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Vietnamese

Chả Cá Lã Vọng (Hanoi Turmeric Fish with Dill)

A Hanoi-style turmeric fish dish with dill, spring onion greens, rice vermicelli, herbs, and crushed peanuts.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Chả Cá Lã Vọng (Hanoi Turmeric Fish with Dill)

55 mintotal

35 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Includes 20 minutes of fish marination time.

Method

  1. Marinate the white fish with turmeric powder, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, black pepper, and a little salt.

  2. Heat oil in a wide pan and sear the marinated fish gently until just cooked and lightly browned.

  3. Add dill leaves and spring onion greens, then toss carefully so the herbs wilt without breaking the fish too much.

  4. Place cooked rice vermicelli in serving bowls and top with the turmeric fish mixture.

  5. Finish with crushed groundnuts, mint, coriander, and lemon wedges.

  6. Serve immediately while the fish is warm and the herbs are fragrant.

How to tell it's done

The fish should be moist and flaky, with wilted dill and spring onion greens clinging to the pieces.

Getting it right

Tip

Cook the fish in a single layer and turn it gently; overmixing will break the pieces.

What to serve it with

Serve with rice vermicelli, extra herbs, crushed peanuts, and lemon on the side.

Common mistakes

The fish breaks into shreds in the pan.
Sear it undisturbed and turn it once, then fold the herbs in at the very end with a light hand. Chả cá should arrive in recognisable pieces, and white fish gives up its structure the moment you stir it about.
The dill tastes cooked and dull.
It goes in for seconds, not minutes — long enough to wilt and no longer. Dill is the point of this dish rather than a background note, and heat flattens it quickly.

Substitutions

  • Use Boneless Fish Fillets if White Fish pieces are unavailable.
  • Use Spring Onion Greens generously; they are part of the dish’s flavor and texture.
  • Omit Groundnuts for a peanut-free version; the dish will have less crunch and nuttiness.
  • Fish Sauce contains fish and is part of the marinade; replacing it changes the dish profile.

Storing and reheating

Best eaten straight away. The marinated raw fish keeps a day in the fridge and the flavour deepens, which is the useful thing to do ahead. Cooked leftovers keep a day but the dill goes limp and the vermicelli stiffens.