From the waters of Thanh Hoa all the way to Kien Giang, everywhere there are relatives of blue bone fish living. But the largest concentration of fish is in the Nam Du archipelago (Kien Hai district, Kien Giang). Blue bone fish are available all year round, their main spawning season is from February to May.
This fish has Their round body is from half a meter to a meter long and their skin is black and green. In particular, their entire bones are also jade green. The fish often lives in the rocky areas of the beach where the surface water is deep about more than 1m. In addition, blue bone fish can launch unexpectedly, so fishermen also nickname them imitation fish.
With a long beak as sharp as a blade and sharp teeth. It’s easy to think of the blue bonefish as an “assassin” at sea. This species often travels in groups near water. Just hearing the sound they will whip their tails and launch themselves high into the air. If anyone is unlucky enough to be stabbed in a dangerous place by their sharp beak, they can be seriously injured or lose their life.
Knowing that blue bone fish are gluttonous, fishermen have come up with a way to kill them. Catch fish without using bait or hooks. People take a bunch of colorful nylon ropes about 15cm long, tear them into many small strands, tie one end and throw them into the sea.
When the boat moves, the bunch of nylon ropes will spread out like swimming fish. swim. Blue bone fish mistakenly think it is bait and will chase it to bite. At this point, their dense teeth will cling tightly to the nylon rope and be unable to escape.
If fishermen do not use nylon rope, they can go fishing at night. People just need to put a flashlight on their head, control the boat with their feet and use a fork with up to 13 teeth to stab the fish. Although this method catches more fish, when the fish is picked up, it will no longer be healthy, forcing it to be sold at a lower price.
Although blue bone fish is not a specialty with high economic value, it is very valuable. It is popular because it has few bones, white meat and a sweet taste. When you bring home the blue bone fish, cut off the beak and blade, remove the gills, then take out the internal organs and clean them, then you can transform them into many unique delicious dishes. The most attractive dishes are grilled banana skins and dried green bone fish cooked with sim lo.
The grilled green bone fish dish with banana skins is very delicious, just looking at it makes my mouth water. People choose very fresh fish from the sea and bring it home, scrape it, clean it of slime, then cover it with banana peel and wrap it carefully with string. Then put firewood on it and grill until the banana sheaths are dry and the fish is cooked.
When opening the banana peel The fragrant fish meat easily conquers any picky diner. The fish meat is not only sweet but also chewy, rolled with rice paper and served with wild vegetables such as polyscias fruticosa leaves, sprouting polyscias fruticosa… creating a unique identity that few places have. The accompanying dipping sauce can be chili garlic fish sauce or other dipping sauces depending on the taste of the eater.
As for the dried blue bone fish dish cooked with sim lo, mothers need to prepare fully. Ingredients such as dried fish with green bones, banana, necessary spices such as braised cilantro, chili and rice, etc. The processing step is quite complicated, requiring skill and sophistication.
This dish of dried blue bone fish cooked with sim lo is similar to the sour soup of the West, often eaten with fish sauce and fresh chili. The spicy taste of chili blends with the sweetness of the fish and the sourness of the broth, creating an attractive dish that you can eat forever.
Hoang Ngoc
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