2 Unique and Delicious Ways to Make Stuffed Snakehead Fish: Steamed and Fried

Processing snakehead fish

After buying the snakehead fish, clean it to remove the slime and eliminate the fishy smell by washing it with salt water and diluted vinegar, then use a knife to scrape off the excess slime.

Next, use a very sharp knife to make a longitudinal cut along both sides of the fish’s spine, cutting down to the belly edge of the fish without cutting through.

Preparing other ingredients

Wash the green onions, drain, trim the roots, and chop them finely, then add them to the minced meat bowl. Clean the wood ear mushrooms, soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes to soften them, then trim the roots and chop the mushrooms similarly to the green onions and add them to the minced meat bowl.

Making the stuffing mixture

Add the seasoning consisting of 1/3 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/3 teaspoon of seasoning powder, a little pepper, 1/3 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, and 1/3 tablespoon of fish sauce to the meat mixture. Mix well so that the mixture absorbs the seasoning evenly.

Marinate the fish

Prepare a small bowl and add 1/3 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate (if desired), and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, then sprinkle this seasoning over the fish to let it absorb the flavor.

Stuff the meat into the fish

Put the marinated meat mixture into the grooves on both sides of the fish. Any leftover meat can be rolled into balls to fry and eat with it.

Fry the fish

Roll the fish evenly in cornstarch so that when frying, the fish becomes crispier and more fragrant.

Pour about 200 ml of cooking oil into a pan, wait for the oil to heat up, then add the fish to fry over medium heat. Use a ladle to pour oil over the fish to make it firmer and prevent the cornstarch from melting. If you want it to be crispier, you can roll it in cornstarch again. Next, add the rolled meatballs to fry until cooked, then remove them.

When the fish turns golden, turn off the heat and remove the fish to a plate for about 3 – 5 minutes.

Proceed to make the scallion oil: chop the scallions, add 1/3 teaspoon of salt. Then pour 1 ladle of the hot frying oil into the scallion bowl, and you have scallion oil to eat with the fish.

Turn the heat back on and fry the fish a second time, reducing the heat to low.

Make the dipping sauce: 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 – 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 5 tablespoons of water, 3 tablespoons of good fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Finely chop chili and garlic to add to the dipping sauce bowl.

At this point, the fish is golden, turn off the heat, scoop it onto a plate, and drizzle the prepared scallion oil over the fish.

Final product

The delicious and crispy stuffed snakehead fish served with fresh vegetables will have a very tasty flavor. You can eat it with rice or wrap it in rice paper with this dish!

Prepare the Snakehead Fish

To clean the snakehead fish of slime and eliminate the fishy smell: wash it thoroughly with saltwater and 6 tablespoons of diluted vinegar, you can use a knife to scrape off some of the slime.

Next, use a sharp knife to make a cut along both sides of the fish’s backbone, cutting to the belly and removing the backbone.

Prepare Other Ingredients

Wash the carrot, chop half of it finely, and slice the other half into rounds. Soak 80g of dried wood ear mushrooms in cold water for about 20 minutes until they soften, then trim the stems and chop them finely. Trim the shallots, garlic, and chili, and chop them finely. Wash the ginger and slice it thinly on the diagonal.

Marinating the fish

Use a small bowl to mix a marinade for the fish consisting of 1/2 teaspoon of cooking oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 minced shallot, and 1 green onion. Use the mixture to evenly coat the fish so that it steams with a fragrant aroma and absorbs the flavors better. Remember to apply it inside the fish’s belly as well!

Marinating the meat mixture

Add the meat to a large bowl, along with 80g of wood ear mushrooms, 1 shallot, 20g of finely chopped green onions, and 1/2 chopped carrot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and a bunch of vermicelli.

Next, marinate the meat mixture with 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. To enhance the richness of the meat, add 1 egg to the mixture.

Finally, mix the meat mixture thoroughly so that the seasoning is evenly absorbed. Marinate for about 15 minutes for better flavor absorption.

Stuffing meat into fish

Stuff the marinated meat mixture into the middle of the snakehead fish.

Prepare a plate to place the snakehead fish on, sprinkle the sliced ginger on top to make the fish more aromatic, and use 1/2 of a carrot cut into sections to arrange on both sides of the snakehead fish.

Steaming the fish

Steam the plate of fish using a large pot for about 30 minutes.

While waiting for 30 minutes, prepare the dipping sauce. Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of hot water and stir well until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and minced garlic and chili, you can adjust the spiciness to your liking. Next, add 1 teaspoon of lime juice and season to taste.

Final product

Steamed snakehead fish stuffed with meat can be enjoyed with rice, vermicelli, or wrapped in rice paper with fresh vegetables, which will be wonderful. The fresh taste from the snakehead fish and minced meat will make this a beloved dish for the family.