chả cá Lã Vọng — Vietnam

Chả cá Lã Vọng is built around firm white fish, traditionally hemibagrus catfish, cut into pieces and marinated with turmeric, galangal, fermented rice, and other seasonings before being grilled over charcoal. The grilled pieces are finished at the table in a hot pan of oil with plenty of scallion and dill, so the fish keeps cooking gently in front of the diners as it is served. The dish is reported as a specialty of Hanoi, where it is served almost exclusively in a small number of dedicated restaurants rather than sold as street food. It is eaten with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, roasted peanuts, and a sharp, pungent sauce made from fermented shrimp paste. To prepare it, fish fillets are cut into bite-sized pieces and marinated for several hours in a paste of turmeric, galangal, fermented rice, garlic, and fish sauce, then threaded or laid on a rack and grilled over charcoal until the edges color. The grilled fish is transferred to a pan of hot oil at the table, and generous amounts of scallion and dill are added and briefly wilted before serving. What sets this dish apart from other grilled fish preparations in Vietnam is the turmeric-and-galangal marinade paired specifically with dill, an herb used sparingly elsewhere in Vietnamese cooking, along with the practice of finishing the fish tableside in a sizzling pan rather than serving it straight off the grill. The shrimp paste sauce, sharper and more pungent than the dipping sauces used with most other grilled dishes, is also a defining element.