Food & Receipts

Tiny fish type referred to as ‘heavenly treasure’ — locals use baskets to catch them when they come in season

Although small in size, this type of fish can be cooked in many delicious and exotic dishes. It is also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Administrator

8 December, 2023

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Cá rò is a type of small fish, usually appearing around April each year in the coastal region of Central Vietnam, especially Thua Thien – Hue.

The head of cá rò is small, with a diamond-shaped body, and the belly is silver-white in color. Every year, when the season comes, people gather to go fishing with baskets.

Even though they are small, they can be caught in large quantities. People usually sell them in baskets, and each basket can earn them 400,000 to 600,000 dong, estimating about 1 million dong per day. With such income, people consider this fish a heavenly gift.

Research has shown that cá rò contains a high amount of protein, omega-3, vitamins, and essential minerals that are good for health. In addition, cá rò has a high oil content, which helps to improve eye health.

From cá rò, we can prepare various delicious dishes. In addition to making soup, many people also make cá rò fish sauce, which is a specialty of Hue. The strong and fragrant taste of the fish sauce complements boiled meat, vegetables, or mixed with noodles. You can refer to the recipe below.

Ingredients

– Cá rò fish

– Fresh chili

– Garlic

– Sugar

– Salt

Instructions

– Choose fresh cá rò fish with shiny scales and intact bodies. It is best to buy them right after they have been caught to ensure their freshness and taste.

– Rinse the cá rò fish several times with water to clean them, then pour them into a basin. Sprinkle salt evenly over them. For 1.2kg of fresh fish, you will need about 200g of salt. Mix them thoroughly so that the fish absorbs the salt.

– Put the salted cá rò fish into a glass jar or stoneware container, then cover it and let it ferment for about 30 days.

– After the fish has fermented long enough, remove it from the jar, which has been cleaned and dried. Then add crushed garlic, chili, and 400g of sugar. Mix them together until the fish and spices are well combined, then put the fish back into the jar and cover it for gradual consumption.

– The cá rò fish sauce is ready to eat after fermentation. Use a dry, clean spoon to scoop the fish sauce into a bowl and enjoy. The fish sauce is delicious when used as a dipping sauce for pork, mixed with noodles, or dipping boiled vegetables.

To enhance the taste of the cá rò fish sauce, you can add a little sugar, crushed garlic and chili, and lime juice, then stir well. The finished fish sauce has an eye-catching color, a sweet and spicy taste that will satisfy your taste buds.

After fermentation, the fish sauce should be kept in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight. If you want to preserve the cá rò fish sauce for a longer period of time while maintaining its delicious flavor, you can store it in the refrigerator.

In addition, people with weak stomachs or digestive problems should avoid eating fish sauce to prevent further health issues.