Definition

Noun: A traditional food product made by preserving fish with salt, either through dry-salting or brining. This process draws out moisture, inhibits bacterial growth, and results in a fish with a very salty flavor and firm, often chewy, texture. It is a common ingredient and staple protein in many cuisines.

Usage Examples

• (My simple breakfast often has white rice and salted fish.)
• Cá muối được dùng để thêm vị mặn và vị umami cho nhiều món xào.* (Salted fish is used to add salty and umami flavor to many stir-fried dishes.)
• (The smell of salted fish can be very strong.)

Advanced Usage

• "cá muối ướp": Refers to fish that is salted and then fermented, often for a shorter period, sometimes with additional ingredients like rice bran. It may have a softer texture compared to fully dried salted fish.
  • Món cá muối ướp này dùng để nấu canh chua rất ngon. (This type of fermented salted fish is great for cooking sour soup.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cá khô (n): Dried fish. While often salted, the primary emphasis is on sun-drying or dehydration. Not all is as intensely salted as , and not all is fully dried into .
  • Cá khô thường được nướng hoặc chiên giòn. (Dried fish is often grilled or fried until crispy.)

Synonyms

• Salted fish: The direct translation and general term.
• Preserved fish: A broader category that includes fish preserved by salting, drying, or smoking.

Related Idioms

• Muối mặt cá: Literally "to salt the face of the fish," meaning to apply salt directly to the surface. This describes the initial step in the preservation process.
  • Công đoạn đầu tiên để làm cá muối là phải muối mặt cá thật kỹ. (The first step in making salted fish is to salt the fish's surface thoroughly.)

noun

1. Salted fish