How to cook sweet and savory snakehead fish noodle soup from Kiên Giang, a change of flavor for the family

How to prepare Kiên Giang fish noodle soup

• 1

  Prepare the ingredients

  Wash the snakehead fish with salt water and then rinse with clean water and let it drain.

  Cut the snakehead fish into pieces about the size of a finger joint.

  How to clean snakehead fish to remove slime and fishy smell

  Method 1: Use salt (coarse salt or fine salt)

  • Rub and gently massage salt onto the fish for about 2 – 3 minutes.
  • Then rinse with clean water, let it drain, or use paper towels or a clean cloth to dry the fish before cooking.

  Method 2: Use lemon or vinegar and warm water

  • Put the cleaned fish into a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar along with a small cup of warm water, and soak the fish for 3 – 5 minutes.
  • Then massage the entire body of the fish once more and rinse with clean running water to finish.

  Method 3: Use lime for betel nut

  • Take a little lime and rub it on the fish’s skin, then use banana leaves to scrub hard; the fish’s slime will come off with the banana leaves and will also eliminate the fishy smell.

  See details: How to clean and remove the fishy smell from fish

  You soak the shrimp in diluted salt water for about 3 – 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and let them drain. Next, proceed to peel the shell and head of the shrimp. Place the shrimp on an cutting board, use a knife to make a cut along the back or use a toothpick to remove the black vein on the shrimp’s back and discard it.

  Rinse the shrimp with clean water once more before cooking.

  Wash the water lily and other vegetables, and let them drain.

  Wash the onion, peel it, let it drain, and cut it into quarters.

  Wash the shallots, peel them, and thinly slice.

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Marinate snakehead fish and shrimp

  You place the cleaned fish meat into a bowl and add 1 spoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 spoon of salt, 2 spoons of seasoning powder, 1.5 spoons of sugar, a little pepper, and mix well for the fish to absorb the spices.

  Marinate the fish for about 15 minutes.

  You put the cleaned shrimp into another bowl and add 1 spoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 spoon of salt, 2 spoons of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a little pepper, and mix well.

  Marinate the shrimp for 10 – 15 minutes for the shrimp to absorb the spices.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Sauté shrimp

  You add 1 tablespoon of annatto seeds along with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to a pan and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes until the annatto seeds release their color, then remove them.

  At this point, the oil is also hot, you add the marinated shrimp and sauté until the shrimp is cooked and firm, then turn off the heat.

  Tip: For a better flavor, when the shrimp is just cooked, you can crack in 2 egg yolks and stir-fry them together with the shrimp.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Cook the broth

  You put a pot on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, when the oil is hot, add 1 tablespoon of sliced shallots to sauté until fragrant.

  Next, add the marinated snakehead fish and stir-fry until the fish is firm.

  Add 3 liters of filtered water, 1 cut onion to the pot and cook until the water boils for about 15 minutes.

  Add to the pot 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder and cook for about 10 minutes.

  When the water boils, skim off all the foam and adjust the seasoning to taste, then turn off the heat.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  Thus, the delicious and hot Kiên Giang snakehead dish is complete.

  Place the noodles in a bowl, add some vegetables, and top with fish and shrimp. Next, ladle the broth over it and sprinkle a little pepper on top, and you can enjoy it right away.

  The bowl of noodles is fragrant, colorful, with the chewy snakehead fish and tender shrimp. Taking a bite feels like being right in Kiên Giang! This dish is best enjoyed with satay and chili fish sauce, which will enhance the flavor and make it even more delicious.