Fish stomach of the ocean tuna is a type of food that is still quite unfamiliar to many home cooks; however, if you know how to prepare it, it can create incredibly delicious, chewy, and crunchy dishes. Let’s get cooking right away with TasteVN and try your hand at making 2 mixed salads from the delicious and flavorful fish stomach of the tuna!
1. Mixed Salad of Ocean Tuna Stomach with Green Mango
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Mixed Salad of Ocean Tuna Stomach with Green Mango Serves 4 people
Tuna stomach 1 piece (about 200gr) Green mango 1 fruit Onion 1 bulb Chili 1 fruit Lemon 1 fruit Thai basil 4 sprigs Cilantro a little Fish sauce 4 tablespoons Vinegar a little Common seasoning a little (sugar/salt/MSG)
How to choose delicious raw mangoes
- You should buy mangoes that are very green and sour; the finished dish will be crisp and more appealing. Do not choose mangoes that show signs of ripening or are ripe because when mixed in a mango salad, they will be bruised and not tasty.
- For green mangoes, choose those that are firm, have a white powdery skin, deep green color, fresh green stem, and may have sap.
- Do not choose green mangoes that are soft, as these are often unripe fruits that have been stored for too long. These fruits will have a bland taste, lack fragrance, and the flesh will be mushy.
- If you do not like too much sourness, you can choose four-season mangoes or sticky mangoes.
See details: How to choose delicious raw mangoes
How to prepare Green Mango Tuna Belly Salad
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Prepare the tuna belly
After purchasing the tuna belly, rub it with salt, then turn it inside out and use a knife to scrape off the slimy and sticky substances inside, then rinse thoroughly with water.
Boil a pot of water, add a little vinegar or alcohol, then bring to a boil. After that, add the belly and boil for about 10 – 15 minutes until the water boils again and the tuna belly is cooked evenly, then remove it and let it cool.
Use a knife to cut the tuna belly into pieces about 1/2 finger thick.
Tip:
- Add a little vinegar or alcohol to the water used to boil the tuna belly to eliminate the fishy smell and help the belly stay white and not turn dark.
- Do not boil for too long, as this will make the belly tough and chewy, which is not pleasant to eat.
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Prepare other ingredients
After purchasing, peel the mango, wash it clean, then use a knife to cut it into small strands suitable for eating. Wash the coriander, chop the leaves finely, and leave the stems and roots intact.
Peel the onion, slice it thinly, then soak it immediately in a bowl of cold water mixed with a little vinegar.
Pick the young leaves of the basil, wash them clean, and let them dry.
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Make the salad dressing
Add 1/2 tablespoon of MSG, 1/4 tablespoon of salt, and 1 chili pepper into the mortar, then use the pestle to pound them finely.
Next, add 4 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, then stir well to dissolve all the seasonings completely.
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Mix the salad
Add tuna belly, onions, basil, and green mango into a bowl, drizzle the salad dressing and squeeze in 1 lemon, then mix well to let the ingredients absorb the seasoning evenly.
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Final product
The green mango tuna belly salad is extremely attractive and delicious with a full range of flavors. The crunchy, sour green mango, the chewy tuna belly, not fishy at all, combined with the sweet and sour sauce makes this simple salad extraordinarily special.
2. Tuna belly salad with carrots
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Tuna belly salad with carrots Serves 4 people
Tuna belly 500 gr Carrots 4 pieces Onions 2 pieces Vietnamese mint 4 sprigs Peanuts 50 gr Garlic 8 cloves Bird’s eye chili a little Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Lemon 1 piece Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Common seasoning a little (sugar/salt/monosodium glutamate)
How to choose fresh and delicious carrots
- Choose carrots that are bright orange, smooth-skinned, and have a small top.
- Choose ones that still have fresh green tops, feel firm when squeezed lightly, and are not bruised or soft.
- It is better to choose medium-sized or small carrots to ensure crispness and sweetness when cooked.
- Avoid choosing overly large carrots as they tend to be old, lacking in sweetness, and not tasty.
- Avoid carrots with black spots, soft or rotten areas, cracks, or strange odors.
How to prepare Tuna belly salad with carrot
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Prepare the tuna belly
Purchase tuna belly, rub it with salt for about 5 minutes, then rinse it several times with water.
Boil the belly for about 15 minutes, then remove it to cool and cut it into bite-sized pieces about 1/2 finger thick.
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Prepare other ingredients
Peel and wash the carrot. Remove the skin from the onion.
Grate the carrot and onion, then place them in a bowl and marinate with 1/3 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1/3 tablespoon of MSG, then mix well and let the ingredients absorb the seasoning for about 15 minutes.
Pick the leaves of the Vietnamese mint, removing any yellow or wormy leaves (if any), then wash them thoroughly. Roast the peanuts until cooked, then shell them. Peel the garlic, slice 4 cloves thinly, and leave the rest whole.
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Prepare the salad dressing
Add 4 cloves of garlic, a little chili (depending on taste), 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate into a mortar and pound until finely crushed. Then add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and stir well until all the ingredients are completely dissolved.
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Sauté the fish stomach briefly
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it, then add sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Next, add the fish stomach and sauté over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant, then pour in 1 tablespoon of salad dressing, stir well for another minute, then turn off the heat and let the fish stomach cool.
Tip:
- Sautéing the fish stomach helps to eliminate the fishy smell, making it tastier to eat.
- You should let the fish stomach cool completely before mixing the salad to avoid cooking the vegetables, which would cause them to lose their crispness.
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Mix the salad
Add the sautéed fish stomach to the bowl with carrots and onions, then pour the salad dressing and mix well.
Next, add the Vietnamese mint and roasted peanuts, mix well one more time to complete.
Finally, just plate the salad, and if you like, add a bit of fried onion or garlic (optional) to enhance the flavor.
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Final Product
With just a few simple steps, not complicated at all, you have immediately made a dish of tuna belly salad with carrots.
The harmonious combination of sour, spicy, sweet, and salty flavors, along with the chewy appeal of tuna belly and the crunchy sweetness of carrots will stimulate everyone’s appetite.
How to choose fresh and delicious tuna belly
- You should choose tuna bellies that are bright in color, thick, and have no unusual foul smell.
- Gently press the belly with your finger; if it does not deform and has elasticity, it’s good.
- You need to buy tuna bellies from reputable frozen seafood sales systems or supermarkets.
- Avoid buying tuna bellies sold at markets because when they are outside at room temperature, they will become soft and start to decompose, having a gray or white color.
How to eliminate the fishy smell from tuna belly
- Wash the tuna belly briefly after purchasing. Then, rub it with 1 tablespoon of salt and 50ml of rice vinegar, and soak for 15 minutes to remove the smell. After soaking, rinse the belly with cold water until clean and let it drain.
- Boil a pot of water, briefly blanch the belly for 5 seconds to firm it up, then transfer it to a bowl of ice water to soak for a crunchy white belly. After soaking for 10 minutes, take it out to let the belly drain.
How to cut onions without crying
- If you are afraid of crying while cutting onions, you can chew on a bit of bread while cutting. The mouth movement helps minimize the amount of onion juice that reaches your eyes effectively.
- Because the structure of onion flesh is tubular, you should cut the onion horizontally to avoid onion drops splattering into your eyes.
- Before cutting, you can soak the onion in salt water or paper; the acidity or ion content in vinegar and salt can alter the enzymes in the onion, reducing its pungency.
See details: Pocket 10 tricks to cut onions without crying
See more
So you have learned 2 recipes for making tuna belly salad that is crispy and delicious, rich in flavor. It’s really simple, isn’t it? Wishing you success!
*Refer to the images and recipes from the YouTube channel Rustic Fun and Que Nau TV
