In a meal, the absence of braised dishes is truly a regrettable omission. Additionally, catfish is an ingredient that creates a significant impression due to its undeniable deliciousness when braised. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN to make 3 catfish braising recipes!
1. Braised Catfish
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Catfish For 3 people
Catfish 500 gr Green onions 3 stalks Hot chili 4 fruits Minced garlic 2 teaspoons Coconut color 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common seasoning a little (Seasoning/ Salt/ Sugar/ MSG)
Ingredient Image
How to Cook Braised Catfish
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Prepare the catfish and other ingredients
After buying the catfish, place it in a bowl and rub 2 teaspoons of salt over the fish for 5 minutes, then wash it clean and let it drain.
Remove the roots of the green onions and finely chop them along with 2 chili peppers.
Tip: To make the fish cleaner when applying salt, be sure to rub it thoroughly in all the crevices of the fish.
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Marinate fish
After the fish has drained, marinate it with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce, mixing well to absorb the seasoning for 20 – 30 minutes.
Tip: If you don’t have caramel sauce, you can make it by caramelizing sugar to replace it, which will also give a very beautiful golden color.
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Fish Stew
Put a pan on the stove with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, 2 small chili peppers cut into pieces, and the white part of green onions to sauté until fragrant.
Next, add 500g of catfish and stir-fry for 5 – 7 minutes, then add 200ml of water to stew the fish for 10 – 15 minutes while reducing the heat to low.
Once the fish is cooked and the sauce has thickened, season to taste, then add the green onions and chili peppers before turning off the heat.
Tip
- Before adding water to stew, you just need to stir-fry to let the fish firm up, you don’t need to wait for the fish to be fully cooked.
- To ensure the fish absorbs the seasoning evenly, turn the fish over continuously and gently to avoid breaking it apart.
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Final Product
Today’s braised dish is really simple but doesn’t lose its deliciousness at all. Just a glance already captures the eye, making everyone continuously turn to look.
This braised catfish has a faint aromatic smell, the fish is just cooked through, with a little spiciness that awakens all our senses.
Of course, enjoying this braised catfish cannot be complete without a bowl of steaming white rice sprinkled with a little ground pepper to make it even more satisfying. Enjoy it right away.
2. Braised Catfish in Clay Pot
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Catfish in Clay Pot For 3 people
Catfish 500 gr Green onions 2 stalks Shallots 4 bulbs Bird’s eye chili 3 fruits Garlic 2 cloves Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common seasonings a little (Seasoning/ Salt/ Sugar/ Ground pepper)
Ingredient Image
How to Cook Braised Catfish
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Prepare the catfish and other ingredients
Purchase the catfish and place it in a tub with 2 teaspoons of salt, then use a knife to scrape off the slime from the skin. Next, continue to rub the fish for 3 minutes and then rinse it thoroughly to drain.
Peel the shallots and garlic, then chop them together with the chilies and green onions.
Tip: To avoid any unpleasant smell from the fish during preparation, make sure to check carefully for any blood remnants on the bones.
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Marinate the fish
Marinate the fish with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 3 chopped bird’s eye chilies, and 1/2 of the chopped garlic and shallots, mixing well for 20 minutes.
Tip: If you want the braised fish to be more flavorful, you can marinate it longer if you have the time.
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Stew the fish
Place a pan on the stove with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 1 tablespoon of sugar over low heat to caramelize the sugar. Once the sugar has melted, add the green onion along with the remaining shallots and minced garlic to sauté until fragrant, then add all 500g of catfish and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
When the fish has shrunk, add 100ml of water and then increase to medium heat for 5 – 7 minutes. When the water boils, reduce to low heat and stew for about 30 minutes.
Finally, when the fish sauce begins to thicken, season to taste and sprinkle the remaining green onions on top of the fish before turning off the heat.
Tip
- Avoid burning the caramelized sugar which can taste bitter, so cook over low heat and once the sugar turns golden, immediately add the garlic and onion to sauté.
- You can replace caramelized sugar with coconut water to save time when caramelizing sugar.
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Finished Dish
So the braised fish dish is complete now. It’s really simple, isn’t it? This will definitely be a captivating dish that makes the whole family unable to put down their chopsticks.
The catfish braised in clay pot with its eye-catching yellow color and irresistible faint aroma. The catfish is rich in flavor with extremely tender and fatty meat, and the sauce is thick and smooth beyond criticism. All of these blend together, leaving everyone longing for more.
The braised catfish will be even more perfect when enjoyed with a hot bowl of rice sprinkled with a bit of ground pepper. Go ahead and try your finished dish now!
3. Braised Catfish with Fermented Soybeans
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Catfish with Fermented Soybeans Serves 4
Catfish 1 kg (1 fish) Fermented soybeans 250 gr (1 jar) Mustard greens 100 gr Green onions 4 stalks Shallots 4 bulbs Minced lemongrass 100 gr (1/2 cup) Hot chili 3 pieces Garlic 4 cloves Coconut caramel sauce 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Cooking oil 4 tablespoons Common spices A little (Seasoning/ Salt/ Sugar/ MSG)
Where to buy fermented soybeans
- Currently, fermented soybeans are very popular and are sold in many places such as supermarkets, markets…. Therefore, if you buy ready-made fermented soybeans, you should choose a place with a clear reputable brand, the product should be intact, and especially pay attention to the product’s expiration date.
- To make the flavor of the dish more complete, you should use the type of fermented soybeans that are yellow because it has a mild sweetness. In contrast, black fermented soybeans have been pre-seasoned, so they will have a slightly saltier taste.
- Additionally, you can also make fermented soybeans at home with a very simple but quick preparation method as follows:
How to prepare Braised Catfish with fermented soybeans
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Prepare the catfish
When you buy catfish, proceed to scrape off the slime, cut off the gills and tail. Use a knife to make a straight cut along the belly with your finger to clean out any remaining intestines and dirty blood inside.
Finally, rub salt on the body of the fish and rinse it several times with water until clean, then cut into bite-sized pieces to drain.
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Marinate the fish
Put the catfish in a bowl and marinate with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of coloring sauce, mixing well to absorb the spices for 20 – 30 minutes.
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Prepare other ingredients
Wash and chop the green onions after removing the roots. Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Pick the young leaves of the mustard greens and wash them. For the chili, just remove the stem.
Tip: To prevent the green onions from being bruised during preparation, ensure they are completely dry.
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Fish Stew
Place a pan on the stove with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1/2 of the chopped shallots and garlic to sauté until fragrant.
Then add 1/2 bowl of minced lemongrass and stir-fry for 2 – 3 minutes, then add 250gr of fermented soybeans, 1 bowl of water, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1 teaspoon of sugar, stirring well for 5 – 7 minutes before turning off the heat and setting aside.
Take another pan and place it on the stove with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat. Once the oil is bubbling, add the remaining chopped shallots and garlic to sauté until fragrant.
Next, add the catfish and stir well to firm up the fish for about 3 – 4 minutes, then add 3 tablespoons of water and pour in all the fermented soybeans, stew for about 20 – 25 minutes.
When the fermented soybeans have reduced and the fish sauce has thickened, season to taste, then add bird’s eye chili and green onions before turning off the heat and transferring to a plate.
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Final Product
Indeed, the efforts you have put into making today’s braised catfish dish have not been in vain. The dish carries the rustic flavor of home, making everyone feel nostalgic for it.
The braised catfish with fermented soybean paste features tender, fatty, and fresh fish combined with the fermented soybean paste, creating a distinctive flavor that cannot be mistaken for anything else.
It would be a shame not to enjoy this braised dish with a bowl of white rice or with mustard greens, wouldn’t it? So why wait any longer? Let’s indulge right away.
How to choose fresh and delicious catfish
- Choosing live fish always brings the best flavor to the dish. Therefore, opt for those that are still swimming well, with clear eyes that allow you to see the pupils.
- When pressing on the flesh, it should feel firm, not mushy, and have good elasticity like rubber.
- Fresh and delicious catfish should have a cherry color; conversely, if it has a dark brown color or is cloudy, it means the fish is spoiled and cannot be used anymore.
- Avoid choosing fish with swollen bodies, weak swimming, and pale colors, as these indicate the fish has been kept for too long.
- Catfish is a freshwater fish, so it should smell like pond water. Avoid those with a strong, foul odor.
See details: How to choose fresh and delicious catfish properly
Effective ways to eliminate fishy odor
- The simplest method is to use lemon juice mixed with warm water to soak the fish for 5 – 7 minutes; the fishy smell will disappear immediately.
- Another method is to soak the fish in saltwater for 5 – 10 minutes or rub salt on the fish body, which not only removes the odor but also effectively eliminates slime.
- Additionally, you cannot overlook the fact that simply soaking the fish for 15 – 20 minutes in rice water will suffice.
- Moreover, ginger crushed and diluted to soak with the fish for 5 – 7 minutes will show immediate results.
- It would be a mistake to skip the method of using diluted alcohol or white vinegar to soak the fish for 5 minutes.
- Housewives also often prefer using fresh milk to eliminate odors, which will bring you great surprises.
See more
The article above has provided you with 3 ways to make braised catfish that are rich and carry the essence of home flavors, making it irresistible to anyone. Wishing you great success and a delicious meal with your family!
