The type of fish that used to be cheap, is now a famous specialty that is aggressively hunted by restaurants, 150,000 VND/kg

Cao Bang is famous for a series of scenic spots that attract the attention of Vietnamese tourists. In addition, this place also has natural mountain specialties that are nowhere to be found, including the fish with the name that reads and bends the tongue – Pja Man.

This is a type of stream fish only as big as a finger, with some as small as a little finger, some as big as two fingers. They live mainly in flowing water in streams and small rivers and mainly eat algae. Therefore, the meat of Pja Man is very fleshy and sweet.

This is a type of stream fish only as big as a finger, with some as small as a little finger, some as big as two fingers.

Quynh Tho (29 years old, Cao Bang) said: “Pja Man is no longer strange to people in the mountainous areas in her hometown. Because they have existed since ancient times with a large number, they just need to go to the forest to find small streams to catch and have a full basket to bring home to eat. But as society developed, this fish suddenly became less. Moreover, tourists know more, so it has become a famous specialty indispensable in the menus of houses and hotels.

However, visitors want to eat this fish is not easy, must book in advance. Because Pja Man is scarce, people have to collect it from people in the villages and bring it back for processing at a rather expensive price, 150,000 VND/kg, even if they don’t buy it.

Pja Man stream fish is often processed into many dishes, the most popular ones are deep-fried, braised and grilled. Accordingly, the fish is cleaned by pecking to remove the bile and intestines, washed, drained, and then put in a pan of hot fat to deep-fry.

“Pja Man stream fish is fried with rich aroma, crispy bones will surely make visitors fall in love with death from the first time enjoying. This dish can be dipped with chili garlic fish sauce or soy sauce, soy sauce, depending on each person’s taste,” Quynh Tho said.

The fish is cleaned by pecking to remove the bile and intestines, washed, drained, and then put in a pan of hot fat to deep-fry.

In addition to being processed in a deep-fried way, Pja Man Kho is also quite attractive. Pja Man fish is cleaned, fried briefly, then put in an earthen pot, add soy sauce, add a little galangal with a little pepper powder, a little water and spices with sugar, salt, seasoning powder.. Then put the pot on the stove to simmer, until the water is dry.

Eating a piece of braised stream fish, feeling the fat, mixed in the rich taste of soy sauce, the aroma and sweetness of spices will make diners who have eaten once will remember forever.

Pja Man stream fish can also be grilled by clamping it on a stick and then grilled to a crispy golden color over embers, the fish cooked with sour bamboo shoots is both cool and refreshing.

“Each dish made from Pja Man stream fish has a different taste, but they are all delicious gifts from the mountains and forests for diners when visiting Cao Bang land,” the woman said.