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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Sweet and sour basa fish stew is simple, rich in flavor, delicious, and nutritious, promising to be very appetizing. TasteVN will guide you to the kitchen on how to make this attractive stew to treat your family!
Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Basa Fish Stew For 4 people
Basa fish 4 pieces (about 700g) Pickled vegetables 300 g Cherry tomatoes 7 fruits (or 2 tomatoes) Green onions 2 stalks Chili pepper 1 piece Red onion 4 bulbs Garlic 1 bulb Chili powder 1/2 teaspoon Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Cooking oil 4 tablespoons Brown sugar 1 tablespoon Common spices a little (salt/ monosodium glutamate/ ground pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh basa fish
- The freshest fish is still alive; you should choose those that swim vigorously, with clear eyes, red gills, shiny skin, and no unusual colors.
- For pre-prepared basa fish, choose those with light brown backs, intact fins and tails. The fish eyes should be clear, and the gills bright red without signs of congestion, with no unpleasant smell.
- Choose fish with small muscle fibers, with white interspersed fat. The fish meat should be firm, bounce back when pressed, with no liquid leaking, and no slime on the surface.
- Avoid fish showing unusual signs like bloating, weak swimming, or pale colors.
See details: How to choose fresh basa fish
How to choose delicious pickled cucumbers
- Delicious pickled cucumbers have a natural fermentation smell, and the cucumber leaves retain a nice slightly yellowish green color. When tasted, the cucumbers should be crunchy and have a pleasantly sour taste.
- Choose pickled cucumbers with large leaves, not infested or rotten, with no strange smells. The pickling brine should be clear and not moldy.
- Avoid pickled cucumbers that are yellowing, dark yellow, or overly green.
- It is advisable to buy from reputable stores with packaging to ensure the shelf life and origin of the pickled cucumbers.
- Additionally, to be assured of the quality of pickled cucumbers, you can make them at home with a simple recipe shared by TasteVN.
How to choose fresh tomatoes
- Choose tomatoes with plump, shiny skin, bright red, and evenly colored, as these are usually fresh and perfectly ripe.
- Those with green, fresh stems still attached to the top of the fruit are typically fresh, recently harvested, and will taste sweeter and crunchier.
- Avoid tomatoes with wrinkled skin or those that feel soft and mushy when gently squeezed, as these are either overripe or have been harvested for a long time.
See details: How to choose fresh tomatoes
How to prepare Braised Basa Fish with Pickled Vegetables
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the basa fish with diluted salt water, then rinse thoroughly and let it drain.
Effective ways to eliminate fishy smell
- Method 1: Rub the fish with coarse salt (or lemon juice, vinegar) or soak the fish in diluted salt water for about 3 – 4 minutes, then rinse clean.
- Method 2: Another way to clean the fish and effectively eliminate the smell is to soak the fish in a mixture of diluted alcohol and crushed ginger, then rinse clean and let it drain.
See details: How to prepare to clean fish and eliminate the fishy smell
Wash the pickled vegetables, squeeze dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into wedges, and wash and chop the green onions.
Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Mince the chili pepper.
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Frying fish
Put a pan on the stove and add 4 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the basa fish and fry over medium heat for about 5 – 7 minutes until the fish is golden, then flip to the other side, fry until golden, and then transfer the fish to a pot.
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Stewing fish
Using the pan used to fry the fish, add 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar to the pan, turn on low heat until the sugar turns a brown color, then add garlic, shallots, and 1/2 of the chopped chili to sauté until fragrant, then add the sour mustard greens and stir well.
Next, add 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and stir well for the sour mustard greens to absorb the spices for about 2 – 3 minutes, then add 200ml of water, adjust the seasoning to your family’s taste, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
While waiting for the pot of sour mustard greens to boil, arrange the tomatoes in the pot with the fried basa fish, then pour the boiled sour mustard greens mixture in, and cook over medium heat for about 7 – 10 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavors.
Finally, add chopped green onions and the remaining 1/2 of the chopped chili, and you’re done!
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Final Product
Braised basa fish with sour pickles is eye-catching and has an incredibly enticing aroma. The basa fish absorbs the spices, blending perfectly with the crunchy sour pickles that have a slight tang, and the braised fish sauce is extremely delicious.
This dish paired with white rice is absolutely delightful!
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The dish braised basa fish with sour pickles is a great choice for a family meal. Wishing you success with the recipe from TasteVN!
