Chả Cá Lã Vọng Recipe

Vietnamese turmeric fish with dill and noodles is a perfect combination of white fish and traditional spices from the food culture of Vietnam. A marinade made from turmeric, galangal, and shrimp paste (or fish sauce) gives the fish a unique flavor and a captivating golden color.

When served with fresh herbs and vermicelli noodles, this Northern Vietnamese delicacy makes for a wholesome meal. Sweet, sour, and savory with a touch of umami flavor, Cha Ca La Vong will satisfy even the pickiest foodies.

Cha Ca La Vong – A Dish With More Than 100 Years Of History

“Chả Cá Lã Vọng” is a creation of the Doan family, who lived in Hanoi back when Vietnam was still a French colony. Although the Doan used to make this dish for the resistance army, it was not until 1871 that they officially opened a restaurant and started selling Cha Ca La Vong to the locals.

La Vong (Lu Wang) was the title of Jiang Ziya, a historical figure in ancient China. The locals gave the Doan family’s specialty this name since there was always a statuette of Lu Wang in their restaurant.

Cha Ca La Vong consists of white fish fillets marinated in a mixture of turmeric, galangal, and shrimp paste, then grilled and fried with fresh herbs. Not only does the marinade provide an out-of-this-world flavor, but it also coats the fish in a beautiful golden color.

Tools

I believe the above introduction has convinced you to make this iconic Vietnamese dish, and here are all the necessary kitchen tools.

Ingredients

Prepare the following ingredients to make the most authentic Cha Ca La Vong. Some of them might be a bit hard to find, but worry not; there are viable alternatives.

Directions

Let’s get to the kitchen and turn your fish fillets into a delectable bowl of Cha Ca La Vong!

Step 1: Prepare The Ingredients

Cut the fish fillets into bite-sized square pieces that are about 0.5 inches thick.

Cut ¾ of the dill into pieces and mince the remaining dill leaves. You’ll use the minced leaves to marinate the fish later.

Cut the green part of the scallions into bite-sized pieces and julienne the white stalks. The white parts have a slightly pungent taste which you can reduce by soaking them in iced water.

Mince the shallots, garlic, and lemongrass.

Remove the chili peppers’ stems. Cut the peppers into thin slices.

The com me that I use has already been filtered. If yours is unfiltered, you’ll need to puree it and pass it through a sieve. Skip this step if you’re using plain yogurt.

Step 2: Make The Turmeric And Galangal Juice

Wash the galangal roots, then crush or grind them. Save 1 tablespoon of ground galangal for adding to the fish marinade. Strain the galangal using a straining bag to squeeze out the juice.  

Likewise, rinse to clean the turmeric and crush or grind them. Squeeze out the turmeric juice and get rid of the leftover pulp.

I highly recommend wearing food prep gloves while juicing turmeric. Otherwise, your hand will turn yellow. Besides doing this step manually, you can also use a juicer if you have one to save time.

Step 3: Marinate The Fish

Put the fish in a large bowl.

Season the fish with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of minced dill, 1 tablespoon of minced shallot, 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons of galangal juice, 3 tablespoons of shrimp paste,  3 tablespoons of fermented rice, 3 tablespoons of turmeric juice, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of pepper, 1 tablespoon of ground galangal.

Mix well and allow the fish to marinate for 1 hour in a refrigerator.

Step 4: Blanch The Noodles

While waiting for the fish to absorb the spices, bring a pot of water to a boil and add a little cooking oil. Blanch the noodles in the boiling water and put them in a bowl of cold water. Drain the noodles and proceed to make the dipping sauce.

Step 5: Make The Dipping Sauce

Mix 3 tablespoons of shrimp paste with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of kumquat juice. Stir well until you see small bubbles in the sauce. Then, add the minced garlic and sliced chili.

Feel free to adjust the sauce’s saltiness depending on your preference.

Step 6: Bake The Fish

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Brush a thin layer of oil on the foil to prevent the fish from sticking. Place the marinated fish in the lined tray.

Preheat your oven to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Then, bake the fish at that temperature for 15 minutes.

Take the fish out of the oven and check their doneness. They are ready for the next step if the surface is slightly golden.

Step 7: Fry The Fish

Place a pan on the stove and heat some cooking oil or fat. When the oil is heated, add the baked fish and fry them until golden brown on both sides.

Next, add the scallions (both leaves and stems) and dill to the pan. Stir gently for 30 seconds.

Turn the heat to the lowest level to keep the fish hot while eating. You can also turn off the heat but keep the pan on the stovetop.

The Best Way To Serve Cha Ca La Vong

Cha Ca La Vong is traditionally served with roasted peanuts, shrimp paste, and vermicelli noodles. Banh Da Nuong (toasted rice paper) is also an excellent addition. There are 3 common ways to enjoy this dish:

The first way, which is my favorite, is to serve the fish in a bowl with vermicelli noodles, vegetables, roasted peanuts, and shrimp paste. Drizzle a little shrimp paste over everything and mix well.

You can also put the fish, fresh scallion, and dill in a bowl and pour the hot oil you used to fry the fish on top. The heat from the oil will be enough to cook the scallion and dill slightly.

Last but not least, adding vermicelli noodles to the pan and briefly stir-frying them with the fish and veggies is not a bad idea. While this is great for infusing the noodles with flavors, some might find the dish a bit greasy.

Useful Tips Everyone Should Know

The tips in this part will give you an easier time in the kitchen. I’ll also include some ways to change up the recipe to your liking.

Have The Best Meal With Cha Ca La Vong!

Cha Ca La Vong is among the most iconic dishes in Northern Vietnamese cuisine. Today, its popularity has spread to other regions in the country as well, and for good reasons. Once you’ve given this delicacy a try, I’m sure you’ll want to make it over and over again.

It would be a big mistake to skip this delicacy, especially if you were a fan of aromatic and flavorsome seafood dishes. Now that you’ve reached the final part of today’s post, don’t forget to drop it a like and share this delectable recipe with other people!