Making sun-dried catfish into a Tet (Lunar New Year) delicacy.
(Baonghean.vn) - Visiting the coastal village of Quynh Luu (Nghe An) in the days leading up to Tet, the locals are busy processing dried scad fish into a special snack for the Tet holiday.
 |
| During Tet (Lunar New Year), people pay special attention to choosing and buying local specialties to entertain guests. Understanding this sentiment, the people of Tien Thuy coastal commune (Quynh Luu district) have used seafood caught at sea to prepare delicious dishes and snacks for Tet. Photo: Viet Hung |
 |
| Unlike other coastal regions, dried scad is a signature dish prepared by fishermen in the Quỳnh Lưu coastal area as a snack. In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), locals are busy processing it to supply the market. Photo: Việt Hùng |
 |
| Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa from Phong Tien village, Tien Thuy commune, said that in the last months of the year, due to a good harvest of scad fish, her family buys a lot for processing. To ensure product quality, the fish must be fresh, and the processing requires a secret technique to create a harmonious blend of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. “Every day, my family hires three workers to process about 200-250 kg of dried scad fish. Because of the elaborate processing and preservation of the fish's flavor, customers order a lot during Tet (Lunar New Year),” Ms. Hoa added. (Photo: Viet Hung) |
 |
| After washing the fresh anchovies, the locals use knives to split them in half and dry them. According to the locals, drying anchovies is quite meticulous because they are small; before processing, they must be steamed until just cooked, then split in half with a knife. The remaining task is to marinate them with spices to create a variety of flavors and offer customers many choices. Photo: Viet Hung |
 |
| After drying outdoors for a day, the dried scad fish are collected and packaged by the locals; the selling price ranges from 120,000 to 130,000 VND/kg. Currently, there are about 20 households in Tien Thuy commune processing this specialty dried scad fish. In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the locals supply the market with about 2-3 tons of dried scad fish per day. Photo: Viet Hung |
 |
| After processing, the fish is usually dried for one day. However, mild sunshine is essential to ensure the fish is fresh and delicious. Photo: VH |
 |
| Customers seek out households that make dried anchovies to buy during Tet (Lunar New Year). These fish can be fried in oil or grilled using 90% alcohol. Photo: Viet Hung |
