On average, in the month leading up to Tết, many fish grilling establishments in Diễn Văn Village, Diễn Châu District of Nghệ An Province provide several dozen tonnes of grilled fish to the market. VNA/VNS Photo

NGHỆ AN – These days, many renowned fish-grilling villages in central Nghệ An Province are bustling with glowing charcoal ovens, working at full capacity to produce grilled fish for the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday.

Grilled fish is a traditional dish deeply rooted in the cultural identity of people in Diễn Châu and Quỳnh Lưu districts, Hoàng Mai Town, along with Vinh city.

It is an essential delicacy during family reunions and is often given as a gift to esteemed guests during Tết and spring celebrations.

Rich in sea flavours

"One month before Tết, orders for grilled fish come in non-stop. Every day, our facility sells 500-700kg, but it is still not enough to meet demand,” said Hồ Thị Thắng, an owner of a workshop in Yên Đồng Hamlet of Diễn Vạn Commune, Diễn Châu District.

“This year, raw material prices have risen, so grilled fish prices range from VNĐ50,000 to 500,000 (US$1.9-19) per kilo," she said.

Thắng's fish-grilling facility has hired an additional five workers to speed up the process of washing, preparing, skewering, grilling and packaging fish.

From the facility owner to the workers, everyone starts early in the morning and works late into the night to fulfil customer orders.

On average, her facility supplies several tonnes of grilled fish to markets across the country during the pre-Tết season.

According to residents of Diễn Vạn Commune, this trade is sustained year-round, but Tết sees a two-to-threefold increase in consumption. As a result, most fish-grilling facilities in the commune hire additional labour and ramp up production to keep up with orders.

To ensure quality fish, facility owners get up at 3am going to Diễn Thành and Diễn Bích beaches or even further to the fishing ports in Cửa Lò and Cửa Hội (Vinh City) or Quỳnh Phương and Quỳnh Tiến (Hoàng Mai Town) to purchase fresh fish.

The fish are then cleaned, gutted and washed before being classified and air-dried for three to five hours to remove moisture prior to grilling.

The grilling setup is simple, three to five small iron rods wrapped with pandan leaves are placed between two bricks with charcoal underneath. Once lit, grilling can proceed all day.

From morning to evening, women sit by the hot charcoal stoves to grill fish. Workers earn from VNĐ200,000 to 350,000 ($79-13.7) daily, or over VNĐ6 million ($240) monthly each.

Hồ Thị Tiến, 62, from Trung Phú Hamlet, said: "Grilling fish is a tough work. It requires patience and diligence. We start at dawn and finish around 6-7pm. During the summer, outdoor temperatures sometimes reach nearly 40 degree Celsius. While the grilled fish is delicious, the work near the hot charcoal stoves is exhausting."

Not just in Diễn Vạn Commune, fish-grilling facilities in Nghi Thủy and Nghi Hải wards of Vinh City also operate round-the-clock during the year-end season.

The fragrant aroma of grilled fish spreads far and wide.

During Tết, customer demand for grilled fish doubles compared to regular days.

Currently, over 40 households in these wards specialise in grilling mackerel, producing about 250 tonnes annually.

Grilled mackerel is prepared in pieces for immediate consumption by tourists or cooled on bamboo trays before being packaged for distribution to customers in northern provinces or given as gifts to overseas Vietnamese.

Grilling fish is a hard job but brings in a good income. VNA/VNS Photo

As Tết approaches, Nguyễn Thị Lan's facility in Nghi Thủy Ward employs eight workers to handle the orders.

Each day, the facility grills over a tonne of mackerel, including fresh, non-frozen mackerel highly favoured by customers.

Lan said: "Grilled mackerel is often ordered for Tết’s special dish or as gifts, so it is grilled with extra care. Thin bamboo skewers are added to straighten and protect the fish from breaking. Then, the fish is vacuum-sealed to maintain its fragrance and ensure an attractive, easily transportable product."

Grilling fish to perfection requires experience to maintain the right heat and consistently turn the fish, Lan said.

High-quality grilled fish has a golden-brown exterior, tender white flesh inside and a rich aroma. When eaten, it offers a sweet and distinctive flavour, she added.

Aiming for a sea specialty

Lining Vạn Creek near the sea, Trung Hậu Hamlet in Diễn Vạn Commune has dozens of fish-grilling ovens on both sides of the village’s main road. Initially, only a few households bought fish, grilled them and sold them at local markets.

Grilled fish from Diễn Vạn then became available in markets throughout Nghệ An Province and later other regions nationwide.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Diễn Vạn Commune, Hoàng Thiên Long, stated that the fish-grilling trade in the commune has a long history. Thanks to unique techniques, the fish here is known for its rich, delicious coastal flavours.

Currently the commune has about 30 households and over 300 workers engaged in the profession.

This work provides stable employment and income for locals, especially during the Tết season and peak tourism periods, when production doubles and some households earn hundreds of millions of đồng, Long said.

“The local government is also planning to develop a designated fish-processing and grilling area to ensure environmental protection, improve logistics and facilitate production and transportation,” he said.

“This initiative aims to secure traditional craft village recognition and establish OCOP (One Commune, One Product) certification for the grilled fish products,” he added.

Fish-grilling villages in Nghệ An’s coastal districts, such as Diễn Châu, Quỳnh Lưu, Hoàng Mai Town, and Vinh City, have thrived providing jobs for thousands of locals, increasing incomes, and promoting regional socio-economic development.

Several localities have invested in modern infrastructure to sustainably support the fish-grilling trade. This includes creating large-scale fishery service areas where households can operate efficiently.

These facilities not only lighten labour burdens, but also improve productivity and reduce environmental pollution from charcoal smoke.

Additionally, these designated areas offer better conditions for drying, processing and packaging fish, resulting in higher-quality products and increased earnings for workers. They also serve as attractive destinations for tourists visiting Nghệ An’s beautiful beaches.

According to Nguyễn Mạnh Lợi, director of Nghệ An’s Centre for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion, the local authorities have called relevant agencies and businesses to create tourism programmes to craft villages, communities and businesses producing OCOP products so as offer tourists opportunities to explore, experience and shop for local specialties.

Local authorities also aim to connect tourism businesses with OCOP producers while promoting coastal and community tourism. These efforts contribute to building diverse and unique tourism products, he said. VNS