Lunar New Year Delicacy
Every region in Việt Nam has its own version of the traditional cá kho (caramelised fish in a clay pot), however, the cá kho from Vũ Đại village is considered the most unique and complicated to make and is unlike anywhere in the country. Vũ Đại village, also known as Đại Hoàng village, is located 50 kilometres from Hà Nội in the northern province of Hà Nam.
Over time, Vũ Đại became famed for its firewood slow-cooked fish in clay pots with the exotic spice blend. The braised freshwater fish with galangal was formerly offered to the king, although no one knows when this historic recipe began.
Each family has its own set of secrets that have been passed down through the generations. But it’s the use of clay pots from Nghệ An Province and cooking technique for braising that really sets this dish apart.
The essential spice mixture for cá kho Vũ Đại is ground Alpinia, lime juice, fermented freshwater crab sauce, fish sauce, caramel, young coconut water, ginger, galangal, shallot, chilli, and some herbs. The spices are mixed in a specific proportion, which is kept a secret by each family.
The most popular fish used in this unusual creation is farmed black carp, grass carp, and mud carp, as they are considered the best for the dish, which only uses the centre part of the body without the head and tail. The fish should be raised on natural food and harvested when they are four to six kilograms in weight.
The fish is cut into 1-kilogram pieces and marinated in the complex spice mixture for 15-30 minutes to enhance the flavour. Big pieces of pork belly are added on top to keep the fish moist and flavourful during the long cooking time. Unlike the traditional cá kho where most people are familiar, cá kho Vũ Đại necessitates a lengthy simmer for 14-16 hours over a low heat of firewood to allow the dish to develop and caramelise gradually. Fire is a very important factor to make this dish successful. The braised fish is cooked in very low heat and the cooks have to take turns to stay up all night and look after the fire to keep it consistent until the finish. Longan firewood and rice husk must be utilized, according to the local experts, to give the dish its characteristic flavour. Longan wood is purchased 6 to 8 months in advance of the Lunar New Year by each family in order to meet the high consumption and demand during the peak season of cá kho Vũ Đại.
One of the important ingredients in amplifying the umami flavour of the dish is fermented freshwater crab sauce. Freshwater crabs must be captured and preserved for at least a year before being decanted for the first extract and use in cá kho Vũ Đại.
The freshness of the fish, the aromatic spice mixture and the fragrant from the smoke of the charred wooden make cá kho Vũ Đại dish distinctive that could not be found elsewhere in Việt Nam.
