Illuminate Seasonal Delights: Crafting Cay in Rice Fields

In northern Vietnam’s fields and by the canal banks, a seasonal delight is emerging. This crustacean, called cay, may emit a strong scent, but when prepared correctly—especially in soup—it transforms into a sweet and savory delicacy that’s hard to resist.

This petite creature resembles a crab and burrows near the edges of rice paddies and canals. While it is slimmer than a typical crab, its pincers are sharp and formidable. Treasured by locals in the rural lowlands of northern Vietnam, cay is sought after for its unique taste, making it a memorable experience for anyone who tries it.

Cay inhabit burrows along canal banks and in rice fields. Despite their unpleasant aroma, their taste can be surprisingly delightful when cooked properly, particularly in soups.

Thanh Huyen, 42, from An Lao, Hai Phong, shared that she has cherished cay since she was a child.

“As a young girl, I frequently went cay fishing with my mother. Even during the hot summer days, I would don a hat and venture out to the canal or rice field to catch cay. My childhood memories are filled with experiences of capturing cay and shrimp, which requires skill and patience.

Using a bamboo fishing rod, we fashioned a line with a bait, typically made of snail guts. Catching cay is quite the skill; the angler has to be stealthy to prevent the cay from hiding back in its burrow.

We would keep our distance, lower the bait close to the hole, and await the cay’s nibble. Once it bit, we swiftly lifted it into a basket on our hip,” she reminisced.

Handling cay delicately is vital; a wrong move can lead to a painful pinch.

As the rice harvest occurs, cay become more abundant in the fields. Experienced farmers know to create traps by digging holes in the middle of the field and trimming the surrounding rice to coax cay into the pit. After the harvest, they can easily collect them for cooking.

“In earlier times, after each harvest, my mother would catch baskets full of cay. My siblings and I adored cay soup made with jute and Malabar spinach, paired with pickled eggplant. That taste lingers in my memory,” Huyen recounted.

Even though she now works in a factory, Huyen still manages to catch cay whenever she can. After her shift, she heads to the pond with a flashlight.

“We have a sizable pond. At night, it takes just an hour with a flashlight to catch around 2 kg. It’s especially fruitful after rain when cay come out,” she explained.

According to her, cay hunting is not too challenging—it just requires patience and quick reflexes. If half of its body is visible from the hole, directing a beam of light at it momentarily stuns it, making it easy to grab. Rainy nights yield the best catches.

“Though it’s not enough to sell, it’s certainly sufficient for a meal. One night’s hunting provides enough for a refreshing pot of cay soup for my family,” she shared.

In Huyen’s locality, cay is priced at around $4 per kilogram. While this is more affordable than field crabs or premium seafood, cay soup and fermented cay paste deliver an unparalleled flavor.

Regions like Hai Phong, Thai Binh, and others in northern Vietnam have made cay a summer staple. After catching them, the cay are rinsed, shelled, finely ground or blended, and then strained to extract the juice, resembling field crab soup preparation.

As the broth simmers, the meat from the cay rises and forms creamy flakes on top. Adding greens like Malabar spinach, jute leaves, or water mimosa contributes to a fragrant and flavorful soup.

“Cay soup is a refreshing choice for summer. The rich sweetness of the broth harmonizes with green veggies and white rice. Before you know it, the pot is empty,” Huyen remarked.

Beyond soup, fermented cay paste serves as a cherished condiment. Following a careful fermentation process, the resulting liquid is bottled and sealed in banana leaves for sun drying. The more sunlight it receives, the richer and more fragrant it grows.

Fermented cay paste pairs wonderfully with boiled vegetables, pickled eggplant, or bún đậu (a dish of tofu and noodles).

Though simple, dishes featuring cay are filled with nostalgia, representing childhood and a taste of home during summer. Even after moving to urban areas, the flavor of fermented cay remains unforgettable.

It’s a beloved gift, thoughtfully packed by parents for their children whenever they return home.