Cha ca La Vong is a Hanoi grilled fish dish: turmeric-marinated Hemibagrus catfish served in a hot pan with dill and spring onions, eaten with noodles and shrimp paste.

In the 19th century the Doan family of the Old Quarter grilled fish for their neighbours, and the community helped them open an eatery on Hang Son Street in 1871. It was nicknamed Cha Ca La Vong after a statue inside, and the street was later renamed Cha Ca. Michelin gives Cha Ca Thang Long a Bib Gourmand; it has three branches on one street, and its cha ca is Hemibagrus catfish seasoned with turmeric and cooked in a hot pot with spring onions and herbs.

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Make it at home

Serves Serves 245 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g catfish or hemibagrus fillet, cubed
  • 2 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tbsp galangal, grated
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 large bunches fresh dill
  • 4 spring onions
  • 1 tbsp shrimp paste (mam tom)
  • 200g rice vermicelli
  • Crushed roasted peanuts
  • Fresh chilli and lime

Method

  1. Marinate the fish in turmeric, galangal, fish sauce and yogurt for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy pan or wok over high heat.
  3. Pan-fry the marinated fish for 3-4 minutes until just cooked, golden and aromatic.
  4. Reduce heat. Add the dill (snipped into 3 cm lengths) and spring onions, tossing until just wilted.
  5. Mix the mam tom with lime juice and sugar at the table to make a dip.
  6. Serve over rice vermicelli with peanuts, fresh chilli and the mam tom dip on the side.

Editor tip. Hemibagrus is traditional but catfish is fine. Don't overcook the dill: 30 seconds of wilting is enough.

Common allergens: Fish, Shrimp (mam tom), Peanut.