At low tide, people in coastal communes of Hau Loc district (Thanh Hoa) invite each other to the mangrove forest to “hunt” the Kheu, a specialty in the estuary here.
Mud bath “hunting” is the specialty of the mangrove forest
In the past few days, taking advantage of low tide, Ms. Nguyen Thi Gai (50 years old, Yen Loc village, Da Loc commune, Hau Loc district, Thanh Hoa) has been busy with her job “hunting” monkeys along the flooded forest. salty.
According to her, in the past, people mainly went to catch Kheu to cook soup. In recent years, because it is loved by many diners inside and outside the province, it has gradually become a specialty. “Hunting” Kheu has also become a profession to help people earn a good income.
Khuu is a special way of calling the people of the sea here, it has a shape quite similar to a crab and a fish. They usually live along the mangroves and appear only at low tide. The autumn season usually starts from January to September of the lunar calendar.
Unlike the crab, this crustacean moves very quickly (like a fish). When detecting movement, they often run straight to the cave to hide. Therefore, the “hunters” often go along the mangrove swamps to catch fish from the cave. Few men use fishing rods to fish.
“Walking through the mangroves to catch the hooker is very hard. The cave is hiding in the 40-50cm deep mud, there are many burrows that are connected together. Therefore, when looking into the cave, you have to be quick and easy. correctly, otherwise, they will run to another cave,” shared Nguyen Thi Gai.
On average, a person can catch 6-8 kg/day. With the selling price of 40,000-50,000 VND/kg, they earn an income of 250,000-400,000 VND/day. This year, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the selling price also decreased to 25,000-30,000 VND/kg.
Also one of the long-term hunters, according to Ms. Bui Thi Hong (46 years old, Da Loc commune), this job has a source of income, but most of it is done by women and the elderly.
“Hunting Khuu doesn’t take much effort, but it takes hard work because we have to wade through the mud for a long time. One day we went all over the coastal communes, wading from 6-12 o’clock before taking a break. If young people were like now, no one would want to work. This is all,” said Ms. Bui Thi Hong.
According to her, walking in the mud is not only difficult but also potentially risky: “Although we wore two layers of socks for protection, it happened that oysters cut our feet or stepped on pieces of glass. like a meal”.
From time immemorial, the hawk has become very familiar to the people of the Hau Loc district. The processing of Khufu is also kept as a special dish by the people here.
“The processing of khaki is identical to that of crabs. Usually, many people often use it to cook sour leaf soup or steam it. With its aromatic, sweet and cool taste, Kheu soup is a rustic dish that every child in the sea where they live. I can’t forget it when I’m away from home,” said Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hien, Hai Loc commune, Hau Loc district.
Some photos of Dan Tri reporter recording the hunting of the people along the coast of Hau Loc, Thanh Hoa:
