How to Cook Catfish Porridge, a Rustic Specialty from the River Region to Warm You on Rainy Days

How to prepare Fish Porridge

• 1

  Preparing the fish

  When you buy the fish, clean off the scales, cut off the head, fins, and tail, then gut the fish and remove the entrails. Next, wash the fish thoroughly and let it drain.

  How to clean the fish without a fishy smell

  Method 1: Soak the cleaned fish in rice water for 15 – 20 minutes and then rinse again to help eliminate the fishy odor.

  Method 2: Before cleaning the fish, soak it in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes, then scale, gut, and wash it to prepare for cooking.

  Method 3: After scaling and gutting, soak the fish in water mixed with a few tablespoons of vinegar, white wine, or lemon juice, then rinse and let it drain.

  Method 4: Additionally, you can soak the fish in water mixed with crushed ginger to eliminate the fishy smell.

  See details: How to remove the fishy smell from fish

  
• 2

  Roast rice and marinate fish

  Wash the rice clean, drain, put into a pan (or pot) and roast until fragrant.

  Small eels are kept whole, larger ones should be cut in half for easier eating.

  Mix the fish with 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1 tablespoon of fried onion, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, a few smashed green onion tops, 1 teaspoon of chopped chili, 1.5 teaspoons of fish sauce, and 1 piece of ginger cut into strips.

  Marinate the fish for about 30 minutes to let it absorb the spices.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Prepare and boil vegetables

  Pick the accompanying vegetables, remove wilted leaves, wash thoroughly and drain. Wash the scallion and coriander, then chop finely.

  Trim the stems of straw mushrooms, soak them in diluted salt water, then rinse them thoroughly with water and drain.

  Wash the root vegetables, peel them, and let them drain. Cut 1 corn into pieces, and for the other, use a knife to scrape off the kernels. Cut half of the carrot and jicama into large cubes, and the other half into small dice.

  Next, boil 2 liters of water, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the cut corn, carrot, and jicama cubes. When the water comes to a boil again, reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 15 minutes to extract the sweetness, then remove all the vegetables into a basket.

  Note: To prevent the vegetables from becoming mushy and losing their sweetness, do not overcook them when boiling.

  

  

  
• 4

  Stir-fried straw mushrooms and cook porridge

  Next, add diced carrots, jicama, corn, and roasted rice into the pot of boiling vegetable water, stirring the ingredients well.

  While waiting for the porridge to cook, sauté minced shallots with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, then add the cleaned straw mushrooms and stir-fry on high heat until the mushrooms are firm.

  When the rice in the pot has expanded and softened, add the stir-fried straw mushrooms, season with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and stir well.

  Finally, when ready to eat, add the catfish, boil for an additional 5 minutes until the fish is cooked, then sprinkle a little pepper, chopped green onions, and cilantro before enjoying.

  

  
• 5

  Final product

  The catfish porridge combines the sweet, tender taste of catfish with fresh vegetables, the fluffy and fragrant porridge. Enjoy the hot porridge with bitter vegetables, watercress, and if it’s bland, add a little fish sauce to enhance the flavor.