Vu Dai or Nhan Hau Village in Ly Nhan District has been well-known for fish braising for a long time. As Tet nears, residents concentrate on making braised fish in clay pots overnight to sell for Tet.
Black carps are mainly used with each weighing 4-8 kilos. The middle section is cut into pieces after being cleaned with heads and tails removed. These pieces are drained and prepared with traditional marinade, including galangal, ginger, chilli, lime, shallots, salt and sugar.
The villagers use longan firewood to cook the dish to help remove the muddy odour from the pot and give the fish a more attractive flavour.
It is best to cook the fish for 8-12 hours. The fire needs to be maintained consistently, avoiding it from flaring up too much.
“My family cooks a few dozen clay pots of fish daily, but the figure reaches hundreds of Tet. We have done this for many years and had a considerable number of regular customers. To meet the rising demand for Tet, members of our family have to take turns to braise fish overnight,” said Toan, an owner of a fish stewing facility in Phu Yen.
People wear glasses to protect their eyes from smoke.
