Hanoi Fried Fish with Turmeric and Dill (Chả Cá Lã Vọng)

What is Chả Cá Lã Vọng?

I first learned of Chả Cá Lã Vọng from watching my two favorite travel shows back in the day: No Reservations and Bizarre Foods. Chả Cá Lã Vọng is named after the street, Lã Vọng, in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam where it is said to have originated. This dish now appears in almost every Vietnam guide book and food show, making it a must-try when visiting Northern Vietnam.

Chả Cá Lã Vọng, also known as Chả Cá Hà Nội and Chả Cá Thăng Long, is Hanoi’s famous fried fish with turmeric and dill. The fried fish comes with rice noodles, peanuts, fresh dill, toasted sesame crackers, and a pungent fermented shrimp dipping sauce. The dish is served deconstructively so it’s best enjoyed with a group of people for a more entertaining do-it-yourself experience.

To avoid confusion, it’s best to use the full name of the dish, Chả Cá Lã Vọng, rather than just saying Chả Cá. While Chả means paste and Cá means fish, this dish is not made with fish paste, but rather chunks of fish.

What Fish to Use for Chả Cá Lã Vọng

Chả Cá Lã Vọng traditionally uses catfish or snakehead fish, both of which are freshwater fish found in small ponds throughout Vietnam and other southeast Asian countries. You can sometimes find them in Asian supermarkets in the States.

If you are unable to find these particular fish, use any other white fish such as tilapia, cod, swai or halibut. The key is to select a fish with mild flavor and a firm texture that can hold its shape when cubed and fried. 

How to Prepare Chả Cá Lã Vọng

To prepare Chả Cá Lã Vọng, start by cutting your preferred fish into bite-size pieces and marinating them with turmeric, galangal, garlic, shallots, sugar, and fish sauce. For a crispy crust, coat the fish pieces with corn starch before deep frying them until golden brown.

Once cooked, serve the fish in a sizzling cast-iron skillet with long segments of green onions, wedges of yellow onions, and a generous amount of fresh dill. Accompany the dish with rice noodles, rice paper, roasted peanuts, sesame rice crackers and Mắm Tôm, a strong and pungent dipping sauce made from fermented shrimp.

How to Eat Chả Cá Lã Vọng

There are two ways to enjoy Chả Cá Lã Vọng. Wrap the fish, noodles, dill, and other desired ingredients in slightly moistened rice paper, roll it up, and dip it in the sauce. Alternatively, you can skip the rice paper and simply add everything together in bowl. Drizzle sauce on top, mix and enjoy.

What is Mắm Tôm?

Mắm Tôm is a type of fermented shrimp sauce. It’s a crucial ingredient in Chả Cá Lã Vọng that adds an authentic flavor to the dish. Sometimes it’s used in the fish marinade in lieu of fish sauce. However, I like to keep Mắm Tôm separate from the fish and only used it in the dipping sauce so people can have a choice to have it or not.

You can find Mắm Tôm in Asian grocery stores, particularly those that carry Vietnamese ingredients. It usually comes in small glass jars labeled shrimp sauce and/or Mắm Tôm. It has a thick, paste-like texture with a dull purple color.

When searching for Mắm Tôm, you may come across a similar ingredient called Mắm Ruốc, also labeled as shrimp sauce. This fermented shrimp paste sauce is almost identical to Mắm Tôm and can be used as a substitute if Mắm Tôm is unavailable. The only difference is that Mắm Ruốc is made using a different type of small fish and typically appears much darker in color.

Both of these shrimp paste have a strong smell that may not be pleasant to everyone. It’s a good idea to keep it in an airtight container and use it in a well-ventilated area. Once opened, it’s best to store it tightly sealed in the fridge, as the cold temperature helps to reduce the smell.

How to Make the Dipping Sauce for Chả Cá Lã Vọng with Mắm Tôm

To make the dipping sauce for Chả Cá Lã Vọng, mix a bit of fermented shrimp sauce with water, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and chili peppers. The additional ingredients tame the flavor of fermented shrimp and make it more palatable. Click here for the full recipe.

If you still find the sauce too overpowering, even after mixing it with the other ingredients, you can opt for a milder and more familiar sauce that is loved by many, Nước Chấm. Click here for the full recipe.

Other Dishes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, you may also enjoy the following popular recipes with turmeric powder:

• Coconut Chicken Curry (Ga Ri Ga)
• Vietnamese Sizzling Crepe (Banh Xeo)
• Central Vietnam Must-Eat Noodle (Mi Quang)
• Easy Fried Fish with Turmeric and Lemongrass
• Steamed Turmeric Whole Chicken
• Vietnamese Savory Mini Pancakes (Banh Khot)

Or try these other popular Vietnamese dishes:

• Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce (Gỏi Cuốn)
• Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)
• Lemongrass Roast Chicken (Gà Nướng)
• Braised Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)

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