#84 in Vietnam
Chả Cá Lã Vọng: Basic Information
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Chả Cá Lã Vọng: Origin and Region
Origin
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Chả Cá Lã Vọng: Ingredients and Preparation
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Chả Cá Lã Vọng: A Deep Dive
Cultural Significance
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Accompaniment
- Starchy Foods: Rice vermicelli rice noodles and grilled rice crackers
- Herbs: Coriander, Thai basil, etc.
- Dipping Sauces: Sauces made from shrimp paste (most commonly) or fish sauce, chili peppers, lime juice, rice wine, etc.
- Beverages: Wine and beer
- Others: Roasted peanuts and pickled shallots or onions
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Popular Similar Dishes
- Bún Chả Cá
- Bún Cá
Popular Dining Area
Chả cá Lã Vọng is a Vietnamese grilled fish dish originating in Hanoi. It was created by a local family whose restaurant is still one of the most famous eateries in Hanoi.
Over time, chả cá Lã Vọng has become popular and inspired many copycat recipes throughout Vietnam and even abroad.
The main ingredient of chả cá Lã Vọng is cá lăng (Hemibagrus), a genus of catfish widespread in Southeast Asia.
People prepare chả cá Lã Vọng by cutting the fish into pieces and marinating them in a mixture of turmeric, shrimp paste, lesser galangal, and other spices. The marinated fish is then grilled over charcoal.
The final step of making this Hanoi delicacy is to pan-fry the grilled fish in lard with dill just before serving. Chả cá Lã Vọng is usually enjoyed with rice vermicelli, grilled rice crackers, scallions, and fresh vegetables.
This grilled fish dish can also be paired with a dipping sauce made from fish sauce or shrimp paste.
Do you know how chả cá Lã Vọng got its name? I will tell you about that fact as well as the history of this dish.
Next, I will delve into the advantages and disadvantages of the grilled fish specialty before covering commonly asked questions and similar dishes.
Key Points
Chả Cá Lã Vọng Images
What Is the History of Chả Cá Lã Vọng?
Chả cá Lã Vọng was created in 1871 by the Đoàn family, who were supporters of a resistance movement against French occupation. The household’s mistress served the turmeric-grilled fish to the movement members, and they loved it so much that the dish became part of regular meals.
Eventually, the Đoàn family opened an eatery specializing in grilled fish and achieved great success. The authorities even changed the name of the street on which the restaurant was located into Cha Ca (literally “grilled fishcake”) Street in its honor.
The name “chả cá Lã Vọng” appeared in the early 20th century when the restaurant added a statuette of Lu Wang (the title of Jiang Ziya, a famous Chinese strategist) to the decor. The patrons soon took to calling the restaurant after Lu Wang, which was pronounced “Lã Vọng” in Vietnamese.
While the Đoàn family only passes down the secret recipe of chả cá Lã Vọng to the eldest son, many people eventually came up with their own versions of the dish. Today, you can enjoy chả cá Lã Vọng in many regions of Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City.
Besides the interesting history, chả cá Lã Vọng has many other positive attributes. Read on to discover these traits and possible shortcomings of the grilled fish specialty!
Pros and Cons of Eating Chả Cá Lã Vọng
Chả cá Lã Vọng comes with the following upsides and downsides.
Pros
Cons
After learning about those pros and cons, you can explore other aspects of chả cá Lã Vọng in the FAQs section below.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng FAQs
Similar Dishes of Chả Cá Lã Vọng
Bún Chả Cá
Bún chả cá is a noodle soup of Vietnam from the Central region, with fish cakes being the main focus, along with vermicelli noodles and a clear broth base.
Bún Cá
Bún cá is a fish soup noodle dish with fried pieces of fish on top and a flavorful broth that covers thin rice noodles.
Truc Tran (Kris)
Senior Food Editor
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Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert
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Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.