Have you ever tried the dish of braised snakehead fish with bamboo shoots in the two ways below? I guarantee these two braised dishes are incredibly delicious and will make you want to eat more rice; they are very flavorful and won’t let you down! Let’s cook with TasteVN to make these two dishes right away!
1. Braised snakehead fish with fresh bamboo shoots
Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
45 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Snakehead Fish with Fresh Bamboo Shoots Serves 4 people
Snakehead fish 1 fish Young bamboo shoots 2 pieces Bell pepper 1 piece Red onion 2 bulbs Garlic 4 cloves Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Annatto oil 2 tablespoons Chili paste 2 tablespoons Vinegar a little Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Common spices a little (salt/sugar/seasoning powder/pepper)
How to choose fresh bamboo shoots
- Choose bamboo shoots that are still fresh, with a rough shape, with large and small joints evenly, not bent, crisp but tender, no yellow leaves, no spots on the surface, thin skin, and not wilted.
- Visually, the bamboo shoots should have thin skin, be crisp, and have a lot of water; fresh shoots have a characteristic aroma, avoid choosing overly white shoots, the color should be yellow-brown, and when touched, it should not stick to your hands and have some striations.
-800x450.jpg "2 ways to make delicious and flavorful snakehead fish with bamboo shoots, easy to prepare for a meal 3")
How to cook Snakehead fish with fresh bamboo shoots
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Prepare the snakehead fish
After buying the fish, clean it with salt and vinegar, then rinse with water and place it in a colander to drain.
Next, cut the fish into small slices about 1/2 finger thick.
Put the fish into a bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, mixing well.
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Prepare other ingredients
When you buy bamboo shoots, remove the outer skin, boil them in hot water several times, and each time you boil, rinse them with clean water, then cut them into thin slices.
Peel the onions and garlic, then finely chop them.
Cut the chili into thin slices.
How to properly prepare fresh bamboo shoots
Method 1: Boil bamboo shoots multiple times
Freshly harvested bamboo shoots should be peeled, boiled in hot water several times, and each time they are boiled, they must be rinsed with clean water. When tested, if the bamboo shoots are soft and the bitterness has decreased, they can be used to prepare dishes.
Method 2: Soak in rice water
- Boil the bamboo shoots for 2 – 3 times.
- Then, soak the boiled bamboo shoots in rice water for 2 days.
- Change the rice water regularly while soaking to prevent the rice water from fermenting and smelling bad.
- After 2 days, wash the bamboo shoots and prepare them into dishes.
See details: 6 methods to boil fresh bamboo shoots without bitterness, completely removing toxins
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Cooking Snakehead Fish
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, then sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, then continue to add 2 tablespoons of chili paste, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and stir the mixture well.
Then you lower the heat, add 1 bowl of water, and then add the prepared bamboo shoots.
Continue to add the fish into the pan, add 2 tablespoons of annatto oil, then turn the heat up to cook for 7 minutes.
After 7 minutes, you flip the fish over, add the fresh chili, and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
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Finished product
Fresh snakehead fish braised with bamboo shoots has a fragrant smell of bamboo, a salty, sweet, and spicy flavor that pairs perfectly with white rice!
The fish meat is tender and delicious, absorbing the flavors while the bamboo shoots maintain their crispness, making it sure to be a favorite dish for the family.
2. Dried snakehead fish braised with bamboo
Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Dried snakehead fish braised with bamboo Serves 2
Snakehead fish 3 pieces Dried bamboo shoots 100 gr Shallots 1 bulb Garlic 2 cloves Green onions 1 stalk Fresh chili 2 pieces Vinegar a little Cooking oil 1/2 tablespoon Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/seasoning granules/msg/pepper)
How to choose delicious dried bamboo shoots
- When selecting dried bamboo shoots, pay attention to their color; good dried bamboo shoots will have a light yellow color, interspersed with amber, and will have a slight shine.
- Choose bamboo shoots with relatively uniform color, less fibrous, and the closer they are to the tip, the tastier they will be, as the upper part of the bamboo shoots is younger and softer than the base.
- Select the pig tongue bamboo shoot type (which looks like a pig’s tongue), with a moderate size; when eaten, it will be tender, and it will save you cooking time.
- When held close, you will smell the characteristic aroma of bamboo shoots; when you touch them, they should not feel wet and should be easy to break.
- Avoid buying dried bamboo shoots that have mold spots, gray-black spots, feel damp and soft, and have an unpleasant pungent smell when held close.
- Currently, dried bamboo shoots are widely sold on the market, so to ensure safety, you should buy dried bamboo shoots with clear labels and origins, and pay attention to the production date and expiration date. Don’t buy products that are too cheap and have unclear origins!
See details:
Tools needed
Clay pot, bowl, plate, knife, cutting board,…
How to Cook Braised Snakehead Fish with Dried Bamboo Shoots
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Prepare the snakehead fish
Buy snakehead fish, wash it thoroughly with salt and vinegar, then rinse with water and place it in a basket to drain.
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Prepare the other ingredients
Soak the bamboo shoots in clean water for at least 2 hours and then rinse thoroughly.
Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Wash and finely chop the chili and green onions.
How to Soak Dried Bamboo Shoots Quickly
- Wash the bamboo shoots thoroughly, fill with cold water and soak overnight.
- The next morning, drain the soaking water and wash each piece of bamboo shoot thoroughly. Be sure to wash the bamboo shoots well to prevent sourness.
- After washing the bamboo shoots, cover them with water and continue to soak for about 3 – 4 days until they become soft.
See details: How to soak dried bamboo shoots
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Catfish stew
You place a pot on the stove, add 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil and sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant, then add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry until they release their aroma.
Next, add 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the pot, continue to stir-fry the bamboo shoots, then add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce.
Add half a small cup of water and cook for 5 minutes, then add the fish to the pot and simmer on medium heat until the sauce thickens, then add 1 teaspoon of pepper and chopped green onions, and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
Finally, add chili on top to complete.
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Final product
The dried bamboo shoot catfish stew has a beautiful natural yellow color, is fragrant and no longer fishy, the fish meat is tender and absorbs the rich flavors, and the dried bamboo shoots are chewy and very appealing.
On a rainy, cold day, enjoying it with a bowl of hot rice is unmatched, isn’t it?
How to choose fresh and delicious snakehead fish
- To buy good fish, it is best to purchase during the fish harvesting season. Prioritize buying from familiar places, at markets, or reputable food stores like TasteVN or other major supermarkets.
- Delicious snakehead fish usually has a moderate size, not too big or too small. The body of the fish is elongated, not too round, feels firm to the touch, and is not mushy.
- Additionally, you can observe the fish’s anus to determine if it is still fresh. Fresh fish will have a small anus, while a swollen one indicates that the fish has died, is about to spoil, and may sometimes be treated with chemicals.
- When preparing, if the fish flesh is soft, the belly is full of fat, and it has a foul smell, then it is not good fish.
Effective ways to remove the fishy smell from snakehead fish
- First, you need to scrape off the fish scales (you can leave them on depending on the dish’s requirements), and cleanly cut off the fins and tail of the fish.
- Next, remove the internal organs from the fish’s belly along with the cloudy membrane inside. Note to discard the white sinew close to the fish’s side.
- Use a knife to cut off the gills and trim the head. Throughout the process, you should use a steel knife to make it easier to prepare the fish. The fish should be placed on a cutting board or a dry surface to prevent slipping and moving, making it easier for you to handle.
Using salt (coarse salt or fine salt)
- This method is very simple; you just need to rub and gently massage salt onto the fish for about 2 – 3 minutes.
- Then rinse with clean water, allow it to drain, or use paper towels or a clean cloth to dry the fish before you can prepare delicious dishes.
Using lemon or vinegar and warm water
- Place the cleaned fish into a basin, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar along with a small bowl of warm water, then soak the fish for 3 – 5 minutes.
- After that, massage the entire fish body once more and rinse it with clean running water to complete.
See more
Above are 2 recipes for snakehead fish cooked with bamboo shoots that are incredibly simple and rice-tempting. TasteVN wishes you success!
