If you are a fan of delicious grilled dishes, you absolutely cannot miss the 2 ways to make grilled catfish with galangal and grilled catfish with chili salt that TasteVN shares today. Let’s take some time to cook and try making it right away!
1. Grilled catfish with galangal
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled Catfish with Galangal Serves 4
Catfish 2 kg Ground galangal 100 gr Lemongrass 10 stalks Chili 2 pieces Sichuan pepper 1 tablespoon Fermented rice 3 tablespoons MSG 2 teaspoons Fish sauce 1 tablespoon
Where to buy fermented rice?
You can buy fermented rice at stores or large markets to ensure hygiene and safety. Or if you have time, you can make it at home!
What is mac khen seed? Where to buy it?
- Mac khen seed is also known as fragrant wood, smelly sen, smelly toad, and yellow tamarind.
- Mac khen seed has a spicy and fragrant taste and is a characteristic spice commonly used in the Northwest region.
- This is a familiar spice used in meals and delicious dishes of ethnic minorities.
- Mac khen seeds are often sold in supermarkets, food stores, or e-commerce websites.
Tools for preparation
Grilling rack, pestle and mortar, knife, bowl, spoon,…
How to prepare Grilled Catfish with Ginger and Tamarind
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Prepare the catfish
Buy catfish and clean the slime on the skin, remove all the innards from the belly, then use a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces, about the thickness of a finger joint.
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Marinating catfish
You take 3 stalks of lemongrass, 2 chili peppers, chop them finely, and then put them in a mortar to pound with 1 tablespoon of mac khén pepper.
When all the ingredients are finely ground, you need to add 3 tablespoons of fermented rice, 2 teaspoons of monosodium glutamate, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the mortar, mixing the mixture well.
Evenly sprinkle 100g of ground galangal over the catfish, then add all the marinating spice mixture, mix the fish with the ingredients thoroughly, and let it sit for about 20 minutes to allow the fish to absorb the flavors.
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Grilling catfish
Prepare the charcoal grill.
Take the remaining stalks of lemongrass, crush them, and spread them evenly on the grilling rack, then neatly arrange the fish on top to prevent it from burning while grilling.
When the fire dies down, place the grilling rack over the stove and start grilling. When you see the surface of the fish firm up, flip the fish over and continue grilling for about 15 – 20 minutes until both sides of the fish are golden brown, then remove it from the grill.
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Final Product
Grilled catfish with galangal is beautifully golden, with a dry and crispy exterior, and tender, flavorful grilled fish inside, faintly fragrant with the distinctive aroma of galangal and lemongrass.
You can enjoy the fish with rice paper rolls, adding betel leaves, slices of cucumber, long strips of carrot, and pineapple, dipping it in homemade sauce for an exquisite taste.
2. Grilled catfish with chili salt
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled catfish with chili salt Serves 4
Catfish 2.5 kg Ground galangal 50 gr Salt 1 teaspoon Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Garlic 2 tablespoons (mashed) Chili 2 tablespoons (mashed) Seasoning powder 1 tablespoon Shrimp paste 45 gr Chili sauce 3 tablespoons
How to Prepare Grilled Catfish with Chili Salt
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Prepare the Catfish
After buying the catfish, clean the slime off the skin, and gut the fish to remove the insides. Then, use a knife to make a few diagonal cuts along the back of the fish to help it absorb the marinade better.
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Marinate the Catfish
Add 50g of ground galangal, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of ground chili, 1 tablespoon of seasoning, 45g of shrimp paste, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of chili sauce together, and mix all to create the marinade.
Use a brush to evenly spread the marinade over the body of the fish; you can also gently massage it with your hands to ensure the fish absorbs the seasoning thoroughly.
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Grilled catfish
Prepare the charcoal stove, place the grill on the stove, then put the fish on top, grilling for about 30 minutes. Grill until the surface of the fish is slightly firm, then flip the fish over, turning it frequently to avoid burning.
When the fish surface starts to cook evenly and the flesh is slightly golden brown, you can use a brush to apply the remaining marinade sauce onto the fish, helping it to be flavorful without becoming dry.
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Finished product
The grilled catfish has an attractive golden color, evenly soaked in spices with a faint fragrance characteristic of galangal, shrimp paste, and lemongrass. Inside, the fish flesh is tender and sweet, mingling with a spicy flavor that is delightful to eat.
You can enjoy it with fresh vegetables, vermicelli, or rice paper dipped in sweet and sour dipping sauce, which is also very compatible.
What is catfish?
- Catfish is a type of fish with smooth skin, living in freshwater environments in the eastern region of Asia.
- The smooth skin of catfish has no scales, the head is slightly flattened, the mouth is wide and has 2 long whiskers on the upper jaw, 4 short whiskers on the lower jaw.
- Catfish are very diverse in species; currently, depending on different species, catfish can range from 8cm to as much as 3 meters in length.
How to choose fresh and delicious catfish
- Catfish usually live in freshwater areas, in rivers; you can find live fish to ensure the quality of the fish.
- Pay attention to choose fish that are still swimming actively, with clear, slightly sunken eyes rather than bulging. The skin of the catfish should be smooth, shiny, and the whole body intact without scratches.
- You can press the fish’s flesh with your hand; if it is elastic and firm, it is a good choice. Avoid choosing fish with flesh that is mushy, too soft, or too hard.
- You can find catfish at seafood markets, traditional markets, or supermarkets.
How to make catfish slimy
- When you buy catfish, use salt to rub all over the fish, then briefly blanch the fish in hot water.
- Hot water and salt help to remove the slime on the fish’s skin, at which point you can scrape it off with a knife.
- Finally, rinse with clean water 1 – 2 times to help the fish be completely free of slime.
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I hope that with 2 ways to make grilled catfish that you just shared can help you prepare an attractive meal to treat your family. Wish you success with your delicious dishes!
*Refer to images and recipes from YouTube channels: Võ Lao TV Entertainment Culture, Food TV
