Having “fish for the King” at Tam Giang lagoon

Belonging to Tam Giang – Cau Hai lagoon system, Tam Giang (3 rivers) is one of the biggest lagoons in Southeast Asian area with 24km long, which covers an area of 52km².

Rabbit-fish

From the mouth of O Lau river to Huong river and going all the way to Thuan An sea, Tam Giang lagoon lays along Phong Dien, Quang Dien wards, and Huong Tra town of Thua Thien – Hue province. It’s not only beautiful landscape but it also hides an abundant source of diverse and varied aquatic products of all kinds, including the Rabbit-fish, which was a specialty just for the king. Rabbit-fish, a rare type of Siganiadae family, is so flavorful and nutritious and Rabbit-fish congee in Tam Giang lagoon is so famous with locals and tourists from all over Vietnam visiting Hue city.

Rabbit-fish or spine-food are perciform fishes in the family Siganiade. This type of fish has flat body without scales, brownish greyish and yellow skin and they usually live in water front. Rabbit-fish live in both sea water and brackish water from Thua Thien - Hue to Nha Trang province. There are quite many types of rabbit-fish but the rare orange-spotted spine-foot can only be found in Tam Giang lagoon.

According to local old fishermen, the orange-spotted rabbit-fish usually school up in Tam Giang lagoon from May to September annually. Their amount is not big but their economic value is quite high since they could be sold at $9 - $10 per kilogram. Orange-spotted rabbit-fish are just an adult’s hand size and around 250g per fish. They eat aquatic plants so their guts are clean. Orange-spotted rabbit-fish is highly nutritious with tender, flavorful flesh and not bony.

People can cook orange-spotted rabbit-fish in many ways, such as steaming, grilling, or hot pot but the most favorite and popular way is to make congee because fish congee is really good to nourish patients, women just gave birth, children, and the old’s health. Besides, the flesh of orange-spotted rabbit-fish inside and out works as a mild sedative, which can reduce stress and treat insomnia.

It’s not hard to cook orange-spotted rabbit-fish congee. However, to make a qualified bowl of fish congee, the fish have to be as fresh as well. After cleaned (gut still on), the whole orange-spotted rabbit-fish would be marinated with grinded pepper, sliced scallion roots, a bit fish sauce, and oil about 15 – 20 minutes. Meanwhile, we should prepare diluted rice congee then place the whole marinated fish into boiling congee and cook about 5 more minutes. We can relish and enrich the congee with oiled onions and pepper powder on top of the pot. Before serving, orange-spotted rabbit-fish congee would be seasoned to taste and topped with scallion and cilantro.

It’s not hard to cook orange-spotted rabbit-fish congee.

After a long trip on the maleficent lagoon with spectacular landscape and watching fishermen collect seafood, all tourists were feeling so floating. That’s the time the boat should stop by a restaurant in lagoon area to have a hot fresh orange-spotted rabbit-fish congee.

Having orange-spotted rabbit-fish congee right at their natural habitat was an interesting experience. The fish congee was fat and umami with a hint of bitter from the fish liver and all blend in with robust spices to make appetite of diners thrilled. Together with romantic and wonderful landscape along the province, orange-spotted rabbit-fish congee is also something that tourists have to memorize the treats of Hue.

By Ngoc Hoa/SGTT