Join TasteVN in the kitchen with 2 ways to make grilled eel with turmeric and grilled eel with galangal, delicious and easy to make. Prepare the ingredients and challenge yourself with this delicious grilled dish right away!
1. Grilled eel with turmeric
Preparation
30 minutes
Cooking
40 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled Eel with Turmeric For 4 people
Eel fillet 700 gr Turmeric 3 bulbs Garlic 2 cloves Chili 2 fruits Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Seasoning powder 2 teaspoons Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Side vegetables a bit (herbs/unripe banana/green starfruit…)
How to Prepare Grilled Eel with Turmeric
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Prepare the eel
Freshly purchased eel fillets can be washed clean and then drained while waiting to be processed.
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Prepare other ingredients
Wash the turmeric to remove the dirt on the skin, then use a knife to scrape off the outer skin.
Peel the garlic, wash the chili, and then prepare a mortar to pound the turmeric, garlic, and chili. (Or use a mini meat grinder to puree).
How to remove turmeric stains from hands
- You can use cotton wool soaked in milk and apply it to the stained skin, gently rub it, and then wash with water.
- Put sugar in a bowl, add a little water, and stir to dissolve the mixture, use cotton wool to soak the mixture and apply it to the stained area.
- You can also use lemon to rub on the skin and then rinse with warm water.
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Make the marinade
Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of monosodium glutamate, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pounded turmeric mixture, and mix well to complete.
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Marinate the fish
Place each slice of eel into a marinating bowl, use chopsticks to mix each fillet well, and let it sit for about 20 minutes to help the fish absorb the spices evenly.
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Grill the fish
Place each marinated slice of fish on the grill and put it in the oven at a temperature of 225 – 250 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.
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Final product
The marinated eel piece is grilled to perfection, showcasing a beautiful golden color, and exuding a fragrant and enticing aroma. When eaten, you will feel the certain crispiness of the eel fillet, complemented by the natural sweetness of the fish and the rich flavors from the spices, along with a hint of spiciness from the chili.
You can try wrapping the delicious fish piece in a thin rice paper, adding fresh herbs, and dipping it in sweet and sour dipping sauce for an exquisite taste!
2. Grilled eel with galangal and fermented rice
Preparation
45 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled eel with galangal and fermented rice Serves 4
Eel 2 fish ( about 2kg) Ground galangal 300 gr Minced lemongrass 5 cloves Minced ginger 3 roots Minced shallots 3 bulbs Minced bird’s eye chili 2 fruits Fermented rice 80 ml Turmeric juice 80 ml ( filtered) Annatto oil 40 ml Shrimp paste 3 tablespoons Shrimp satay 1 box Honey 1 tablespoon Spices a little (sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ ground pepper) Cooking oil 100 ml
How to choose good fermented rice
- You can easily find good fermented rice at traditional markets or at supermarkets and specialized dry goods and spice stores. Alternatively, you can also make fermented rice at home to ensure the quality of the dish.
- Pay attention to the information on the packaging to ensure the source of the fermented rice.
Tools needed
Grill, knife, cutting board, pan, bowl,…
How to make grilled eel with galangal
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Prepare the eel
Clean the slime on the eel’s body, then use a knife to cut it into small bite-sized pieces.
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Lightly fry the eel
Heat oil in a pan, when the oil is hot, add all the eel pieces and fry until the surface is slightly golden, then quickly remove them.
Tip:
- You should wait until the eel is less wet and use paper to absorb the remaining moisture before adding it to the hot oil, to prevent oil splattering while frying.
- Make sure the oil is really hot before adding the eel, this helps the surface of the eel to seal immediately, becoming crispy while still retaining moisture inside the cuts.
- Remove the eel from the pan before turning off the heat; this helps the eel absorb less oil and stay crispy longer.
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Make the marinade sauce
Place a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and when the oil is hot, add all the ingredients to the pan in turn.
Add 300g of ground galangal, 5 minced lemongrass stalks, 3 minced ginger roots, 3 minced shallots, 2 minced chili peppers, 80ml of white fermented rice, 80ml of turmeric water, 40ml of annatto oil, 3 tablespoons of shrimp paste, 1 package of shrimp satay, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 1.5 teaspoons of monosodium glutamate, 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon of honey.
Stir all the ingredients together until the mixture starts to boil and thickens slightly, then turn off the heat and let it cool.
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Marinate the fish
Pour the marinade sauce evenly over the fish, mix well and let it sit for about 30 minutes for the fish to absorb the seasoning.
Tip: If you have time, you should marinate the fish for about 1 – 2 hours for better flavor absorption and taste.
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Grilled Fish
Place the seasoned eel on the charcoal grill, grilling for 10 minutes until the surface of the fish firms up, then use a brush to apply a layer of cooking oil on top of the fish.
Continue grilling for about 20 minutes, until the fish is fragrant, and the flesh is firm and golden on both sides.
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Final Product
The grilled eel with ginger and fermented rice is crispy, flavorful, and lightly scented with the aroma of fried onion and garlic. You can enjoy it with rice paper, noodles, fresh herbs, and dip it in a sweet and sour sauce for a perfect combination!
What is eel? How to choose fresh and delicious eel
What is eel?
- Eel is a type of fish with a long, slightly flattened body, it breeds in the sea and then migrates into freshwater rivers, moving deep into streams and settling in stable currents.
- When mature, eels find their way back to the sea to spawn. Freshwater eels are often afraid of light, so they are active at night.
How to choose fresh and delicious eel
- Fresh and delicious eels are certainly those that are still alive, swimming actively; when held in hand, the eel should be stiff, not soft or dangling.
- You can observe the gills of the fish, which should be pinkish-red, without a foul smell or sliminess, indicating fresh quality. Fresh eels will have bulging eyes and a translucent color.
- The skin of the fish should be smooth and shiny with a bright color, and the body should be intact without wounds, bruises, or strange spots.
How to clean eel, non-slippery
- You can pour a little boiling water over the eel, then use a knife to scrape the skin all over to remove the slime, and finally rinse with clean water 2 – 3 times.
- You can also use salt or kitchen ash to rub the entire body of the eel, which helps to thoroughly eliminate the slime on the skin, rinse with water a few times and you’re done.
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I hope that with 2 ways to make grilled eel with turmeric and grilled with fermented rice that TasteVN just shared can help you add flavor to your family meals. Wishing you success with your own delicious dishes!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel: Hana Nguyen, Thím Khuyên Vlog
