Flying fish roe is commonly used to make gỏi (Vietnamese sweet and sour salad) in central Vietnam, but the Quang Nam version stands out with its unique blend of fragrant herbs.

Once a humble coastal dish, gỏi trứng cá chuồn (flying fish roe salad) has now become a sought-after specialty for visitors to the central province.

Locals do not need to visit fancy restaurants to enjoy this dish, as they can prepare it at home, with fresh flying fish roe available at seafood markets for around VND500,000 (US$19.65) per kilogram. 

With the arrival of summer, the flying fish season begins, bringing an abundance of fresh and affordable fish to coastal markets.

Local mothers eagerly buy the fish to braise it with young jackfruit or turmeric, grill, pan-fry, or cook it in sweet and sour soup.

Flying fish meat is firm and flavorful, but its most prized part is its roe, the key ingredient for the famed flying fish roe salad.

Processing the roe

Nguyen Van Nam, a 65-year-old fisherman from Tam Hai Commune, Nui Thanh District, Quang Nam Province, recalls when he joined offshore fishing trips to find flying fish. 

During the summer, flying fish swarmed the sea, skimming the water’s surface like dragonflies.

To collect their catch, fishermen towed bundles of date palm leaves on their boats, creating an ideal spawning ground.

Once the roe was laid, they began the meticulous harvest process. It had to be dried carefully as over-drying could make it lose its sweetness, chewiness, and crispy texture.

Additionally, while processing flying fish for drying, he would set aside the roe to dry as well. 

To harvest one kilogram of dried flying fish roe required processing hundreds of fish. 

Preparing the perfect flying fish roe salad

In the past, flying fish roe salad was a staple during ancestral offerings or summer feasts, served alongside crispy rice paper from Tuy Loan Craft Village in neighboring Da Nang and paired with a sip of fragrant rice wine.

Today, however, this dish is rarely seen at traditional gatherings or celebratory banquets due to the meticulous preparation required. 

The first step in making flying fish roe salad is soaking dried roe in clean water for about two hours. 

Once softened, the roe is cleaned, boiled with fresh ginger for added fragrance, and drained.

Other ingredients include sliced boiled pork belly, steamed shrimp, roasted peanuts, and shredded or chopped carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, pineapples, and chilies.

Fragrant herbs like rice paddy herb, spearmint, and coriander are washed and chopped, while chilies are sliced and limes are halved for seasoning.

To assemble the salad, all the prepared ingredients of roe, pork belly, shrimp, and vegetables are mixed in a bowl. 

A dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili is drizzled over the mixture, ensuring everything is well-coated. 

A final touch of MSG, sugar, ground pepper, and aromatic herbs enhances the flavors.

The salad is then plated and topped with crushed peanuts.

For those who enjoy a richer taste, adding sauteed chive bulbs can enrich the plate.

Flying fish roe salad is best enjoyed with crispy grilled rice paper, offering a combination of savory, nutty, rich, and crunchy textures.

Every bite bursts with the richness of roe, the sweetness of shrimp, the fattiness of pork, the freshness of herbs, the crunch of rice paper, and the bold umami of fish sauce.

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