Buzz
The distinct flavor of Lâm Bình mullet meat lingers in memories, making distant offspring yearn for their homeland.
Explore Quảng Ngãi and Delight in Lâm Bình Mullet
In the autumn afternoon, Lâm Bình lagoon (formerly known as Lam Den lagoon, Pho Cuong commune, Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai) resembles a giant mirror against the deep blue sky with white clouds drifting.
The lagoon connects with the Truong River, merges with the lower stream of the Lo Bo River, and blends with the Thoa River before flowing into the sea through the My A estuary. The low salinity and abundant aquatic resources in the lagoon provide a rich source of fish and shrimp for the local residents.
Various fish species caught here are used to create many delicious dishes with distinctive flavors, especially the mullet.
Upon arriving home, the fresh carp is skillfully prepared by cleaning, gutting, and cutting it into sections. Boil water on the stove with a pinch of salt, add the fish, and enhance the broth with a few slices of spicy chili to eliminate any fishy odor. Season with spices.
Once the fish is cooked, sprinkle it with finely ground pepper, crushed mint, and chopped cilantro. Lift it off the heat, and there you have a rustic dish of braised carp, exuding the subtle flavors of the countryside. This carp dish pairs well with rice or noodles.
Perhaps due to its foraging in ponds and rivers, the carp here boasts a distinctive flavor rarely found elsewhere. The sweet and fatty taste of the fish blends perfectly with the spices and the aromatic herbs, creating an indescribable delight.
A bowl of freshly harvested rice, drenched in the sweet and savory carp broth, completes the entire meal experience.
The carp gains an even richer flavor when simmered with ripe tomatoes using a straightforward method. Heat up peanut oil with sliced purple onions until fragrant, then add a little water to the pot.
Stroll around the backyard, pluck a few lemongrass stems, select the roots, clean them, and crush them before adding to the pot with the spices. When the water boils, add the fish, pour in just enough water to submerge the fish, season to taste, and add a few slices of ripe tomatoes and pomelo wedges. Simmer on low heat until the fish absorbs the flavors evenly.
After about forty minutes, when the fish is fully cooked and emanating a rich aroma, add fragrant herbs, silent coriander, finely chopped saw-leaf herb, a pinch of ground pepper. Lift it off the stove, use a spatula and chopsticks to arrange the fish on a plate.
The braised carp with ripe tomatoes, so delectable that it's incomparable, is often offered by my fellow villagers as a gesture of reverence to our ancestors. During the feast, it's customary for the elders to take the first bite as a sign of respect.
The carp from Lam Binh pond is expertly prepared by local women, resulting in a variety of delicious and flavorful dishes: steamed, porridge, sour soup, and more.
Perhaps because of this, the carp from this place always lingers in the memories of many, serving as a 'tether' for those who live far away to return to their hometown.
According to the book by the renowned herbalist Tue Tinh, 'Cá trôi,' also known as 'hoàn ngư,' has a sweet taste with neutral properties, non-toxic, nutritionally beneficial, warming the stomach, harmonizing the middle, and invigorating the qi. Folk wisdom utilizes carp in preparing dishes to address stomach pain, cold limbs, cough with phlegm, and sore throat.
As reported by Tuoi Tre News
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourSeptember 9, 2016
