Red Labelled “Tĩn” 40n – A Traditional “Rin” Fish Sauce
The 300-year-old recipe of making the fish sauce is well-preserved and retrieved to produce the red labelled “Tĩn” by Lang Chai Xua (Old Fishing Village).
The conscientiousness in the process of selecting materials together with the preserved techniques performed by skilled craftsmen has successfully produced a range of precious Rin anchovy fish sauces. “Tĩn” fish sauce is highly condensed and imparts a strong favorable smell and a sweet aftertaste of pure fish protein. It is suitable to be used as dipping sauce or seasoning.
Features Of Red Labelled “Tĩn” Fish Sauce
Color: transparent, deep golden amber color, full-bodied and condensed
Taste: salty taste at first, sweet taste lingering in mouth.
Protein content: 40N
Capacity: 500 ml
Bottle material: Imported bottle glass
Phan Thiet Anchovy “Rin” Fish Sauce
Only fish-sauce craftsmen from Quang Nam to Binh Thuan in central Vietnam use the word “nuoc nam rin” to call the first-press of fish sauce.
The history of fish sauce dates back to 300 years ago in Phan Thiet fishing villages. Tran Gia Hoa (who is considered as the grandfather of fish-sauce craftsmanship in Vietnam) developed the recipes and brought Phan Thiet fish sauce to six contemporary provinces of southern Vietnam.
“Since then, the pure “tĩn” fish sauce of Phan Thiet with the unique recognition: covered with lime, labelled square with the brands of merchants are transported throughout Vietnam, from the Southern Six Provinces to the Central, even the North. The delicious fish sauce from Phan Thiet accounted for the largest market share in Vietnam at that time.
Years ago, they called this fish sauce Rin fish sauce (first-press fish sauce), also known as “Tĩn” Fish Sauce.”
The Recipe
The 300-year-old recipe is the oldest technique to produce the fish sauce in Phan Thiet. After the materials are prepared and assessed, they will be mixed with a ratio of 3:1 (3 tons of anchovies input equals 1 tons of salt input). In the next stage, the mixture will be stored in wooden barrels, fortified by large rattan cane. Fish-sauce craftsmen use strong bamboo sticks and stones on the top to restrain the inside mixture, preventing fish bodies from floating upon the surface.
The fermenting period lasts for about 12 to 14 months. When the mixture yields, the first-press collected has a strong fragrant smell as well as transparent and deep golden amber color. These first drops are termed “nuoc mam rin” or “nuoc mam nhi”.
The anchovy fish sauce using this recipe takes longer to yield, about 12 to 24 months. However, the taste is much more flavorful, the smell is stronger, less harmful substance and a higher quality is promised.
Fish Sauce Made From Fresh Silvery Anchovies
“Than” anchovies are usually distributed in the Central region and distinctively called via this name by the locals to distinguish them from typically small and white anchovies. The select “than” anchovies which were meticulously sorted and used by craftsmen from “Tĩn” fish sauce are the biggest and fattest, about 8cm long, have cylinder shape, tender flesh, big right eyes, large gill slits, and two jaws with small teeth. Also, a high protein content and balanced ratio between the intestines and fish meat of “than” anchovies optimize the protein hydrolysis process. Fish sauce made from anchovy is fragrant, less fishy, and achieves the highest protein content.
Fish Sauce Made From Purified Salt
Salt is also a decisive element in the final quality of fish sauce. If it includes unnecessary components, the final yield will have undesirable color, unpleasant smell and fishy scent remains.
Salt used in manufacturing red labelled Tin fish sauce is purified one. The salt used in the process must undergo a long drying period before fermentation so that the salt is completely dehydrated, and all of the undesirable elements will be left out.
A Product Of Lang Chai Xua Fish Sauce Museum
Lang Chai Xua Fish Sauce Museum is a meaningful project to enhance the cultural and historical values of Vietnamese people. The museum retrieved and preserved the 300-year-old recipe of old fishing villagers to produce the best quality fish sauce.
The museum preserved not only historical values of the fish-sauce manufacturing industry in Phan Thiet, but also other historical values related to the development of the province during the time. This is also the first and the only fish-sauce museum in Vietnam.
Instructions For Use
Red labelled “Tĩn” fish sauce can be used in dipping, seasoning, marinating, cooking to deliver exquisite meals.
