Flounder is a delicious, nutritious food that can be prepared in many different tasty dishes. Today, let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen and make 2 steamed dishes with flounder that are incredibly delicious, named steamed flounder with soy sauce and steamed flounder with vermicelli, sweet and tender for the whole family to enjoy!
1. Steamed flounder with soy sauce
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed flounder with soy sauce Serves 4
Flounder 1 kg Red bell pepper 1/2 piece Ginger 1 piece Green onions 4 stalks Cooking wine 2 tablespoons Soy sauce 4 tablespoons Sesame oil 1 teaspoon Black vinegar 2 tablespoons Chili oil a little Cooking oil 4 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/salt/seasoning powder/msg)
How to Prepare Steamed Flatfish with Soy Sauce
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Prepare the flatfish
After purchasing the flatfish, use a knife to scrape off the black scales on the outside, then use a gutting knife to remove the entrails. Rub it with salt, then rinse thoroughly with water and let it drain.
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Prepare other ingredients
Wash the ginger, peel it, and then divide it into two parts. Slice one part to prepare for steaming the fish, and julienne the other part.
Clean the red bell pepper and then slice it into strips.
Green onions are divided in half: cut the green onion bulbs in half, and julienne the green parts.
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Making soy sauce
Put 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of black vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder into a bowl, along with a little chili oil (to taste), then stir well until the ingredients are completely dissolved.
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Steaming the fish
Arrange the sliced green onions and ginger on a plate, then place the fish on top and drizzle 2 tablespoons of cooking wine over the fish.
Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Put the fish in the microwave and steam for about 6 minutes until the fish is cooked evenly.
Tip: If you don’t have a microwave, you can also steam the fish using a regular pot! -
Cooking the sauce
Place a pot on the stove, add the mixed sauce into it. Turn on medium heat and stir continuously until the sauce boils, then turn off the stove.
Put a pan on the stove, add 4 tablespoons of cooking oil and heat it up.
After steaming the fish, take it out, then add chopped green onions, ginger, and sliced chili along with the sauce you just cooked on top. Finally, drizzle hot oil evenly over the fish.
Tip: Drizzling hot oil over the fish helps the green onions, chili, and ginger cook evenly and enhances the aroma.
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The finished product
The steamed flounder with soy sauce has an enticing aroma, tender and sweet fish meat harmonizing with the rich sweet and sour sauce, fragrant with green onions and ginger. This dish can be wrapped in rice paper or served with hot rice for a delicious experience.
2. Steamed Flatfish with Vermicelli
Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed Flatfish with Vermicelli For 4 people
Flatfish 500 gr Wood ear mushrooms 100 gr (black fungus) Minced pork 100 gr Vermicelli 100 gr Onion 1 bulb Spring onion 5 stalks Celery 100 gr Red bell pepper 2 fruits Yellow bell pepper 1 fruit Minced garlic 1.5 tablespoons Minced shallots 1.5 tablespoons Sliced ginger 1.5 tablespoons Fresh herbs 500 gr (lettuce/pennywort/perilla/basil) White wine 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Soy sauce 4 tablespoons Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/salt/pepper/seasoning)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh pork
You can buy pork to grind at home using a meat grinder or buy pre-ground types as mentioned in the article!
- For whole pork, you should first pay attention to the color. The color of good meat is bright pink, not too red or too pale. Pork that is pale, has a greenish tint, and has a foul smell is already spoiled, and you should avoid this type of meat.
- Pork that is firm and elastic is good meat. You can test this by pressing your finger into the meat; if it bounces back immediately, is not slimy, and does not leak water or juice, it is good.
- For pre-ground pork, you should buy from reputable stores or supermarkets.
- You should choose pork shoulder that has both lean meat and fat so that your dish is not dry and does not become too greasy from excess fat.
See details: How to choose fresh pork, ensuring quality
How to choose good wood ear mushrooms
- You should prioritize choosing wood ear mushrooms with large, thick ears and few small mushrooms at the base. The mushrooms should have a dark amber color, slightly shiny (for the top side of the mushroom) and a coffee milk color (for the underside).
- You should choose reputable places, food stores, supermarkets, etc., to ensure the quality of the mushrooms.
- Avoid choosing black wood ear mushrooms that look too black, as this type may become mushy when soaked in water and is less crunchy.
- You should not buy mushrooms that are broken or show signs of mold.
Tools needed
Steamer pot, frying pan, knife, scissors, plate,…
How to prepare steamed flounder with vermicelli
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Prepare and marinate the flounder
To save time, you should choose pre-prepared flounder available at supermarkets. After purchasing, soak it in diluted salt water for about 10 – 15 minutes, then remove and rinse well, letting it drain.
Marinate the fish with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and a little ground pepper. Use your hands to rub the fish evenly and let it soak in the seasoning for about 15 – 20 minutes.
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Prepare other ingredients
Soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water for about 30 – 45 minutes to soften them after rinsing them clean under running water to remove dust. Then chop the wood ear mushrooms finely.
How to properly soak dried wood ear mushrooms
- Only soak wood ear mushrooms for a maximum of 3 – 4 hours; soaking for too long can cause the mushrooms to produce toxins harmful to health.
- Only soak dried wood ear mushrooms in cold water, do not soak in hot water as it will produce many substances that are not good for health.
Soak the vermicelli in cold water for about 10 minutes, then cut the strands into pieces about the length of a finger.
Cut the red and yellow bell peppers into strips. Shred the green onions. Wash the celery, keeping the lower stalk intact and cutting the leaves into sections.
Peel the onion and slice it thinly.
How to cut onions without making your eyes sting
- If you are afraid of cutting onions and getting stinging eyes, you can chew a bit of bread while cutting the onion. The mouth movement helps minimize the amount of onion juice that gets into your eyes effectively.
- Since the structure of the onion’s flesh is tubular, you should cut across the onion to avoid the droplets of onion juice splashing into your eyes.
- Before cutting, you can soak the onion in salt water or paper; the acidity or ionic properties in vinegar and salt can denature the enzymes in the onion, reducing its pungency.
See details: 10 tips for cutting onions without making your eyes sting
Fresh herbs like lettuce, perilla, fish mint, basil, and Vietnamese balm should be cleaned by removing any yellow or damaged leaves (if any) and then washed thoroughly with water.
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Sauté the ingredients
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it, then add 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of minced shallots, and 1/2 tablespoon of julienned ginger to the pan and sauté until fragrant.
When the shallots, garlic, and ginger are aromatic, add the minced pork to the pan and stir well. Use chopsticks to break it up, and continue to sauté until the pork is crumbly and cooked through.
Next, add the celery, wood ear mushrooms, and onions to the pan and stir-fry on high heat until evenly cooked.
Finally, add the bell peppers, stir well for about 1 – 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat.
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Make the sauce
Place another pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it up, then add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced shallots, and 1 tablespoon of julienned ginger and sauté until fragrant.
Next, add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and a little pepper to the pan and stir well until the seasonings are completely dissolved and the sauce is boiling, then turn off the heat.
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Steam the fish
Place the steamer on the stove, add water and bring to a boil.
Next, place the marinated fish in the steamer, cover it, and steam for about 20 minutes until the fish is cooked evenly.
After 20 minutes, pour out some of the water from steaming the fish on the plate, drizzle 1 tablespoon of white wine and a little of the sauce just made over the fish, then steam for another 5 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavors.
Next, open the pot lid, place the fish fillet, sautéed vegetables, and vermicelli on top, drizzle the remaining sauce over, add chopped green onions and sliced bell peppers. Cover the lid and steam for another 5 minutes to finish.
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Final product
Steamed flatfish with vermicelli after completion has an appealing aroma. The fish is sweet, firm, with mushrooms and crunchy, sweet vegetables combined with a rich, flavorful sauce. You can serve this dish with rice paper and fresh vegetables to add variety to your meal.
How to choose good flatfish (cow tongue fish)
- The fish gills should be bright red, tightly closed, and free of strange odors or slime. If the fish is spoiled, the gills will be gray. The gills should not be sticky, smell strange, or be very slimy.
- The scales should be shiny and tightly attached to the body, with no slime or foul odor.
- Pressing the fish’s body with your hand should show good elasticity, not leaving a dent.
- The fish’s mouth should be tightly closed, with a pale white anus, tightly closed against the fish’s belly.
- Currently, flatfish is often sold ready-cut in slices at grocery stores and supermarkets.
- If choosing packaged products, pay attention to the expiration date on the packaging or select slices of fish that are firm, not leaking water or very slimy, and without any foul smell.
See details: How to choose fresh and quality fish
How to clean flounder properly, without fishy smell:
- Boil a little water until it is slightly hot, then pour it over the fish and use a knife to scrape off the scales on the back and tail. This method helps to remove slime as well as eliminate the fishy smell, very effectively.
- After cleaning, you can soak the fish in diluted saltwater or rice water for about 15 minutes or rub salt on the fish, then rinse with clean water.
See details: How to clean fish without slime, reduce fishy smell
How to choose fresh and delicious bell peppers
- To choose good bell peppers, you should select those with a shiny, smooth, thick skin, still have the stem firmly attached to the body, feel heavy in hand, and have bright colors. These will be fresh and nutritious bell peppers.
- Avoid choosing soft, mushy bell peppers, with bruises, dull colors, and cracks as these are spoiled and lack nutrients.
- Bell peppers come in two types: male and female. If the bottom of the fruit has 4 lobes, it is a female pepper; if it has 3 lobes, it is a male pepper. Female peppers are usually sweet, often eaten raw, while male peppers are more sour and used for cooking dishes like stir-fried dishes, grilled dishes,…
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I hope 2 ways to make delicious and flavorful steamed flounder with soy sauce and vermicelli that TasteVN shares in this article will help you add a nutritious dish for the whole family. Wishing you success in your cooking!
*Source of recipe and images from the YouTube channels BẾP VIỆT 24 and Tony-Trung Dang
