Preserving the soul of traditional Phan Thiet fish sauce

Mrs. Nga with her love for her job, preserving the traditional values of her coastal homeland

The legacy of the "Ham Ho" of the past

“Since the beginning of this year, thanks to the support of state agencies, I have had the opportunity to introduce my traditional anchovy fish sauce in Ho Chi Minh City and some other localities. Recently, I participated in 2 booths at Le Thi Rieng Park and Binh Phu Park,” Ms. Nga shared.

Phan Thiet is the cradle of traditional fish sauce making, thanks to its abundant anchovy resources and the unique coastal climate. When it comes to making fish sauce, local people cannot forget the long-standing families who understand the brewing techniques, master the processing process and play an important role in maintaining and developing the profession. They are called “Ham Ho”, a title associated with prosperity and prestige in the profession.

Her family is one of the famous “Ham Ho” families that have been in the profession for a long time in the old Duc Thang ward, with a history of more than 200 years. Inheriting techniques and traditions from many generations, Ms. Nga’s parents took over the business before 1975, producing traditional fish sauce under the Hung Huong brand. The products were stored in ceramic pots, tin barrels or wooden barrels, distributed throughout the Central region and Saigon at that time.

Memories of that golden age are still vivid in her mind. In her generation, she continues to follow in her father’s footsteps. In 2000, she registered the Nam Huong brand at the Intellectual Property Office, but because the brand name was the same as the Phu Quoc brand, she changed it to Nam Thanh Huong Traditional Anchovy Fish Sauce to maintain its own uniqueness. Despite the name change, the essence of the fish sauce business remains intact: fresh and delicious anchovies, clean salt, and natural fermentation for 12 months or more.

Keep the profession with faith and perseverance

In a competitive market, many types of industrial fish sauce have been introduced, but she still chooses the difficult path, sticking to the traditional method. For her, each bottle of fish sauce is not just a commodity, but also the crystallization of patience, selection and love for the profession.

To maintain the trust of customers, Ms. Nga places great importance on the input of raw materials: the fish must be fresh, the salt must be clean, and every step must be standardized. That strict process helps her products pass many inspections, and at the same time, receive recognition with many certificates: "High-quality Vietnamese goods meeting standards" in 2015, the title of "Typical rural industrial products" of the province for 8 consecutive years from 2018 to present, and recently achieved 3-star OCOP in 2025...

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Making traditional fish sauce cannot be rushed. Each batch of fish sauce must be allowed to mature naturally, the longer it takes, the richer the flavor. The production process absolutely does not use preservatives or additives, clean fish sauce is a prerequisite to maintain customer trust.

Mrs. Truong Thi Huu Nga - Nam Thanh Huong fish sauce maker

At the age of over 60, when many people have chosen to live a leisurely life, Mrs. Nga still perseveres with her fish sauce vats, traveling everywhere to bring fish sauce. For her, keeping the fish sauce making profession is not only a way to earn a living, but also a way to preserve the tradition of the coastal countryside, to show gratitude to her ancestors who left behind the profession, and to preserve the identity in each drop of salty fish sauce. Each drop of fish sauce is the crystallization of the sea, of the sun, of the wind, of months of waiting.

In the flow of integration, industrial fish sauce products with cheap prices and eye-catching designs have been attracting consumers, however, traditional fish sauce producers in Phan Thiet, the perseverance of people like Mrs. Nga, is the way to preserve, continue and spread the flavor of traditional Phan Thiet fish sauce.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/giu-hon-nuoc-mam-truyen-thong-phan-thiet-387919.html