The peak season for this fish is during the 6 dry months, and the fishing methods are quite simple, usually involving hook and line fishing or net casting.
In this region, which is not particularly blessed by nature, the snakehead fish has long been a highly nutritious food source.
Dishes made from snakehead fish, prepared in simple, rustic ways, create a unique culinary flavor in Quang Nam province. If you have the opportunity to visit the villages of the Co Tu, Xe Dang, and Ca Dong ethnic groups in the summer, you will certainly be treated to delicious dishes made from snakehead fish.
White carp meat is fragrant, not fishy, and wholesome, making it a favorite in any dish. Braised carp is the most popular.
To make truly delicious braised catfish, the fish must be alive. Place the fish in a basket and rub it with salt to remove the scales. Like other braised fish dishes, marinate the fish with a little sugar, fish sauce, salt, pepper, and MSG... to let the flavors soak in before braising.
It sounds simple, but to make the authentic Quang Nam-style braised anchovy dish, you must use fish sauce distilled from anchovies brought up from the lowlands.
The "ca nien" fish is a specialty of the mountainous districts of Quang Nam province.
In particular, the turmeric roots, freshly harvested from the fields, are indispensable; the roots are crushed, and the leaves are cut into small pieces about 3 cm long.
Add the crushed turmeric to the fish, season with salt, pepper, fish sauce, etc., then put everything into an earthenware pot.
To enhance the aroma of the fish, cover it with chopped turmeric leaves. Then, place the pot on the stove and simmer over low heat for about ten minutes. Add a few chili peppers to make the dish more visually appealing; the fragrant aroma of the braised fish will spread far and wide.
Grilled catfish on charcoal - a delicious specialty from the mountainous region of Quang Nam province. Photo: Thanh Ly
Braised catfish is delicious, but grilling it until crispy over charcoal and dipping it in chili fish sauce is also quite appealing.
This dish may seem simple, but it's quite elaborate. First, thin, sharpened bamboo sticks are used to gut the fish, removing the gills while keeping the intestines intact. The whole fish is then placed on a grill, without any seasoning. When grilling, care must be taken to keep the fire low, allowing the bright silver scales to gradually turn golden.
When grilling, turn the fish over frequently and evenly. The best part is when the fish is cooked through; each one is oozing with fat, dripping onto the charcoal and sizzling, releasing a rich, fragrant aroma.
Grilled catfish is best served with a dipping sauce made from pure fish sauce mixed with crushed chili peppers. Arrange the freshly cooked fish evenly on a plate, then pour the prepared sauce over the still-hot fish.
Diners leisurely pick up each piece of fresh white fish, dip it in fish sauce, and put it in their mouths to appreciate the sweet, fatty taste of the fish.
Besides being cooked fresh or grilled "plain," snakehead fish is also used to make sour soup, which is quite appealing on hot days. Snakehead fish sour soup from the western part of Quang Nam province is unlike any other sour soup.
The sour fish soup here is cooked with giang leaves. To make the dish even more appealing, people add a little fresh tamarind or wild bamboo shoots.
Bring the water to a boil, then add the catfish. Let it boil again for about 5 minutes, then add the sour leaves and bamboo shoots. Season to taste, ladle into a bowl, and sprinkle with a few slices of chili peppers. Next, squeeze a lemon into the soup. The lemon juice makes the soup look more appealing and enhances the refreshing sour taste.
The dishes made from the snakehead fish from Quang Nam province are truly delightful. Visitors who have tasted braised, grilled, or sour-sour snakehead fish will surely find it hard to forget the sweet flavor of the fish meat and the subtle aroma of the mountain forests.
Source: https://danviet.vn/vung-dat-nao-o-quang-nam-lam-thac-ghenh-nuoc-suoi-chay-xiet-co-loai-ca-nien-khi-nao-bat-nhieu-20240706002803291.htm
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