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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
If you’re unsure what delicious dish to cook for the family today, consider trying this flavorful, rich, and unique catfish stew recipe! Let’s get cooking and make this stew right away!
Ingredients for Catfish Stew Serves 4
Catfish 500 gr (1 fish) Lemongrass 2 stalks Galangal 1 rhizome Shallots 4 bulbs Lemon 1 fruit Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Vinegar 80 ml Fermented rice 3 tablespoons Shrimp paste 1 tablespoon Seasoning powder 1 teaspoon Salt 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon
What is hybrid catfish?
- Hybrid catfish is a species of fish that is bred from two varieties: male Pangasius catfish and female yellow catfish. This species was successfully bred in Vietnam in 1990.
- Because hybrid catfish can only live in temperatures ranging from 8 to 39 degrees Celsius, they are often raised in the provinces of Mekong Delta.
- When young, hybrid catfish have colors similar to yellow catfish, with a few bright white spots on their bodies, but as they grow, they resemble Pangasius catfish with mottled colors.
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh hybrid catfish
- The best hybrid catfish are those that are still alive, with intact bodies, no scratches, and are strong and move actively.
- Prioritize selecting older catfish that are large in size, with plump, round bodies, good elasticity when touched, bright red gills, and overall, the head and body should be balanced.
- Avoid purchasing hybrid catfish that have soft, mushy flesh, unpleasant fishy odors, dark red gills, and many wounds on their bodies. These fish are often spoiled, rotten, and have blood clots in their flesh, making them unappetizing.
What is mẻ? Where to buy mẻ
- Mẻ, also known as cơm mẻ – a traditional seasoning with a mild sour taste and distinctive aroma, is used in many dishes such as hot pot dishes, stews, sour soups, bún riêu,…
- Currently, you can easily buy cơm mẻ at local markets or on reputable e-commerce platforms with prices ranging from 15,000 to 16,000 VND for 500g of cơm mẻ (price updated in August 2021).
- Do not buy any cơm mẻ that shows signs of mold, spider webs, or unusual colors like yellow and bluish-gray.
- To ensure safety and quality, you can make cơm mẻ at home with detailed instructions shared by TasteVN.
-800x450-7.jpg "How to Make Delicious and Unique Catfish Soup with Authentic Flavor that Goes Well with Rice 2")
Tools needed
Clay pot, pan, knife, cutting board, bowl,…
How to prepare Catfish stew
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Prepare the ingredients
Shallots should be peeled, washed, and sliced thinly. Lemongrass should be smashed and finely chopped.
For galangal, just wash it clean, drain, slice, smash, and finely chop it.
For catfish, to simplify and speed up the process, you should ask the seller to clean the fish first, then briefly blanch it in warm water and scrape off the slimy layer on the outside with a knife.
Next, take a mixture of 1 tablespoon of coarse salt, 80ml of vinegar, and the juice of 1 lemon to rub evenly over the entire surface of the fish. Cut the fish into thin slices about 1/2 finger length and rinse again with clean water.
How to prepare catfish to remove sliminess
- Method 1: After cleaning the catfish and removing the two pieces of blood near the gills, use the mixture of coarse salt, vinegar, and lemon juice to rub all over the fish and rinse again with clean water.
- Method 2: Briefly blanch the catfish in warm water, then use a knife to scrape off the slimy layer outside and rub it with salt, rinsing twice with water.
See details: How to prepare catfish to remove the fishy smell
Finally, add the sliced catfish along with 1/2 of the sliced shallots, 1/2 of the minced ginger, 1/2 of the minced lemongrass, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons of fermented rice, and 1 tablespoon of shrimp paste into a bowl.
Mix well and marinate for about 1 hour for the catfish to absorb the spices evenly.
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Fry the Snakehead catfish
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, heat over medium heat for about 1 minute until the oil is hot, then add the marinated snakehead catfish.
Fry each side for about 2 minutes over medium heat until the fish meat is firm and fragrant, then transfer the fish to a plate.
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Cook fake catfish stew
First, add all the sliced shallots, minced ginger, remaining minced lemongrass, and remaining turmeric powder into the pan with the oil used to fry the fish earlier, then stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the ingredients are golden and fragrant, then turn off the heat.
Put all the ingredients including the fish marinade, the fried fish, and 100ml of water into a pot. Boil over high heat for about 2 minutes until the water boils, then reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes until the fish is tender.
Add 1 teaspoon of seasoning and 1 tablespoon of fermented rice. Mix well and cook for another 3 minutes until the water in the pot is almost gone, then turn off the stove.
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Final Product
The hybrid catfish cooked in the style of “giả cầy” will have a delicious aroma characteristic of fried lemongrass and galangal once completed. When eating, you will feel the tender and flavorful fish meat that is seasoned just right. The fish skin is chewy, and adding some sour and fragrant braising sauce over rice makes it incredibly appetizing.
To make the dish more delicious, you can enjoy it with various types of raw vegetables along with tomatoes and cucumbers!
See more
Finally, we have completed the unique and attractive dish of hybrid catfish cooked in the style of Giả Cầy that is sure to please the whole family. Wishing you success in making this dish and enjoy a delicious meal!
