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Nghe An's specialty fermented fish sauce.

Quang An • January 8, 2025 12:03

Fermented fish sauce aged underground is one of the most popular condiments on the market, with an elaborate processing method that lasts for a whole year to produce fragrant, rich-flavored drops of fish sauce.

Clip: QA

The end of the year is the peak season for anchovy fishing, the main ingredient in fish sauce production. In Nghe An, trays of fresh anchovies arriving at the port are all bought up by locals and traders, including many households in traditional fish sauce-making villages throughout the province. Photo: Xuan Hoang

The Phu Loi fish sauce village in Quynh Di ward, Hoang Mai town, has about 150 households engaged in the trade and is entering its peak production season for the Lunar New Year. After being imported, anchovies are mixed thoroughly with salt and placed in fermentation tanks. Bamboo slats are then placed on top, and stones are used to press them down. To ensure the fish sauce is delicious and clear, the fish must be stirred regularly during the fermentation process. (Photo: QA)

nước mắm 1 — Hai Giang 1 fish sauce processing village in Nghi Hai ward, Vinh city, is one of the oldest traditional fish sauce production villages in Nghe An province. In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the villagers are focusing on production to supply the market. According to statistics, the village supplies approximately 1 million liters of various types of fish sauce annually. (Photo: QA)

hạ thổ 1 — In particular, among the various types of fish sauce here, the fish sauce aged underground in sandy soil is considered the most fragrant and premium. Each household producing this type of fish sauce has thousands of bottles buried under layers of sand, with only the bottle caps slightly exposed. Photo: QA

nước mắm 3 — Ms. Le Thi Kimm from Nghi Hai ward, Vinh City, said: "To have fermented fish sauce for Tet (Lunar New Year), we have to select the best fish sauce from the beginning of the year, bottle it in airtight containers, and then bury it in the sandy soil. Therefore, the days leading up to Tet are the time when people in Hai Giang 1 village sell their fermented fish sauce and prepare for a new season for next year's Tet." (Photo: QA)

nước mắm 4 — It is known that fish sauce is fermented underground for at least 6 months, often a full year or longer. The longer the fish sauce is aged underground, the more fragrant and delicious it becomes. Photo: QA

hạ thổ 3 — Fish sauce that has been aged underground must be dug up before it's time for sale, and a layer of sand still clings to the bottle. Photo: QA

nước mắm 2 — After the production process is complete, the fish sauce is labeled and supplied to the market. Photo: QA

nước mắm 5 — Reportedly, the Hai Giang 1 fish sauce processing village in Nghi Hai ward, Vinh City, has nearly 80 households specializing in the production of traditional anchovy fish sauce, with about 70% of them producing the fermented fish sauce. Photo: QA

ruốc 2 — Besides fish sauce, other processed seafood products such as shrimp paste and fermented shrimp paste are also being produced in increased quantities to serve the Tet market. Photo: QA

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