On a chilly rainy day, nothing is better than rice porridge. The following 2 recipes for snakehead fish porridge with gourd will surely be a great choice for your family gathering. Let’s cook with TasteVN and get started right away!
1. Snakehead fish porridge with gourd
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Snakehead Fish Porridge with Gourd Serves 4 people
Rice 1/2 cup (rice bowl) Snakehead fish 1 fish (about 200 – 300g) Gourd 1 fruit (about 200 – 300g) Bean sprouts 100 g Bitter vegetables 100 g Chili 1 fruit Shallot 1 bulb Garlic 5 cloves Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 4 tablespoons Common spices a little (salt/ sugar/ ground pepper/ seasoning powder)
Ingredient Image
How to cook Snakehead Fish Porridge with Bottle Gourd
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Prepare and boil the fish
Buy the snakehead fish, scrape off the scales, remove the gills, and take out the intestines. Then use salt to rub all over the fish to reduce the sliminess, and rinse it with clean water.
Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, then add 1 sliced purple onion and 1 sliced garlic clove and sauté until fragrant.
When the onion and garlic turn golden, add about 700ml of water (3/4 bowl of water) and remove all the onion and garlic pieces.
Add the fish, cover the pot, and boil the fish for about 7 – 10 minutes until cooked. Once the fish is cooked, take it out.
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Roast the rice and cook the porridge
Place a pot on the stove and heat it up really hot. When the pot is steaming, add 1/2 cup of rice and roast until the rice turns yellow and releases a fragrant smell.
Add the roasted rice to the pot of fish broth and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of seasoning, cover loosely, and cook the porridge for 10 – 15 minutes until the porridge expands and is soft.
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Prepare the gourd and accompanying vegetables
Wash the gourd, scrape off the skin, cut it into quarters, and then slice it into pieces about 2 – 3 finger joints long.
Soak the bean sprouts and bitter vegetables in diluted salt water for 3 – 5 minutes to clean them, then take them out, rinse with water, and let them drain.
Wash the green onions and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
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Make the dipping sauce
Pound 1 chili and the remaining 4 garlic cloves together. When the chili and garlic are finely mashed, add 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, then stir well to make the dipping sauce.
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Completion
When the porridge has been boiling for about 15 minutes, add the gourd and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes until the gourd is cooked.
Add the previously removed onion and garlic along with the chopped green onions and 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, season to taste, then cook for another 2 – 3 minutes and turn off the heat.
Scoop the porridge into a bowl with the bean sprouts and bitter vegetables. Dip the fish in the prepared dipping sauce.
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Final Product
Delicious snakehead fish porridge with gourd, featuring the sweet flavor of fresh snakehead fish, soft and well-cooked porridge, served with bitter herbs and bean sprouts, incredibly refreshing and appealing.
2. Snakehead Fish Porridge with Gourd and Straw Mushrooms
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
50 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Snakehead Fish Porridge with Gourd and Straw Mushrooms Serves 4 people
Rice 1/2 cup (rice cup) Snakehead fish 800 gr Gourd 1 fruit Onion 1 bulb Snow mushrooms 200 gr Straw mushrooms 100 gr Bitter herbs 200 gr Shallots 4 bulbs Ginger 1 piece Spring onions/coriander a little Cooking oil 5 tablespoons Fish sauce a little Common seasonings a little (sugar/ salt/ ground pepper/ seasoning powder)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh straw mushrooms
- You should choose to buy straw mushrooms in the early morning or late evening, when they have just been harvested and are still fresh.
- Pay attention to selecting straw mushrooms that are round, still in bud, and have not fully opened.
- Straw mushrooms that are black are usually rated as sweeter compared to white straw mushrooms.
- You should buy mushrooms at reputable stores that specialize in providing clean agricultural products.
- If buying packaged mushrooms at the supermarket, you need to read the information on the packaging carefully, confirming the origin and expiration date.
How to choose fresh snow mushrooms
- Choose snow mushrooms that have a natural fragrance, are intact. The cap of the mushroom is firmly attached to the stem.
- Do not choose mushrooms that are bruised, moldy, or broken, or have an unusual smell.
- It’s best to buy mushrooms at supermarkets or reputable stores to ensure quality.
How to prepare Snakehead fish porridge with gourd and straw mushrooms
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Preparation of ingredients
Buy snakehead fish, scrape off the scales, remove the gills, and clean out the fish’s intestines. Then, use salt to rub the entire body of the fish to reduce the sliminess, and rinse it with clean water. Cut along the back of the fish from the head to near the tail and separate the head.
Wash the gourd, peel it, and then cut it into slices about the thickness of a finger, then cut into 4 pieces horizontally into small strips.
Soak the straw mushrooms in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes, then rinse them gently. Remove them to drain and cut the mushrooms in half.
Note: Do not soak straw mushrooms in salt water for too long, a maximum of about 15 – 20 minutes; otherwise, the mushrooms will lose their natural sweetness.Snow mushrooms are cleaned, the stems are cut off, and the mushrooms are separated into strands. Bitter vegetables are rinsed with water, soaked in dilute salt water for 3 – 5 minutes, then taken out and rinsed again with clean water.
Green onions and coriander are washed clean, roots are removed, and cut into small pieces. The onion is peeled, and the shallots are sliced thinly.
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Boil fish and cook porridge
Place 1 liter of water on the stove (about 1 bowl of water), boil with 1 peeled onion. When the water boils, add the fish and boil for 7 – 10 minutes until the fish is cooked, then remove it.
Add 1/2 cup of well-washed rice and straw mushrooms, lower the heat, cover loosely, and cook the porridge for 15 – 20 minutes until the porridge grains are fluffy, evenly cooked, and the mushrooms will make the porridge sweet.
Remove the backbone of the snakehead fish, carefully filter out the small bones inside the fish meat.
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Sauté onion and stir-fry fish meat
Place a pan on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, and heat it. Add the sliced shallots, sauté until fragrant and the shallots turn a beautiful golden color.
Add the fish meat and stir-fry briefly. Season with 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce.
Stir-fry the fish meat for about 3 – 5 minutes until it’s cooked and the aroma is released.
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Completion
Add the stir-fried fish meat into the pot of porridge. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Cook for about 2 more minutes and then taste and adjust seasoning.
Add gourd, snow mushrooms, and bitter herbs, cook for 3 – 4 minutes until the vegetables and mushrooms are cooked, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle green onions and cilantro on top to finish.
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Final Product
Snakehead fish porridge cooked with bottle gourd and straw mushrooms is extremely flavorful, with the sweet taste of fresh snakehead fish and the natural flavors of accompanying vegetables combined with a hint of spiciness.
This dish is perfect for enjoying on chilly days, gathering with loved ones.
How to choose fresh and delicious bottle gourd
- When buying bottle gourd, pay attention to choose fruits with bright green skin, not yellowing.
- Hold the bottle gourd; it should feel firm and sturdy, not soft.
- Choose elongated fruits, not too large or too small.
- If the stem is still green and there is latex on the skin and stem, it indicates fresh and recently harvested bottle gourd that you should buy.
How to choose fresh and delicious snakehead fish
- To buy good fish, it’s best to purchase during the fish harvesting season. Prioritize buying from familiar places, at the market, reputable food stores, or large supermarkets.
- Good snakehead fish usually has a moderate size, not too large or too small. The body of the fish is elongated, not too round, and feels firm to the touch, not mushy.
- Avoid purchasing snakehead fish that feel light, soft, and not firm. The belly should have a lot of fat and not have a foul smell.
How to clean snakehead fish properly, without fishy smell
You can eliminate the fishy smell of snakehead fish using one of the following methods:
- Method 1: (using salt): Rub and gently massage salt onto the fish for about 2 – 3 minutes. Then rinse with clean water.
- Method 2: (using lemon or vinegar and warm water): Soak the cleaned fish in a mixture of lemon juice or vinegar with warm water for 3 – 5 minutes. Then massage the entire body of the fish once more and rinse with clean water.
- Method 3: (using white wine): Marinate the cleaned fish with white wine for 2 – 5 minutes. Then rinse with clean water.
Further reading:
Thus, TasteVN has guided you on 2 ways to cook snakehead porridge with gourd that are extremely rustic and delicious. Wishing you success and enjoyment!
*Refer to the recipes and images from the 2 YouTube channels Linh Lê and Cả Nhà Vào Bếp.
