The whole setup
This is a famous fish dish from Cha Ca La Vong restaurant in Hanoi. It is the only dish they serve although serve is used rather loosely here since the patrons end up doing the cooking. I must admit, this fish was extremely tasty–my best meal in Vietnam. A simple mix of fish with dill and chives in there special broth. A few more accompaniments and you have a nice bowl of food. Here’s the kicker: an essence extracted from the ca cuong beetle is the supposed secret ingredient. Apparently this essence is in such high regard that it is worth it’s weight in gold. Many say it smells like perfume and a few drops are added to Vietnamese fish sauce to remove some of the fishiness. Way more info on this can be found here.
Cooking away...
A tasty serving
