Grab 2 new dishes right away with caramelized snakehead fish and peppery braised fish that are bursting with flavor. The unique combination of rustic, familiar ingredients promises to be very rice-consuming in your home. Let’s head to the kitchen with TasteVN to make these 2 braised dishes!
1. Caramelized Snakehead Fish
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Caramelized Snakehead Fish Serves 4
Snakehead fish 400 gr Pineapple 1/2 fruit (dứa) Red chili 10 fruits Coloring sauce 1/2 tablespoon Chopped garlic 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper)
How to choose fresh and delicious pineapple
- Sweet pineapple will have a bright yellow color from the stem to the top or may have a little green mixed in.
- You should choose pineapples that are short, uniformly cylindrical as they will have more flesh and be sweeter than those with long bodies.
- Choose pineapples with large and sparse eyes, and when smelling, there should be a sweet fragrance.
- It’s best to choose pineapples that feel heavy in hand, with the top still fresh and green.
- Avoid buying pineapples that have a skin that has started to turn orange or has black spots.
- Do not buy unripe pineapples as they are very sour, and the dish will not taste good when cooked.
How to prepare Dried snakehead fish cooked with pineapple
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Prepare dried snakehead fish
Cut the dried snakehead fish into bite-sized pieces, then place them into a bowl, soak in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften the fish.
After that, rinse the dried fish with cold water 2-3 more times until clean, then remove and let it drain.
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Prepare pineapple
Peel the pineapple and remove the eyes. To make the pineapple softer when cooking, remember to remove the core as well.
After peeling the pineapple, wash it clean and cut it into small pieces for easy consumption.
Quick way to peel pineapple (without cutting the eyes):
- First, cut the pineapple vertically from top to bottom into 4 equal parts.
- Continue to cut along the length of the pineapple piece, stopping at the end of the fruit and cutting firmly to remove the flesh while discarding the skin.
- Avoid cutting too close to the skin to prevent any eyes from being left behind. Finally, cut into smaller pieces as needed.
See details: 5 simple ways to peel pineapple quickly and easily
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Cooking dried snakehead fish
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Wait for the oil to heat up, then add minced garlic and fry until fragrant.
When the garlic is golden and aromatic, add the dried snakehead fish, stir evenly over medium heat for about 2 minutes to firm up the fish.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon of coloring sauce to the pan and mix well for the seasonings to coat the fish.
After about 3 minutes, add all the pineapple that has been cut, and mix well. Add about 500ml of water to the pan and bring to a boil.
When the water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 10 red chilies, wait for the water to boil again, then adjust the seasoning to taste and simmer for about 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, the sauce will thicken and coat the dried fish and pineapple; you can turn off the heat and serve the dish on a plate to finish.
Tip: To make the dried snakehead fish more delicious, you can use a clay pot instead of a pan for cooking.
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Final product
The braised snakehead fish after completion emits an incredibly attractive aroma that stimulates the taste buds.
The fish is chewy, with a sweet and sour flavor combined with a rich braising sauce, spicy chili served with white rice; what could be better, right?
2. Braised snakehead fish with pepper
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking time
20 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Braised snakehead fish with pepper For 4 people
Snakehead fish 300 gr Green onions 3 stalks Garlic 2 cloves Shallots 5 bulbs Fresh chili 10 fruits Oyster sauce 1 teaspoon Chili sauce 1 tablespoon Tomato sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1 teaspoon Seasoning/pepper a little
How to cook Dried Snakehead Fish with Pepper
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Prepare the ingredients
Cut the dried snakehead fish into bite-sized pieces, then place the dried snakehead fish into a bowl of warm water and soak for about 10 minutes.
After that, remove the dried snakehead fish, rinse it once more with water to clean it, and then let it drain.
Peel the shallots, slice half of them, and finely chop the other half. Peel the garlic and then mince it.
Trim the roots off the green onions, wash them clean, and then slice them thinly for decoration.
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Marinated Dried Snakehead Fish
Marinate the dried snakehead fish with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, minced shallots, 1/2 the amount of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder.
Mix well and let the dried snakehead fish marinate for about 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
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Braised Dried Snakehead Fish
Place a pot on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Wait for the oil to heat up, then add the remaining minced shallots and garlic, and sauté until fragrant.
When the shallots and garlic are golden and fragrant, add the marinated dried fish, increase the heat, and stir well for about 1 minute until the fish is firm.
Next, add 1/2 cup of water (rice bowl size) to the pot, press down to submerge the fish in the water, and bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and braise the fish for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding fresh chili, ground pepper, and chopped green onions on top for an appealing finish.
Final Product
Braised snakehead fish with black pepper has a rich, spicy, sweet, and salty sauce that is extremely enticing.
The fish is chewy, naturally sweet, and the aroma of ground pepper will surely make the whole family fall in love from the very first taste!
How to choose quality delicious dried snakehead fish
- Delicious dried snakehead fish will have a natural, even color, translucent white-yellow or brownish.
- You should choose dried snakehead fish that is dried just right, not too hard, with firm and chewy flesh.
- Do not buy if you see the fish is flaky, with an unusual fishy smell.
- You can find dried snakehead fish at seafood markets, stores selling dried food, or on e-commerce sites.
- Currently, the price of dried snakehead fish ranges from 290,000 VND/kg for farmed fish and 500,000 VND/kg for wild fish. (price updated in 06/2021)
- Additionally, you can easily make delicious dried snakehead fish at home with TasteVN’s recipe.
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The family meal promises to be more flavorful with 2 dishes of fragrant and peppery dried snakehead fish. Let’s show off your cooking skills by following the recipe shared by TasteVN, and good luck!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel TRÂM HEN BEN and sand time
