In January, indulging in Chau Doc fish noodle soup feels like being enchanted by a spell, deeply immersed in its unique flavor.

Only the delicacies from her kitchen, atop the stilt house, amidst the breezy countryside, after those modest Tet feasts, can evoke such lasting nostalgia and yearning throughout the year.

In January, indulging in Chau Doc fish noodle soup feels like being enchanted by a spell, deeply immersed in its unique flavor.

Every 5th noon of Tet, my sister-in-law always reminds us to have Chau Doc fish noodle soup. The whole bunch of nieces and nephews, over a dozen of them, gather at the stilt house by the Tam Bot stream, spreading mats on the floor, eagerly slurping Chau Doc fish noodle soup made by her, as if savoring the essence of our homeland before returning to Sai Gon, bustling with life's hustle.

Though married into Long Xuyen, with roots in Nui Sam, my sister-in-law never forgets how to cook Chau Doc fish noodle soup. This specialty, pride of the Seven Mountains land, can be found almost every 500 meters in Long Xuyen, scattered throughout An Giang province, and even in many places in Saigon. But it's probably only from her kitchen, atop the stilt house, amidst the breezy countryside, after those modest Tet feasts, that it truly makes one reminisce and crave throughout the year.

Nearly ten kilograms of plump wild snakehead fish, bought by her every year just before Tet. After almost a week of near-starvation, their bellies clean, flesh firm, scales somewhat gone, they'll be lucky enough to be transformed in her simmering pot.

The large pot of broth fills the air with its fragrant aroma throughout the house. Just stepping onto the stairs, one can sense the essence of the Mekong Delta: the scent of fresh coconut water, lemongrass, turmeric, a few spoons of fermented shrimp paste, and notably, the indispensable turmeric roots (true to its name, it's truly the 'spellbinding' ingredient for noodle soup enthusiasts).

The cleaned wild fish (of course, leaving some entrails attached to the heads for the beloved younger brother), must also feel proud as they transform in that fragrant simmering pot.

Putting the fish into the broth with all the flavors, waiting about twenty minutes for the fish to cook, the sweetness from the bones melding into the broth, the fish pieces will then be taken out to be shredded. The tender white meat will be marinated with onions, garlic, chopped lemongrass, fish sauce, seasoning powder, then sautéed with turmeric until golden and fragrant. Thus, the ingredients for a deliciously aromatic Chau Doc-style fish noodle soup are ready.

When cooking at home, there's never enough large bowls for more than a dozen mouths like in restaurants, so if you want it piping hot and delicious, just grab a decent-sized bowl.

Scooping up the noodles, adding shredded morning glory, bean sprouts, water spinach, banana flowers, adding a handful of wild betel flowers according to preference (later on, it seems like you can find wild betel flowers in any season), then having my sister-in-law pour boiling water over it, adding a few ladles of fragrant broth, topping it with a spoonful of fresh golden fish pieces, sprinkling some finely chopped cilantro, squeezing a slice of lime... and there you can sit down on the mat, pick up the chopsticks, and enjoy.

To make a truly delicious bowl of Chau Doc fish noodle soup, one cannot forget a bowl of super spicy chili salt, and a bowl of delicious fish sauce (in the past, snakehead fish sauce was the best) filled with... sliced chili peppers.

Dipping the fish meat into the salt bowl to fully enjoy the sweet and fragrant essence of the wild snakehead fish. As for the fish sauce bowl, it's for dipping the whole fish innards, then chewing, then indulging in the fatty taste of the intestines and liver, the chewy texture of the stomach, the bitter yet refreshing taste of the gallbladder, and the rich salty flavor of pure fish sauce...

Later on, people often top Chau Doc fish noodle soup with roasted pork, Vietnamese sausage, and even pre-boiled fertilized duck eggs, probably imitating the bun thang culture from the North, using up all the leftover meat in the fridge after three days of Tet.

Among those toppings, the most harmonious is probably the roasted pork. One, because Chau Doc roasted pork is very delicious (especially used for offering to the ancestors), two, because dipping the crispy pork skin into the broth is indeed a very interesting combination.

And so, on the 5th noon of Tet, somehow my younger brother would at least three times ask my sister-in-law to dip the noodles, then eat three or four fish heads (luckily, the older brothers are all avoiding gout so he gets that honor), take a few sips of young sticky rice wine, then sit back, pat his belly, and say to the whole family amidst the fragrant countryside breeze: craving satisfied for the whole year...

According to Hữu Phan/ Tuoi tre

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour