Hanoi Turmeric Fish with Dill
This cha ca la vong recipe marinates catfish in turmeric and galangal, fries it golden, then finishes it in the pan with fresh dill and spring onions. The fish is piled over rice vermicelli with peanuts, herbs and a spoonful of shrimp paste. One serving is about 370 g.
Cha ca la vong was created in Hanoi in the 1870s by the Doan family, who served turmeric fish to the patriotic scholar De Tham and his supporters at their house on Cha Ca street — La Vong was the family's name for the dish, after the legendary fisherman La Vong. The family's restaurant, Cha Ca La Vong, still stands on the same street, and the dish has become Hanoi's most famous fish recipe, always served with dill, spring onion, noodles and shrimp paste.
Pairs well with: Rice vermicelli, roasted peanuts and shrimp paste dipping sauce
Provenance
Vietnam
Hanoi Heritage
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
45m
30m prep • 15m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
524 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 370 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Intermediate (Pan-Fry)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Hanoi Heritage
Photo: Phương Huy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)
A good cha ca la vong is judged by the dill: it should be a mountain of fresh herbs, not a garnish.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Marinate the Fish
30 Mins • Marinating
Mix the turmeric, galangal, garlic, fish sauce, pepper and sugar into a paste and coat the fish chunks thoroughly. Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes while you chop the dill and spring onions into 5 cm lengths and whisk the shrimp paste with lime juice.
Maestro Tip: Turmeric stains everything — wear gloves or wash your hands and board straight away.
8 Mins Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Boil the rice vermicelli according to the packet, usually 3–4 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water so the strands stay separate.
Rinsing stops the cooking and keeps the noodles from clumping into one lump.
Done when: Noodles are tender, separate and cool enough to handle.
8 Mins Medium-high heat, 190°C (375°F)
Heat the oil in a large pan until it shimmers. Fry the fish chunks in a single layer for 3–4 minutes a side until deep golden and the fish flakes easily and reaches 63°C (145°F) inside.
Do not crowd the pan — crowded fish steams instead of browning. Fry in two batches if needed.
Done when: Fish is deep golden outside and flakes cleanly inside.
3 Mins Medium-high heat, 190°C (375°F)
Push the fish to one side, add the dill and spring onions to the hot pan and toss for 1–2 minutes until just wilted and bright green.
The herbs should wilt, not fry to a crisp — pull the pan off the heat the moment they soften.
Done when: Dill and spring onions are bright green and just softened, still fragrant.
3 Mins No heat — serve at once, 65°C (150°F) or hotter
Divide the noodles between bowls, pile the fish and wilted herbs on top, and scatter with peanuts, coriander, mint and chilli.
Serve the shrimp paste on the side so each person can add as much — or as little — as they like.
Done when: Bowls are colourful: gold fish, green herbs, white noodles.
1 Min No heat — serve at once, 65°C (150°F) or hotter
Squeeze lime over the bowl and add a spoonful of the whisked shrimp paste, then toss everything together before eating.
Mixing at the table is part of the dish — the noodles pick up the turmeric oil and the sharp shrimp paste as you toss.
Done when: Every bite has fish, noodle, herb and a little sharp shrimp paste.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Cha ca la vong is eaten the moment it leaves the pan, while the fish is crisp at the edges and the dill is still bright. This cha ca la vong recipe is a Hanoi classic — do not skimp on the dill, it is the point of the dish.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
524
kcal / serving
Protein
31g
Complete AA
Carbs
52g
Complex
Fats
20g
Healthy
| Energy | 524 kcal |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fibre | 3.4 g |
| Sugar | 2.8 g |
| Sodium | 692 mg |
| Energy | 142 kcal |
| Protein | 8.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13.9 g |
| Fat | 5.4 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Sugar | 0.8 g |
| Sodium | 187 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12 and selenium (catfish), vitamin K and folate (dill), vitamin C (spring onion, chilli), niacin (peanuts).
High in Protein
Catfish gives about 31 g of protein per serving, which makes this a genuinely filling dinner built around lean fish.
A Mountain of Fresh Herbs
Dill, spring onion, mint and coriander are not a garnish here — a full 100 g of dill per batch adds folate, vitamin K and real freshness.
Turmeric and Galangal
Turmeric and galangal give the dish its colour and warmth, and the fresh herbs and lime add vitamin C to the meal.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Rice Vermicelli
The soft, neutral noodles soak up the turmeric oil and carry the fish, herbs and shrimp paste in every bite.
Vegetables
Extra Herbs and Pickled Carrot
More fresh herbs and something pickled on the side cut the richness of the fried fish and refresh the palate.
Drinks
Iced Green Tea or Light Beer
Something cold and unsweetened balances the fried fish and the sharp shrimp paste; in Hanoi this dish is famously eaten with beer.
Full Menus
As Part of a Hanoi Meal
Serve it after a light soup with a shared plate of herbs — the fish is rich, so the rest of the meal should stay fresh and simple.
Complete menu
Start with a light soup, serve the fish and noodles as the centrepiece with herbs and shrimp paste on the side, and finish with iced green tea.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Too Much Shrimp Paste at Once
Shrimp paste is very salty and very pungent; start with a teaspoon and add more to taste. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Reheating Fried Fish in the Microwave
Microwaving makes the fish rubbery and the dill limp; reheat gently in a hot pan instead, and eat the herbs fresh.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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Comfort & Sustained Energy
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WARNING: This dish is made from raw duck blood and eating it is NOT recommended. Raw blood can carry Streptococcus suis (which causes meningitis and sepsis — people in Vietnam have died after eating pig-blood tiet canh), avian influenza from duck blood, salmonella and other dangerous germs. Vietnam's Ministry of Health advises against eating tiet canh, and no preparation method — not even blood from a fresh or trusted source — makes raw blood fully safe. This page describes the traditional Hanoi preparation, tiết canh vịt, for cultural knowledge only. One serving is about 241 g: a small bowl of fresh duck blood mixed with fish sauce, poured over finely chopped cooked duck meat and left to set into a soft, trembling jelly, then finished with crushed roasted peanuts, fresh herbs, lime and chili, and served cold.
Cultural Discovery
A traditional northern Vietnamese snack of raw duck blood set into a soft jelly with cooked duck meat, herbs and peanuts — described here for cultural knowledge, with a serious safety warning.
