Catfish (sea fish) is a type of sea fish with firm, aromatic, sweet flesh, rich in nutrients, and can be prepared into many different delicious dishes. Today, let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen and showcase our skills by making 2 fried dishes with delicious, appealing catfish to treat the family!
1. Crispy Fried Catfish
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Crispy Fried Catfish Serves 3
Catfish 2 fish Garlic 2 cloves (crushed) Cooking oil 50 ml Salt a little
Ingredient Image
How to Make Crispy Fried Catfish
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Prepare the catfish
After buying the catfish, proceed to scrape off the scales, cut off the gills, tail, gut it, and remove the internal organs. Then, rub the fish body with salt and rinse several times until clean and let it drain. Use a knife to cut the fish in half and make a few slashes on the body of the fish.
Put the fish into a bowl, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt, then mix well and let the fish absorb the seasoning for about 10 minutes
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Fry the fish
Place a pan on the stove, add 50ml of cooking oil (about 1/2 cup) and heat it up, then add 1 smashed garlic clove and sauté until fragrant.
When the garlic is fragrant, add the snakehead fish and reduce to medium heat, fry the fish until both sides are golden brown, then remove the fish and let it drain.
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Final product
The fried snakehead fish dish after completion has a beautiful golden color. The outer skin of the fish is crispy, while the flesh inside is tender and sweet, not dry.
This dish is great to eat with rice or wrapped in rice paper with some fresh vegetables and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce for a wonderful experience!
2. Fried snakehead fish with tomato sauce
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for fried snakehead fish with tomato sauce For 4 people
Snakehead fish 1 fish (about 400gr) Tomatoes 3 pieces Spring onions 4 stalks Vietnamese cilantro 1 stalk Fish sauce 1 teaspoon Rock sugar 1 teaspoon Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 5 tablespoons Lemon juice a little Common spices a little (sugar/salt/pepper/seasoning powder/msg)
How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
- Delicious tomatoes are those with a red color, round and plump, with a thin shiny skin.
- Choose fruits with a green stem tightly attached to the fruit. This indicates freshly harvested tomatoes, which will be fresh and tasty.
- Avoid buying tomatoes that are unevenly ripened, feel soft and mushy to the touch, and lack elasticity.
How to make Fried Snakehead Fish with Tomato Sauce
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the tomatoes and chop them into small cubes. Clean the green onions, chop the green tops and the white ends separately.
Wash the cilantro. Crush the stems and cut them into small pieces, keeping the leaves aside.
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Prepare and marinate the fish
After cleaning the belly and scales of the snakehead fish, to remove the fishy smell and slime, soak the fish in a mixture of diluted lemon juice for about 5 minutes, then take it out, rinse with cold water, and let it drain. Use a knife to make a few diagonal cuts on the fish body.
Tip: Making a few cuts on the fish helps it absorb the seasoning quickly and shortens the cooking time.
Marinate the fish with a little ground pepper, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, then put on gloves and massage it evenly inside and out for about 5 minutes to let the seasoning soak into the fish.
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Fry the fish
Place a pan on the stove, add 4 tablespoons of cooking oil and heat it, then add 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate.
Pour the catfish in and fry over medium heat for about 15 – 20 minutes until the fish is golden brown on both sides, then remove the fish to a plate to drain the oil.
Tip: If using non-nonstick pans, you can add a little monosodium glutamate to the oil for frying the fish, this will help prevent the fish from sticking to the pan.
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Make the tomato sauce for the fish
Place another pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it, then add the chopped green onions and sauté until fragrant.
Next, add tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of rock sugar, lower the heat and stir gently until the tomatoes are cooked.
Tip: For sauce dishes, you should sauté the tomatoes over medium heat to help them release juice, become soft, and not dry or hard.
When the fish is cooked, add 2 teaspoons of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1/2 cup of water.
Continue to simmer until the water in the pan boils, then add the stalks of the celery, stir well for about 2 – 3 more minutes until the sauce thickens.
Finally, add chopped green onions and ground pepper, stir well, then turn off the heat.
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Finished Product
Arrange the fish on a plate, drizzle the tomato sauce over the top, and decorate it nicely to complete.
With this simple and straightforward recipe, you have an eye-catching dish of fried snakehead fish with tomato sauce. The fish is golden fried, crispy on the outside, while the inside is soft and sweet, immersed in a tangy sauce rich in flavor from fresh tomatoes.
This delicious dish is sure to captivate even the most discerning diners! Let’s get into the kitchen and showcase your skills right away!
What is chét fish (nhụ fish)?
- Chét fish or nhụ fish is a species belonging to the family Polynemidae, usually living in schools at the bottom of coastal areas.
- This species has 4 long whiskers, a long, flat body, a short conical head, 9 dorsal fins, and 3 anal fins. When fully grown, chét fish can reach 55 – 70cm in length and weigh up to 7kg.
- This is a high-value farmed fish that can be processed into various dishes such as hot pot, fried dishes, stews,….
How to choose fresh and delicious chét fish (nhụ fish)
- For whole fish, you should choose those that are healthy and move actively.
- You should also pay attention to choosing fish with intact dorsal and tail fins. The fish should have a bright color, shiny skin, and a bit of sparkle.
- When you touch the fish, it should feel dry and not wet your hands, but the fish itself should be plump and firm.
- If the fish has been filleted and cut into slices, you should choose pieces with small muscle fibers, a pinkish-red color. The flesh should be firm, with some elasticity when pressed, not leaking fluid, and free of slime on the surface.
See details: How to choose fresh and delicious fish
Effective ways to eliminate the fishy smell of snakehead fish
- The simplest way is to soak the fish in rice water for 15 – 20 minutes to remove the fishy smell.
- Another method is to use salt to wash or rub it on the fish’s body.
- Additionally, soaking the fish in alcohol or white vinegar for 5 minutes is also very effective in eliminating the fishy smell.
- Besides, you can use crushed ginger and soak it in water with the fish for 5 minutes.
- Don’t forget to use lemon juice mixed with warm water, then soak the fish for 5 – 7 minutes.
How to fry fish crispy without breaking and splattering oil
- Add a little salt to the oil pan before frying the fish to prevent oil splatter.
- In addition, you should ensure the fish is completely dry before placing it in the frying pan to minimize oil splatter.
- When frying, keep the heat medium so that the fish cooks inside without burning on the outside.
- Wait for one side of the fish to turn completely golden before flipping to the other side to avoid the fish breaking apart.
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2 dishes of fried catfish and fried with tomato sauce will definitely win over your family. It’s truly a unique dish that can change up the family meal, isn’t it? So what are you waiting for, homemakers, let’s get cooking. Wish you success in your cooking!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Tuan San Jose and Ut Bay
