Catfish braised in coconut water is one of the familiar braised dishes enjoyed by Vietnamese people with a rich flavor. So why wait any longer? Let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to showcase our skills by making 2 delicious and nutritious dishes with this super simple recipe!
1. Catfish braised in coconut water
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Catfish braised in coconut water For 4 people
Catfish 1 kg Pork 200 gr Fresh coconut 1 fruit Shallots 4 bulbs Garlic 3 cloves Hot chili 100 gr Seasoning sauce 2 teaspoons Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Palm sugar 50 gr Common spices a little (Salt/ seasoning powder/ ground pepper)
How to choose fresh and delicious pork
- Fresh pork will have a dry membrane, bright red color, and a slightly firm surface. The fat should be bright, firm, and have a characteristic aroma.
- You should choose pork that has the characteristic fragrance of meat, with a rosy and tender piece.
- Avoid selecting pork that is mushy, leaking fluid, slimy, has an unpleasant and fishy smell.
See details: How to choose fresh and delicious pork
How to cook snakehead fish in coconut water
-
Prepare the ingredients
Clean the snakehead fish by removing the scales, cutting off the top fins to reduce the fishy smell, washing thoroughly, and then cutting into bite-sized pieces, not too thin.
Wash the pork and cut it into bite-sized slices.
Peel the shallots, wash them, and cut them into small rings. Mince the garlic.
Effective methods to eliminate the pork smell
- After buying the pork, clean it, and place it in a pot of clean water so that the water just covers the meat. Put the pot on the stove, boil for about 2 – 3 minutes, quickly remove the meat, and rinse with clean water to effectively eliminate the smell.
- Alternatively, you can use salt dissolved in water, soak the cleaned pork in it for 25 – 30 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the meat and rinse it under running water.
See details: Effective methods to eliminate the pork smell
-
Marinate the ingredients
Put the cleaned snakehead fish and pork into a basin. Gradually add the seasonings including 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 4 small shallots chopped, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 50g of palm sugar, and 100g of bird’s eye chili.
Then let it marinate for about 20 minutes.
-
Cook the fish
Heat a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Wait for the oil to heat up, then add minced garlic and sauté until golden and fragrant.
Next, add the marinated fish and stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the fish is firm.
Then, pour in the coconut water and cook for 15 minutes on low heat, skimming off any foam during cooking.
When the sauce has thickened and the fish is cooked, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of ground pepper on top and turn off the heat.
-
Final Product
The braised snakehead fish is fragrant, well-seasoned, a bit spicy and salty, with tender, fatty fish meat that does not fall apart, combined with sweet and aromatic coconut water.
Served with white rice along with some fresh vegetables or string beans for a rich and appealing meal!
2. Braised Snakehead Fish with Coconut Milk
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Snakehead Fish with Coconut Milk For 4 people
Snakehead fish 700 gr Coconut milk 400 ml Shallots 2 bulbs Garlic 4 cloves Chili 2 fruits Ginger 1 root Green onion 1 stalk White wine 3 tablespoons Cooking oil 5 tablespoons Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (Sugar/ salt/ seasoning powder)
Where to buy coconut milk
- You can buy coconut milk at coconut shops, markets, or purchase canned coconut milk products at supermarkets, grocery stores, TasteVN supermarket chains, or quickly buy at the website bachhoaxanh.com.
- To ensure you have clean, safe coconut milk, you can also make coconut milk at home following the recipe shared by TasteVN below:
How to cook catfish stewed in coconut milk
-
Prepare the ingredients
Clean the catfish, wash it with water mixed with salt and smashed ginger, then rinse with clean water and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Peel and chop shallots and garlic. Wash the chili, chop it finely. Remove the roots from the green onions, discard any damaged leaves, wash clean, and cut into sections.
-
Fried Fish
Place a pan on the stove, add about 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Wait for the oil to heat up, then add the fish and fry it briefly until both sides are golden.
-
Stew Fish
Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pot, sauté the garlic and onion until fragrant. Then pour 400 ml of coconut milk into the pot, add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Wait for the coconut milk to boil, then add the fried fish, add chili, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes to let the fish absorb the seasoning.
When the coconut water is nearly gone, sprinkle with green onions and turn off the heat to finish.
-
Final Product
The dish of catfish stewed in coconut milk is fragrant, with the rich taste of coconut water. The fish is tender, with a delightful absorption of the seasoning. This is also a savory dish that you cannot miss in your family’s meal menu!
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Snakehead Fish
- When buying snakehead fish, it is best to choose live ones that swim actively to ensure freshness. Larger fish have firmer flesh and fewer bones than smaller fish.
- If you cannot buy live fish, choose those with clear and slightly bulging eyes, bright red gills, and when pressed, the fish should feel firm and solid. Additionally, check the fish’s anus; if it appears small, the fish is fresh, while a large, swollen anus indicates the fish has been dead for a while.
- Avoid mistakenly choosing snakehead fish that are toxic; toxic fish often have unusual odors such as garlic or rancid oil. Normal fish will have a fishy smell.
See details: How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Snakehead Fish
Effective Ways to Eliminate the Fishy Smell of Snakehead Fish
- Marinate the cleaned fish with 2 tablespoons of white wine for 2 – 5 minutes. Then rinse with clean water to remove the fishy smell of snakehead fish.
- After cleaning the snakehead fish, you can also use available spices in your kitchen such as salt, seasoning powder, pepper, chili,… to marinate the fish. This method can reduce the fishy smell while enhancing the flavor of the dish.
See more
Hopefully, with the 2 recipes that TasteVN just shared about how to make braised snakehead fish with coconut water soft and delicious will help you have a delicious dish to add to your weekly meal menu! Wishing you success!
