The flow of people returns to this place, going by boat to worship Buddha, praying for peace at Chua Thac Bo Temple, Thung Nai commune.
That journey is not only a journey between picturesque mountains and rivers, but also a journey of taste, of memories. The smell of grilled fish from the Da River mixed with coal smoke has become an indispensable part of the spring in the lake area.
Following the waves to the festival region
From Bich Ha port, Tan Hoa ward (Phu Tho), boats follow each other to Thac Bo Temple. The sound of engines is steady, people calling each other, waves gently hitting the side of boats create a bustling rhythm at the beginning of the year. The lake opens vast, limestone mountains reflecting on the blue water, spring clouds slowly drifting like thin silk ribbons. That's why people say that Hoa Binh lake these days is as beautiful as a watercolor painting.
After offering incense at the temple gate, praying for a peaceful new year, many tourists walk to the red-hot charcoal stoves right next to the boat wharf. In the space, there is still a faint scent of agarwood, the smell of grilled fish emanating fragrant and warm. That is the scent of rivers and water, fresh bamboo, coal smoke and a rustic profession that has supported many families along the lake for generations.
The Da River has long been famous for its abundant aquatic resources. Hemibagrus, bamboo fish, catfish, catfish... live in a flowing water environment, eat plankton and natural organisms, so their meat is firm, sweet and characteristicly fragrant. People along the lake understand each water season, each stream of fish. For them, fish is not only a daily food but also a gift of the river, a culinary culture associated with community life.
Keeping the fire" by the river
From the need to preserve fish for gradual use, local people came up with a way to smoke, sun-dry, and then grill on charcoal. The method seems simple but requires sophistication. The fish must be really fresh, just caught and still silvery. After cleaning, the fish is rubbed with salt grains, sandwiched between two fresh, thinly split bamboo sticks. Wild bamboo is carefully selected, both flexible and fragrant, so that when grilled, the bamboo flavor blends into the meat fibers, keeping the fish dry while still retaining its sweetness.
The fish griller does not stand still in one place. They always turn the fish, fan the charcoal, and watch the fire. The fire must be just red enough, not too big to avoid scorching, and not too small so that the fish is not tough. The sound of fish fat sizzling onto the charcoal, thin smoke rising in the spring breeze. Just passing by, diners can hardly resist and stop.
When the fish is cooked, the outer skin shines with an eye-catching golden brown color. The seller skillfully removes the fish from the bamboo clamp, tears it into bite-sized pieces, and places it on a green banana leaf. The Da River grilled fish dish does not have fussy dipping sauce, just a little chili salt, or salt of doi seeds, mắc khén is enough to "flavor". Served with a few slices of figs, piper lolot leaves or doi water leaves, the sweetness of the fish blends with the mild spiciness at the tip of the tongue, leaving a rustic and deep aftertaste.
By the red-hot charcoal stove, Ms. Ngoc Anh, a grilled fish seller in the area at the foot of Chua Thac Bo Temple, quickly turns each fish clamp. She shared: "The festival season is the most crowded time of the year. The work is busy but very fun, because it both increases income and meets visitors from all over the world. There are customers who come back every year, and every time they come to the wharf, they find the right familiar place to buy grilled fish.
Some tourists choose to sit right next to the charcoal stove, while waiting for the fish to cook and chatting with local people. They ask about the fish season, about the lake water rising and falling, about the annual festivals. In those simple stories, the distance between strangers and acquaintances seems to be blurred. Grilled fish, therefore, is not only a dish but also a bridge connecting.
Mr. Nguyen Van Quyen, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: "Every year I come here to worship Buddha at the beginning of spring. Boating in the middle of the lake is already relaxing, but you have to eat a piece of grilled fish to see the journey is complete. The fish taste is very different from farmed fish in the lowlands, fragrant and naturally sweet.
In recent years, along with the development of spiritual and ecological tourism in the lake, grilled fish of the Da River has become a culinary "brand" associated with the journey to Chua Thac Bo Temple. For people living along the lake, the festival season is also a busy business season, when red-hot charcoal stoves bring income and preserve traditional crafts.
Grilled fish on the Da River is therefore not only a snack after the temple pilgrimage journey, but also a part of the soul of the lake region. In the thin smoke rising from the charcoal stove, there is also the livelihood of the people, the sweetness of the river and the wish for peace at the beginning of the year of the festival pilgrims. Grilled fish by the river makes the trip not only a Buddhist ceremony. But also a meeting with nature, with people and with a culinary culture that has persistently followed the river through many flood seasons.
