Vu Dai village braised fish or Dai Hoang braised fish is a famous specialty of Hoa Hau commune, Ly Nhan district, Ha Nam.

Mr. Tran Duc Phong (55 years old, Hoa Hau commune), the owner of a long-standing fish braising establishment, shared that in the past, people often braising salted fish to eat, so almost everyone knew how to braising fish. When his parents' generation came, when life was better and people had a demand to buy, his parents started selling this dish, but mainly sold it to people in the area during Tet.

“My parents have been drying fish for sale for nearly 30 years, and I have been running my own business for nearly 20 years. Having worked in this business for many years, I can tell if the fish is salty or bland just by smelling it, and I can tell if the water in the pot is too much or too little by hearing the boiling sound.

Each family has its own way of preparing the dish. Although it has been passed down through many generations, today's pots of braised fish still retain the traditional method left by their grandparents," said Mr. Phong.

Every year, Mr. Phong's family supplies thousands of pots of fish to the market. The peak time is about 10 days before Tet. At this time, orders can reach up to 400 pots of fish a day, so he has to hire 15 more workers, divide into 2 shifts, and work continuously day and night to deliver the goods on time.

The pots of fish not only feed his family, but also contribute to spreading the flavor of his homeland to all parts of the country and abroad.

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Vu Dai braised fish is braised in the traditional way with ingredients such as galangal, ginger, lemon juice, onions, chili, etc. To have a delicious and standard braised fish pot, Mr. Phong's family must carefully select and prepare everything from the main ingredients such as fish, fish sauce, etc. to the firewood and pot used.
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The fish used for braising is black carp, raised with snails for 2-3 years, weighing 5-8 kg/fish. The fish must be alive until the dish is made. This is an important factor that determines the aroma, firmness and fattiness of this dish. When the fish is transported, it will be scaled, gutted, and the head removed. The body is cut into even pieces, washed with salt water to remove the fishy smell, then taken out to drain.
The clay pot used to cook fish is produced in Nghe An, the lid is made in Thanh Hoa because the soil in these two regions meets the standards of heat resistance and durability. When cooking, the bottom of the pot is lined with a layer of sliced ​​galangal, then the fish is placed on top, seasoned with fish sauce and MSG to absorb the flavor, then water is poured to cover the fish, and placed on a wood stove to cook.
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Firewood must be longan wood because this type of firewood burns into charcoal, does not produce toxic smoke, maintains stable heat throughout the braising process, helps the fish cook evenly, and is not smoky.

Wait for the fish pot to boil for about 30 minutes, then add other ingredients such as coloring water (also known as bitter candy) made from white sugar, annatto oil, ground galangal and chili, etc., then cover and simmer.
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This dish is very elaborate, it takes 12-14 hours to cook. Cooking fish seems simple but is actually very hard work, you have to constantly watch the water and fire throughout the cooking process under the pungent smoke, so not everyone can handle it.
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Mr. Phong revealed that the secret to removing the fishy smell of the fish is to add lemon juice and when the water in the pot is almost dry, continuously add boiling water.
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The characteristic of this famous braised fish dish is that the fish is soft enough to eat the bones but the fish meat is still firm, not broken, has a rich aroma, beautiful color, and is not fishy. Thanks to fresh ingredients and techniques learned over many generations, Dai Hoang braised fish can be used for a whole week without worrying about it spoiling.

The leader of the People's Committee of Hoa Hau commune said that in recent years, the fish braising profession has developed strongly, becoming the main source of income for many households here. Currently, the commune has about more than 40 households braising fish continuously all year round, and around Tet, it can reach more than 100 households.

Vu Dai village braised fish costs from 600,000 - 2,000,000 VND/pot. Most braised fish establishments have applied vacuum packaging technology to prevent mold and eliminate bacteria, helping the fish to last longer while still retaining its flavor.