Grilled fish with 2 fire, delicious dish of Nghia Do region
To have delicious grilled fish, the Tay people in Nghia Do commune, Bao Yen district often choose natural fish from rivers, streams, ponds and lakes as raw materials. These are carp, drifting, and carp that are both fatty and meaty with a weight of 1.5 kg or more. When caught, the fish is pecked, cleaned of scales, split in half and then sliced across the grain to create pieces about 5-7 cm thick, about 15-20 cm long (depending on the weight of the fish).After slicing, the fish is drained and then mixed with spices. Spices for marinating fish include mac Khen seeds, michelia tonkinensis, salt, ginger leaves, lemongrass roots, herbs in the home garden. All are crushed and marinated with fish pieces for about 20 minutes for the spices to infuse. Using a small bamboo stick, sharpen one end of the skewer along the fish to create a straight surface for the fish. Then use two bamboo tongs to clamp the fish skewers into a large fish clip for grilling.
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| The delicious aftertaste and the unique processing of grilled fish with two fires attract tourists from afar. |
In order for fish to be grilled evenly and deliciously, there must be embers. The difference in this dish compared to other grilled fish dishes is that it is grilled twice on fire. The first time, the fish clips were placed next to the fire, not too close, not too much coal. This time, just let the surface of the fish dry and just cooked. Then, the fish skewers are left in bamboo clamps, can be left on the high kitchen floor for a smoky taste, keeping the heat or stored in a bamboo basket, covered with banana leaves.
The second grilling will determine the doneness, deliciousness of the fish because this time the fish will be grilled near the meal. The fish tongs were brought out to be grilled for the second time on embers by the fire. At this time of grilling, the person grilling the fish should pay attention not to put the fish too close to the coals to avoid burning the fish, but let the fish skewers heat up, gradually yellow and cook thoroughly on the inside.
Grilled fish with two fires when being cooked, the outside is yellow, the skin is crispy, the inside is naturally white in the style of "shell fangs white innards". When enjoying, two-fire grilled fish is delicious, the meat is firm, and has a combination of spices in nature. Enjoyers have a delicious feeling from the aroma of fish, the pungent taste of spices, the smoky taste of the kitchen smoke, the crispiness of the fish skin.
This dish is best enjoyed while still hot, very suitable when eaten with hot rice and dipped with chili salt mixed with ginger root. During the four seasons of the year, the Tay people in Nghia Do go down to the stream to catch fish to cook grilled fish with two fires. This dish has a combination of fish and spices of the mountains and forests, in the home garden, showing the ingenuity of the processor. At the same time, this dish thanks to two-fire grill should keep the delicious taste for many days.
Stopping in peaceful and poetic Tay villages during a tour of Nghia Do community tourism, by a red fire on a traditional stilt house, the Tay people prepare grilled fish with two fires to invite guests to enjoy and to introduce to people from afar the traditional culinary aftertaste of their nation.
