hunched over the trays of dried shrimp. Her hands, weathered by the sea breeze, nimbly turned the shrimp, her eyes fixed on the trays, picking out every small fish and piece of debris. Sweat beaded on her face and soaked her shirt, but she patiently repeated the same actions she had been doing for over ten years.
Mrs. Hoa smiled gently: "This job is very hard. You have to stand in the sun, turning the shrimp paste and carefully sorting out the fish and impurities so that the shrimp paste is clean and delicious. I've been doing this job for over ten years. It's hard, but I'm used to it. You have to do it with heart, maintain the quality, so that people will remember and appreciate the taste of our hometown's fish sauce."
The women are busy drying shrimp paste in the sun.
The simple words of the coastal woman reflect the sentiments of many fish sauce-making households in Kim Quy B. They endure the scorching sun and the hectic days following the tides to produce each batch of delicious fish sauce, preserving a taste of their homeland that has been passed down through generations by the sea.
This year, shrimp fishermen are worried about the significant decrease in shrimp production. There are fewer shrimp in the sea, and rising fuel costs have led to increased raw material prices. Despite this, many households are still trying to maintain production, accepting lower profits to preserve their livelihood.
Young people are continuing the traditional fish sauce-making craft of Kim Quy B coastal area, hoping that one day their hometown product will go further in the market.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Sau, a long-time fish sauce maker in Kim Quy B, said: "This job is hard, but it would be a shame to give it up. I just hope the sea will always have shrimp so that my children and grandchildren can continue this profession."
What is commendable is that, amidst mass production, many households in Kim Quy B still choose to make fish sauce by hand, not chasing quantity. They accept making less and selling at reasonable prices so that each batch of fish sauce retains its traditional flavor.
As evening falls, the yards of the shrimp paste makers in Kim Quy B hamlet are filled with the fragrant aroma of freshly made paste. Square molds of paste are neatly arranged, waiting for customers to pick them up. Amidst the many changes in the fishing industry, the shrimp paste making season in this coastal village quietly continues like a familiar rhythm of life, preserving in each jar the salty taste of the sea, the pungent flavor of the sun, and the diligence of those who have never wanted their ancestral craft to fade away.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/ve-kim-quy-b-mua-lam-mam-ruoc-a490578.html
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