Vu Dai villagers in the northern province of Ha Nam are now racing against time to prepare their signature braised carp fish to fulfill orders by customers from different parts of the nation as the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday is around the corner.

A woman checks clay pots of braised fi sh in Vu Dai Village in the northern province of Ha Nam

According to local villagers, the number of secured orders for Vu Dai braised fish for the week-long Tet, which begins on February 16 this year, has experienced a significant increase over last Tet, forcing them to work 24 hours to timely deliver the product to customers.

Prices are unchanged from normal days, at VND400,000 (US$17.6) for a one-kilogram pot and VND1.1 million (US$48.4) for a 4.5-kilogram pot in the north. But prices for customers in the country’s south are higher due to high transportation cost.

Given by the unique and tasty flavors, the dish of braised fish in Vu Dai Village, the birthplace of Nam Cao, a master of short stories, has been known throughout the country and had brought decent incomes for local people during the peak season of Tet. 

According to villagers, after being processed, the fish is embalmed with lemon juice, ginger, galingale, broth made from pig bone and traditional spices of the village before it is braised for at least 16 hours straight.

SGT