Nhech Fish Salad: Enjoying Ninh Binh's Most Famous Specialty

Right from the name, we know immediately that nhech fish is the "main character". This is a special fish species that can live in saltwater, brackish water, and freshwater environments, often found in lagoons and coastal estuaries, especially in Kim Son (Ninh Binh) and Nga Son (Thanh Hoa).

• Characteristics: Nhech fish belongs to the eel family, with a slippery, aggressive appearance, very strong and resilient, and large size (small ones weigh about 300 - 400 grams, while large ones can weigh a whole kilogram and reach 40cm – 70cm in length).
• Value: Because it only "resides" in clean habitats, Nhech fish meat is very clean, rich in protein, highly nutritious, and extremely suitable for making raw fish salad. The difficult harvesting process also makes the price of Nhech fish relatively high.

In summary, Nhech fish — a special species that lives only in clean and nutrient-rich environments — is the precious soul behind Ninh Binh's finest fresh salad.

Nhech fish salad is a dish that requires absolute meticulousness and effort from the chef. The distinction of Ninh Binh Nhech Fish Salad lies in its unique preparation secret, which keeps the raw fish meat fresh while completely eliminating any fishy taste.

Preparation

• Cleaning the slime: After being caught, Nhech fish must be cleaned of slime using diluted limewater, bamboo leaves, or kitchen ash water, then skinned using a warm cloth. This is a crucial step to eliminate fishy odors and impurities.
• Deboning: The chef cuts open the fish along the spine and skillfully removes the bones so that the fish meat is not crushed and no small bones remain.
• Slicing the meat: The fresh, pale pink fish meat is dried with towels/paper and sliced into thin, bite-sized pieces.

Processing

• Fish meat: The sliced fish meat is mixed with finely ground roasted sticky rice powder (adding a nutty, aromatic flavor) or mixed separately with spices, ground galangal, and thinly sliced lemongrass to retain its natural sweetness and freshness.
• Fish skin: The fish skin is fully utilized by deep-frying until crispy to roll with the salad, creating a fun, crunchy texture.
• Cheo – The soul of the dish: The highlight that distinguishes Ninh Binh Nhech fish salad is the signature dipping sauce called Cheo (or Giam Nau).
  • Cheo ingredients: Cheo is cooked from finely ground Nhech fish bones (sometimes with pork belly, fermented rice batch, chicken eggs) along with seasonings like fish sauce, garlic, chili, fresh ginger, and pepper.
  • Characteristics: Cheo must have a thick, viscous texture, a natural deep yellow or red-orange color, a rich taste, and a distinctive aroma. This thickness ensures that when poured over the salad roll, the Cheo sauce does not spill onto your hands, keeping the flavor intact.

It is the meticulous preparation, skillful cooking techniques, and especially the secret to making thick Cheo sauce that create the unique, fresh taste of Ninh Binh Nhech fish salad without any fishy flavor.

Enjoying Nhech fish salad is not just eating, but an art form. Diners often use fig leaves or thin rice paper/wrappers as a "wrapper", placing the seasoned fish meat, crispy fried skin, and fresh herbs in the middle, rolling tightly, and dipping into a bowl of Cheo sauce. 

• Use fig leaves, guava leaves, or rice wrappers as the outer wrap.
• Layer a variety of aromatic herbs on top, including: Premna leaves, sawtooth coriander, fever vine leaves, pennywort, Polyscias fruticosa leaves, Thai basil, mint...
• Roll the leaves into a funnel shape.
• Stuff the rice-powder-mixed fish salad into the center, then pour the thick Cheo sauce on top. Finally, quickly sprinkle fried shallots, chili, and shredded galangal root before enjoying it before the Cheo drips down your hands.

To elevate the flavor even further, locals often enjoy Nhech Fish Salad with a splash of spicy, warm Kim Son sticky rice wine. This is not just a dish, but a complete experience of Ninh Binh's culinary culture.

Note: This dish should be eaten fresh and not left for long to avoid losing its crispness. If you are trying it for the first time, start with a small portion to get used to the taste.

If you want to try the specialty Nhech fish salad in Ninh Binh, visit the following addresses:

• Vu Bao Restaurant: 86 Luong Van Tuy Extended Street, Tan Thinh Ward, Ninh Binh
• Vu Bao Tam Diep Restaurant: Lakeside, Yen Thang, Ninh Binh
• Tinh Goi Restaurant: 248 Ngo Gia Tu, Van Gia, Ninh Binh
• Goi Nhech Eatery: 35 Ngo Gia Tu, Nam Binh, Ninh Binh
• Eateries in Kim Son district: The origin of the dish, such as riverside spots or local markets.

The price for a portion of fish salad usually ranges from 150,000 to 300,000 VND, depending on the size.

Enjoying Nhech fish salad, visitors not only taste its characteristic flavors — spicy, sour, rich, and aromatic delicately blended together — but also vividly feel the unique culinary culture of the coastal region of Kim Son, Ninh Binh. The dish is delicious not only because of fresh ingredients but also thanks to the generations-old cooking expertise of the locals. And to make it even more complete, enjoying Nhech fish salad cannot be without Kim Son wine — a traditional sticky rice wine, crystal clear, strongly aromatic, becoming warmer as you drink. The pungency of the wine combined with the distinctive flavor of the salad creates a harmonious and deeply regional culinary experience.