Nha Trang jellyfish noodle is a popular dish among the coastal residents, with a simple preparation method but an extremely attractive and delicious flavor from fish and jellyfish. Join TasteVN now to make this Nha Trang specialty!
1. Nha Trang mackerel jellyfish noodle
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Nha Trang mackerel jellyfish noodle Serves 4
Fresh jellyfish 100 g Mackerel head 300 g Mackerel fish cake 300 g Pineapple 1/4 fruit Onion 1 bulb Fresh noodles 500 g Lettuce 100 g Tomato 1 fruit Bean sprouts 150 g Lemon juice a little Chopped shallots 1 tablespoon Spring onions 20 g Annatto oil 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Chopped chili 1 teaspoon Chopped garlic 2 tablespoons Seasoning a little (salt/pepper/sugar/seasoning powder)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose good mackerel
For fresh mackerel:
- To choose fresh and delicious mackerel, you should observe the eyes of the fish. If the flesh of the mackerel is still fresh, its eyes will be clear and slightly bulging. In contrast, spoiled mackerel will have large eye sockets, sunken eyes, and a cloudy appearance, with the cornea lacking elasticity or discolored.
- Additionally, fresh mackerel has a sleek body, and its skin is intact without peeling or scratches. When you press gently on the body of the fish, it should feel firm and the flesh should be elastic.
For frozen mackerel:
- You should choose fish with bright, shiny skin, avoiding those that are dull, do not shine when brought into the light, and have peeling skin, as these are fish that have spoiled or been frozen for too long.
- Moreover, when looking at the gills of fresh frozen fish, you will see that fresh gills are bright pink or red (depending on the freshness of the fish). In contrast, spoiled fish will have pale and dull coloration.
How to buy and make annatto oil
Annatto oil can be purchased at markets, supermarkets, or reputable food stores. Be sure to check the expiration date and that the packaging is intact. Additionally, you can also make it at home to ensure hygiene and quality.
How to prepare Nha Trang jellyfish fish noodle
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Prepare the jellyfish
When purchasing jellyfish, soak it in water with a little lemon juice for 4 – 5 hours or overnight. Then rinse it several times with clean water. Cut the jellyfish into strips and slice it into bite-sized pieces, blanch briefly, and let it drain.
Tip:
Do not blanch the jellyfish for too long as it will cause the jellyfish meat to lose moisture and shrink.
See more: How to prepare jellyfish safely without fishy smell
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Prepare and marinate mackerel
When you buy mackerel, cut off the fins, gills, remove the blood sticking to the bones, or you can ask the seller to clean it for you. Then soak the mackerel in diluted salt water for 15 minutes, then rinse the fish with clean water 2 – 3 times to remove the fishy smell, then let it drain and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Once the fish is drained, marinate it with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon minced chili, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, then mix well and marinate for 10 minutes.
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Prepare other ingredients
Pineapple is peeled and then cut into slices about 1 – 2 cm thick.
Tomatoes are washed clean and cut into wedges.
Onions are peeled, rinsed briefly with clean water, then cut into thin strips.
See more:
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Sauté ingredients
Heat a pan on the stove with 2 tablespoons of annatto oil, when the oil is hot, add 1 tablespoon of shallots and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Then add the pre-prepared tomatoes and pineapple and sauté for 3 minutes before turning off the heat.
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Fried mackerel and fish cake
Place another pan on the stove and add enough oil to submerge the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the mackerel to fry until golden evenly, then remove and let it drain.
Marinate the mackerel fish cake with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and a little pepper for more flavor. Then fry until golden and crispy.
Tip:
You can buy ready-made fish cakes or buy fresh fish to make fish cakes at home to ensure hygiene. You can divide the fish cake mixture into two portions; one portion to fry, and the other to put in a mold coated with duck egg yolk, steam until cooked, let it cool, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
See more: How to make fish cakes from fresh fish, crispy and delicious without using flour
Tips for frying fish without oil splatter
- To prevent the fish from sticking to the pan, add the fish when the oil just starts to bubble, avoiding adding it when the oil is too hot or not hot enough.
- Fry with a moderate amount, not too much to avoid reducing the oil temperature, which can prevent the fish from being crispy and can cause them to stick together.
- If the fish sticks to the pan, turn off the heat, tilt the oil to one side, and wait for the pan to cool; the fish will come off on its own.
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Make the broth
Bring 300g of mackerel head to blanch in boiling water. Put a pot with about 1.5 liters of water on the stove and wait for it to boil, then add the mackerel head to the pot, along with sliced onion, and cook for about 10 minutes. Next, add the previously prepared pineapple and tomato into the pot, and cook for another 20 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and then stir well. Add the fried mackerel to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat.
Tip:
The broth can be simmered longer to extract more sweetness from the fish bones. You can prepare the broth the night before so you can cook quickly the next day.
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Completion
Add noodles, vegetables, jellyfish, and fish into a bowl, then pour the broth over it, and sprinkle chopped green onion on top to finish.
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Final Product
The hot Nha Trang jellyfish tuna noodle dish features a rich broth with a sweet fish flavor, complemented by the crispiness and freshness of the jellyfish. It is served with lettuce, bean sprouts, chili fish sauce, and lime.
2. Nha Trang Tuna Jellyfish Noodle
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Preparation
25 minutes
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Cooking
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Nha Trang Tuna Jellyfish Noodle For 4 people
Tuna 1 fish Dried Jellyfish 350 gr (ready-to-eat jellyfish) Fresh Noodles 1 kg Pineapple 1/4 fruit Tomatoes 2 fruits Onion 1 bulb Shallots 3 bulbs Accompanying Vegetables A little (lettuce/ water spinach/ bean sprouts/ cabbage) Cooking Oil 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce 1/2 tablespoon Common Seasoning A little (sugar/ seasoning powder/ pepper/ salt)
How to choose fresh and delicious tuna
- Choose fresh, live fish, swimming actively, with clear eyes, visible pupils inside, and bright red gills.
- Gently press on the belly of the fish; if the flesh is firm and does not sink, the fish is still fresh.
- Do not buy fish that have sunken or cloudy eyes, gills that have turned pale, or when pressing the flesh it sinks down, indicating the flesh is mushy and lacks elasticity, as this is spoiled fish.
- For frozen tuna, check the expiration date and origin carefully to avoid purchasing low-quality fish.
How to make Nha Trang jellyfish tuna noodle soup
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Preparing jellyfish
First, remove the soaking water from the dried jellyfish, rinse with diluted salt water, then rinse again with clean water.
Prepare a small pot, boil water and quickly blanch the dried jellyfish for 30 seconds, then remove it and rinse quickly with cold water to keep the jellyfish crunchy and drain.
Note: Only briefly blanch the jellyfish; over-blanching in boiling water will cause the jellyfish to lose water and shrink.
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Prepare the remaining ingredients
Clean the tuna by removing the fins and tail, then wash with diluted saltwater, rinse with clean water, cut into bite-sized pieces, and let drain.
Pineapple and tomatoes should be rinsed with diluted saltwater, then rinsed again with clean water. Cut the pineapple into bite-sized pieces and the tomatoes into wedges.
Peel the outer skin of the onion and purple onion, wash them clean, then slice the onion into thin rounds and cut the purple onion into slices.
Wash the accompanying herbs, let them drain, and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
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Sauté pineapple and tomatoes
Place a large pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and when the oil is hot, add the sliced purple onion to sauté until fragrant. Then add the prepared pineapple and tomatoes to the pot and stir on the stove for about 3 minutes, adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the pot.
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Cooking jellyfish noodle soup
After sautéing the onion and tomato for 3 minutes, add 1 liter of water to the pot. Then add the sliced onion and bring to a boil.
When the water boils again, add the tuna to the pot, seasoning gradually with 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and stir to dissolve the seasoning.
Keep the pot on medium heat for 15 minutes, occasionally skimming off the foam to keep the broth clear. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, add 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce to the pot, and taste to adjust seasoning to your family’s preference.
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Completion
Add the noodles to a bowl, then layer the tuna and jellyfish on top, pour the broth along with the pineapple and tomato. The jellyfish noodles taste better when served with herbs, a slice of lime, and a cup of seafood dipping sauce for flavor.
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Final Product
The delicious tuna jellyfish noodle dish from Nha Trang offers the rich flavors of Central Vietnam with a broth that is naturally sweet from fresh fish and onions, and a slight sourness from lime and tomatoes. The fresh fish is chewy and tasty, the jellyfish is crunchy, and dipping it into the sweet and spicy seafood sauce truly makes this a dish you cannot miss.
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to Choose Fresh Jellyfish
- You should choose jellyfish from reliable sources, such as supermarkets, food stores, or markets that have food safety inspections.
- When selecting fresh jellyfish, choose those that are light pink in color, with a slightly translucent surface and not sticky.
- When touched, the jellyfish should feel firm, elastic, and not have any water oozing out.
- Avoid buying jellyfish that show signs of spoilage, such as a cloudy body, being too soft to the touch, or having a strange smell.
How to Choose Fresh Tomatoes
- To select good tomatoes, you should choose ones with a bright red skin, evenly colored, without scratches, and plump.
- Additionally, naturally ripened tomatoes usually have a mild fragrance, which is easily noticeable, and the green stem should still be firmly attached to the fruit, not wilted or fallen off.
- Avoid purchasing unusually large tomatoes that lack green stems and have uniformly shiny skin, as they may have been treated with chemicals.
How to choose fresh and delicious pineapples
- You should choose fruits that have an eye-catching yellow color, sometimes with some green spots because these are ripe and have reached a certain level of sweetness.
- A perfectly ripe pineapple will have a sweet aroma, not too strong. When you touch it with your hand, you will feel a moderate softness, and the skin will be slightly wrinkled.
- Avoid buying fruits that are unevenly colored. If a fruit is mostly green, it means it is not fully ripe, while a fruit that is yellow but has dark brown spots is overripe and about to spoil.
How to choose fresh and delicious onions
- You should choose bulbs that have a shiny outer skin, not bruised or scratched. Additionally, prioritize bulbs that have fresh roots, not wilted or dried out.
- If possible to touch, you should choose bulbs that feel firm in your hand, without soft and hard spots.
- Avoid choosing bulbs that have sprouted, because these bulbs are usually not tasty and do not contain many nutrients.
It’s not too difficult for you to make Nha Trang jellyfish noodle soup deliciously and attractively by yourself, so hurry to the kitchen and showcase your cooking skills to treat your family, Điện máy XANH wishes you success!
