Grilled fish in Pác Ngòi – a rustic flavor by Ba Bể Lake

Speaking of Ba Bể cuisine, alongside sausages, sticky rice, wild vegetables, or hill chicken, visitors should not miss the grilled fish of Pác Ngòi – a rustic dish that carries the rich flavors of the mountains and rivers of Bắc Kạn. This is a familiar specialty of the Tày ethnic group living by the lake, loved by many tourists when they have the chance to visit this peaceful village.

Pác Ngòi Village – a place that preserves the flavors of Tày cuisine

Pác Ngòi Village is located in Nam Mẫu commune, Ba Bể district, Bắc Kạn province, by the shores of Ba Bể Lake. This is one of the most famous community tourism villages in the area, where the Tày ethnic group has lived for a long time in traditional stilt houses.

Not only is it attractive due to its picturesque landscape, but Pác Ngòi also leaves a lasting impression with its rich local cuisine. The dishes here are often made from ingredients readily available in nature such as lake fish, wild vegetables, bamboo shoots, local pork, glutinous rice, and various mountain spices. Among them, grilled fish from Pác Ngòi is a typical dish that clearly reflects the skill, meticulousness, and sophistication of the local people.

What makes Pác Ngòi grilled fish special?

The unique flavor of Pác Ngòi grilled fish lies in its ingredients. The fish is caught directly from the depths of Ba Bể Lake – a natural freshwater lake famous for its rich aquatic resources. The type of fish commonly used for grilling is the mương fish, which is small, slender, and only slightly larger than two fingers.

Although the fish is not large, its flesh is firm, sweet, and fragrant. Thanks to growing in the natural water environment of Ba Bể Lake, the mương fish has a sweet, mild flavor, without a strong fishy smell. When prepared correctly, the dish retains the original delicious taste of the fish, blending with the aroma of local spices and the smell of charcoal.

How to prepare Pác Ngòi grilled fish

To make a delicious grilled fish dish, the people of Pác Ngòi must go through several quite elaborate steps. After being caught, the fish is carefully selected, prioritizing fresh, uniform, and firm fish. Then, the fish is gutted, cleaned, and steamed just until cooked.

The steaming process helps the fish's flesh become firmer, retain its sweetness, and not fall apart when drying, marinating, or grilling. After steaming, the fish is skewered onto small bamboo sticks, with each skewer usually containing about 4 – 6 fish. These fish skewers are then dried in the sun several times to make the fish drier, firmer, and enhance its natural aroma.

When the fish reaches the right level of dryness, the locals begin to marinate it with spices. The spices used for the grilled fish dish usually include salt, turmeric, wild pepper, chili, and some other local spices. The fish is marinated for enough time for the spices to penetrate evenly into each piece of flesh, and only then is it grilled over charcoal.

The grilling fire must be kept moderate, not too high so that the fish does not burn on the outside while the inside remains uncooked. When grilling, the cook must turn the fish evenly so that each skewer of fish becomes golden, lightly crispy, and releases an enticing aroma.

The unforgettable flavor of Pác Ngòi grilled fish

Pác Ngòi grilled fish is appealing right from its aroma. When the fish is placed on the hot coals, the scent of lake fish mingles with turmeric, wild pepper, chili, and the faint smell of bamboo, creating a very distinctive feeling of mountain cuisine.

When eaten, the fish has a slightly crispy outer layer, while the inside still retains its natural sweetness. The flavor of the fish is rich, lightly fragrant with turmeric, spicy from the chili and wild pepper, and the more you chew, the more you can feel the sweet and nutty taste. This dish is often dipped in chili fish sauce or mixed salt with mắc khén, enhancing its flavor and giving it a strong mountain essence.

Grilled fish can be enjoyed as a snack, with white rice, sticky rice, or served as a side dish in a stilt house meal. No matter how it is enjoyed, the dish still brings a feeling of closeness, simplicity, and uniqueness of the Ba Bể lake area.

A dish connected to community tourism experiences

When visiting Pác Ngòi, tourists not only get to eat grilled fish but can also see firsthand how the locals prepare the dish. From selecting the fish, cleaning it, skewering it, drying it in the sun to grilling it over charcoal, each step reflects the care and long-standing experience of the Tày people.

In the cozy stilt house space, after a day of boating on Ba Bể Lake, visiting Bà Góa Island, An Mạ Temple, Tiên Pond, or Puông Cave, sitting beside a local meal and enjoying hot grilled fish is a very memorable experience. The dish is not only delicious because of its flavor but also because of the feeling of immersing oneself in local life, listening to the stories of the locals, and experiencing the hospitality of the Ba Bể land.

Why should you try Pác Ngòi grilled fish?

Pác Ngòi grilled fish is a simple dish but contains many unique features of local cuisine. The ingredients come from Ba Bể Lake, the preparation method bears the imprint of the Tày people, and the spices are inspired by the mountains and forests, all creating a dish that is both rustic and unforgettable.

If you have the chance to travel to Ba Bể Lake, stay in a homestay in Pác Ngòi village or the lakeside villages, you should try the grilled fish at least once. It is not just a specialty dish, but also the flavor of the lake water, of the charcoal stove, of the sun and wind, and of the simple life in the lakeside villages of Ba Bể.