Cha Ca Va Long (Vietnamese Turmeric Fish)

Cha ca va long, or Vietnamese turmeric fish with dill, is a breeze to make and a delight to the tastebuds. Marinate, pan-fry, and savor the aromatic delight with noodles and herbs!

✅  Why Make This Recipe

Herbal and flavorful – This dish has a fresh and earthy flavor from the dill and turmeric mixed together. Using fresh ingredients, you can easily make a dish with a beautiful flavor profile that is authentically Vietnamese.

Simple and easy to make – This recipe is super easy to put together, only taking about 10-15 minutes of your time. It’s a great dish to whip together when you want a great meal with minimal effort.

Low in fats and calories – Given that this dish is naturally made from lean proteins and light seasonings, it’s great Healthy Vietnamese dish to enjoy while staying on track with your fitness goals.

💭 What is Cha Ca?

Cha ca, or Vietnamese Turmeric Fish, is a dish from Hanoi, Vietnam that is well beloved for its flavorful and aromatic profile. The dish features a white fish marinated with a harmonious blend of turmeric and garlic.

The fish is then pan-fried with copious amounts of dill and green onions, resulting in an aromatic and fresh combination of flavors from the herbs and the turmeric. It is a great healthy Vietnamese dish.

Typically, the dish is served with rice noodles, peanuts, and an assortment of fresh herbs, and is often paired with a dipping sauce of either fish sauce-based nuoc cham or a fermented anchovy-based dipping sauce (mam nem sauce). 

🍎Calories and Nutrition – Make It Healthy 

Cha ca is typically already made with naturally low-fat ingredients. The biggest thing to keep in mind is to practice portion control while making sure there is enough protein. 

In this recipe, I’ve portioned the ingredients for a dish that is only 468 calories with 46 grams of protein, 0 grams of fat, and 65 grams of carbs.

Here’s how I portioned the recipe.

• Added a size-able amount of white fish – I used 8 ounces of cod, which is a great lean protein option with a buttery finish. 8 ounces also adds a sizeable amount of protein content to the dish
• Portion the rice noodles – I used 1 serving of rice noodles, which only add about 190 calories. 
• Portion sugar and seasonings mindfully – Use 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Both are essential to the flavor of the dish and 1 teaspoon of sugar is only 15 calories of sugar. I also used these ingredients to make the nuom cham dipping sauce, which is a great low-calorie dipping sauce for this recipe.
• Portion or omit the peanuts – Typically, cha ca is topped with peanuts. I chose to omit them in this recipe just because I prefer not to have them, but if you do choose to add them, be sure to portion it mindfully given its high-calorie content.

For a detailed breakdown of each ingredient, their portioning, and how they make up the nutrition profile of this cha ca recipe, you may refer to the table below:

📋 Ingredient Notes

To make the cha ca recipe, you’ll need the following key ingredients:

• White fish – I used cod but any white fish will work. I like cod a lot given its soft texture.
• Turmeric– This is essential for giving the fish a nice earthy flavor. I used turmeric powder because it's a lot easier to manage.
• Dill – A key herb for this dish. Widely used in culinary applications, especially in pickling, dill adds a bright and tangy element to the dish.
• Rice Noodles – Traditionally served with this dish. It's typically dipped in the nuoc cham dipping sauce and topped with turmeric fish and herbs.
• Fish Sauce – A key seasoning used for both the marinade and the dipping sauce. My personal favorite brand is the Three Crabs brand.  

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

📖 Substitutions and Variations

Use a different white fish – I used cod in this recipe but any white fish, such as tilapia and bass, would work. You can also use catfish, although when I talked to people in Vietnam, multiple people mentioned that people tend to use river fish at home rather than catfish due to catfish sometimes having a muddy aftertaste.

Sub noodles for rice – While cha ca is typically served with rice noodles, you can also opt to serve it with some jasmine rice. 

Make it spicy – If you prefer a more intense spice, you can add some Thai chilis to the mix.

🔪 Step by Step Instructions 

Cut the white fish – Cut the white fish into small, bite-sized pieces of relatively equal thickness. Set aside.

Prepare the noodles – Cook your noodles according to the package directions.

Mince and mix the marinade ingredients – Mince the garlic and shallots and mix in a bowl with turmeric, salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Once the marinade is mixed together thoroughly, add in the fish pieces and mix thoroughly. 

Chop the vegetables – Clean the dill and green onions and cut the green onions into long, lengthwise pieces. 

Make the nuoc cham – Mix the remainder of the fish sauce and sugar together and add 1 tablespoon of hot water, or until at the desired level of saltiness. Add lime juice and adjust the dipping sauce with the 4 ingredients to your liking.

Cook the fish – Turn the heat up to medium-high and spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Add the fish pieces into the pan in a single layer, along with some dill and green onions, and cook the fish for about 1-2 minutes on each side. 

Put everything together – Plate the fish. To eat, add rice noodles to a bowl, top with fish and herbs, and add the dipping sauce. Enjoy your delicious turmeric fish recipe!

💭 Recipe FAQs

💭 Expert Tips

Add some of the herbs while cooking and top some fresh ones – Cooking some of the herbs, especially the green onion, gives it a delicious taste while topping with herbs gives it a touch of freshness.

Don’t overcook the white fish – Cut the white fish into relatively similar-sized thickness and cook for 1-2 pieces on each side. Overcooking will result in an unpleasantly chewy texture. 

🍽 Related Recipes

If you liked this recipe, check out the following related recipes:

🍳 Recipe