Known locally as “lich,” the wild-caught creature is considered a seasonal specialty across parts of central and southern Vietnam.
Lich - known in some regions as “lach dong” - is a distinctive aquatic delicacy found in Vietnam’s river and lagoon regions.
The creature can be found in several parts of the country but is especially common in the Mekong Delta and coastal areas of central Vietnam, particularly in Quang Ngai and the former Binh Dinh Province.
Lich is harvested entirely from the wild, leading locals to describe it as a “gift from heaven.” Photo: HS Tuoi Sach Bien Hoa
At first glance, lich resembles an eel, though it is smaller, with thinner skin and a much slimmer, slippery body. Its body is roughly the thickness of a chopstick, smooth and glossy, with a flattened tail and slightly protruding eyes and nostrils.
According to local residents, there are several varieties of lich.
The most common include “lich cat,” whose skin resembles the color of sand; “lich huyet,” also known as red lich, with reddish-brown or pale pink skin; and “lich cu,” the largest variety, with a body thicker than an adult thumb.
Among them, red lich is considered the tastiest, known for its firmer and richer meat.
Because lich is still harvested entirely from the wild, many locals refer to it as a “gift from heaven.”
Locals wait until nightfall and use flashlights to catch lich. Photo: BomBom Vlog
Thanh Nam, a long-time lich hunter in Quang Ngai, said different species inhabit different environments, with some living in brackish water and others in freshwater areas.
Lich can be found year-round, but the best season is during the flood months between the eighth and tenth lunar months, when rising waters spread across rivers, streams and lagoons.
Some varieties also appear during the dry-water season between the fourth and sixth lunar months.
“Lich is only truly delicious at the start of the season,” Nam explained. “At that time, the bones are soft, the meat is rich and fatty. Later in the season, the bones harden and the flesh becomes less flavorful.”
According to Nam, lich usually live alone in tiny burrows with openings no larger than a chopstick tip.
To catch them, locals use a crane-neck-shaped rake, digging roughly 20 centimeters into mud or sand until the creature becomes trapped in the narrow slot of the tool.
Once caught, the fisher must quickly rotate the rake upward before lifting it from the water to prevent the slippery animal from escaping.
Most people wait for low tide before searching for lich. In some places, locals also hunt them at night, when the creatures emerge from mud and sand to search for food.
“They can also be caught by hand, with spears or by fishing,” Nam added. “But methods that keep the animal intact are preferred because live, undamaged con lich sell for higher prices.”
Depending on the variety and season, lich are sold for around VND180,000 to VND220,000 per kilogram, equivalent to roughly $7 to $8.60.
Lich is cleaned, cut into pieces, marinated with spices and grilled. Photo: BomBom Vlog
The meat of lich is firm, naturally sweet and carries a distinctive aroma. Photo: BomBom Vlog
In Vietnam, lich can be prepared in many different ways, including grilling, porridge, salad, stir-frying with bamboo shoots, braising with banana blossom and sour soup.
Preparing the creature is relatively simple because it produces less slime than eel.
Fresh lich are first soaked in salted water to help remove excess slime. They are then cleaned, drained and cut into four to five-centimeter pieces before being marinated and cooked according to personal taste.
“Grilled lich with chili salt is one of the easiest and tastiest dishes,” Nam shared. “You can keep the animal whole, clean it thoroughly, marinate it and grill it directly. Because it isn’t cut into pieces, the blood stays inside, giving the dish a richer sweetness.”
Vu Nga from Hanoi said she had the chance to try several dishes made from con lich during a summer trip to Quang Ngai.
Among them, she was especially impressed by braised lich with banana blossom and stir-fried con lich with bamboo shoots.
“In my personal opinion, lich tastes better than eel,” Nga said. “If you eat it during the right season, you can feel the soft bones and firm meat. The more you chew, the more sweetness lingers in your mouth. It’s a very unique flavor.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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