Cha ca is so exceptional that Hanoi has a street named after it. The dish can be found in many restaurants and has been recommended by top global cuisine websites and magazines as a must-try dish in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

The ingredients of cha ca consist of catfish, dill, onion, turmeric, galingale, fermented rice, fermented shrimp paste, pepper, chili, lemon, sugar, fish sauce and herbs (Photo: VNA)

To make a tasty cha ca, fermented rice and fermented shrimp paste are indispensable ingredients (Photo: VNA)

Cha ca is recommended as a must-try dish for foreign visitors on the streets of Hanoi by Cable News Network CNN (Photo: VNA)

Cha ca is served hot with rice vermicelli, toasted peanuts and herbs, and a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, vinegar, salt, sugar, garlic and chili. The dipping sauce can also be made from fermented shrimp paste mixed with sugar and lemon juice (Photo: VNA)