Buzz
Fish sauce made its debut in a feature on CNN on 4/8. According to the publication, fish sauce is considered a culinary symbol of the Vietnamese people, an indispensable spice in every dish of the locals. Accompanying this is a multi-stage production process, meticulous and somewhat aromatic. From salting the anchovies in wooden barrels to their fermentation and filtration. In Vietnam, the most famous fish sauce production site is the Pearl Island of Phu Quoc, attracting thousands of tourists to visit the workshops here.The first households in Phu Quoc started the fish sauce business in 1950 and proudly gained a reputation as one of the leading fish sauce producers in the country.
The crucial elements for creating fish sauce are black anchovies and smaller white anchovies, constituting about 95% of the fish used. The remaining 5% includes larger fish such as ponyfish and scad. In the traditional method, fish are caught in the sea around Phu Quoc Island, but nowadays, they are mainly caught around Tho Chu Island (part of Phu Quoc city, Kien Giang province). The suitable fishing period is from April to September, corresponding to the rainy season.In large fish sauce production facilities, they all have their own fishing boat teams to monitor the entire production process. After being caught, the fish are immediately drained of water on the boat, followed by the salting and preservation process.
Regarding the salt used in the fish curing process, it usually comes from the Ba Ria - Vung Tau sea area and is mixed with the fish at a ratio of 1 part salt to 4 parts fish. When the fishing boat reaches the shore, the nearly 200kg fish barrels are collected and transferred to the dedicated barrels of the production facilities.In the past, the barrels for fish sauce were traditionally crafted from ironwood, a type of tree from the Phu Quoc National Park. However, due to a severe threat to the tree population, wood is now imported from Cambodia. The wooden barrel plays a crucial role in the quality and flavor of the fish sauce. Each barrel is made from 54 wooden slats, hand-bound with rattan fiber. Therefore, it takes about 2-3 skilled craftsmen over 3 weeks to complete one barrel.
After the fish fill the barrel, workers stir and start pressing down forcefully on the fish-salt mixture. Every day, the liquid from the barrel is drawn out and poured back in. Importantly, there is no stirring or mixing involved. When the fish sauce reaches the desired thickness and flavor, it is ready for packaging.
A part of the secret behind the delightful flavor of Phu Quoc fish sauce lies in the unique combination of environmental factors, including humidity and suitable temperature. In the final stage, a sample of fish sauce is sent to the laboratory to measure its concentration for certification on the bottle label. The concentration typically ranges from 35° N to 45° N.
'Fish sauce is the national soul, the national essence of the Vietnamese people, adding a distinctive touch to the local cuisine compared to the rest of the world. In every Vietnamese meal, the dipping bowl of fish sauce is a source of pride, a condiment that brings everything on the table together,' remarked Spanish chef Bruno Anon.
According to CNN
