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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking
10 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
On hot summer days, having a bowl of sour fish soup with a strong flavor to cool down is unmatched. Today, let’s join TasteVN into the kitchen and make this soup dish to treat the family!
Ingredients for Sour Fish Soup For 4 people
Fish 2 slices Swamp cabbage 1 stalk Green onions 3 stalks Red chili chopped small 2 fruits Horn chili 1 fruit Minced garlic 4 tablespoons Pineapple 1/4 fruit (Sweet) Tamarind 50 gr Okra 4 pods Tomato 2 fruits Bean sprouts 30 gr Vietnamese coriander 3 stalks Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 3 tablespoons Common spices a little (Salt/ Sugar/ Seasoning/ MSG)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh fish
- For fresh fish, choose those that are still active and move flexibly. The fins and tail should be intact, the fish skin should have a natural silver color and not be mottled or ulcerated.
- For pre-prepared fish, choose slices that have a light pink color, the meat shouldn’t be too dark. Fresh fish meat will be firm and have very good elasticity.
- Avoid buying fish that is slimy, has brownish discoloration, or has an unpleasant odor.
See details: How to choose fresh fish
How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
- You should choose tomatoes that are bright red and evenly colored, with a firm and plump skin.
- You should select ripe tomatoes that have a natural fragrance.
- Do not buy tomatoes that are ripe but have no smell, as these may have been artificially ripened, which poses safety risks, or those that are scratched or bruised.
How to choose fresh and delicious bean sprouts
- When buying bean sprouts, you should choose those that are less thick and not uniform, as those with thick, even stems have been soaked in chemicals.
- You should choose curved, non-shiny bean sprouts, as these are naturally grown.
- Do not choose abnormally long bean sprouts, as these may have been treated with chemicals or drugs.
- Additionally, to ensure food safety, you can refer to the simple method of making bean sprouts at home from TasteVN.
How to choose fresh and delicious pineapples
- Choose pineapples that are eye-catching yellow, sometimes with green spots, as these are ripe and delicious.
- You should select those with large eyes, as these are naturally ripened fruits and peeling them will not waste too much flesh.
- When you touch them, you should feel a moderate softness, and ripe pineapple skin is usually slightly wrinkled.
- Do not buy pineapples that are indented when pressed, as this means the pineapple is overripe.
How to make Sour Fish Soup with Striped Catfish
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Prepare the fish
When you buy 2 slices of striped catfish, use a knife to scrape off any remaining blood (if any). To eliminate the fishy smell, rub a little salt on the fish meat and then wash it thoroughly with water.
How to clean striped catfish properly, without fishy smell
- Method 1: Soak and wash the fish in rice water for about 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 2: Use ginger and white wine to wash the fish, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 3: Use coarse salt to rub on the fish meat, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 4: Soak in diluted vinegar water for about 5 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
See details: 7 tips to easily and effectively eliminate the fishy smell of fish
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Prepare other ingredients
You soak tamarind with about 4 tablespoons of hot water, let the tamarind dissolve completely and take the juice.
Pineapple, peel and cut into slices about 1/2 finger length.
Tomatoes, wash and cut into wedges. Okra, wash and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Striped sweet potato, peel, wash, and cut diagonally into pieces similar in size to pineapple.
Cilantro and Vietnamese balm, wash and chop finely. Bean sprouts, wash and drain.
Chili, wash and slice. Green onions, wash and separate the green tops.
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Sauté garlic
Place a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and start sautéing 3 tablespoons of minced garlic over medium heat until fragrant. When the garlic turns golden, turn off the heat and remove the garlic to drain the oil.
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Cook the soup
Place a pot on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and the chopped chili to sauté until fragrant. When the garlic and chili start to release their aroma, add 1 liter of filtered water and the tamarind juice, then stir well.
Season the soup with 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, then gently stir. When the water boils, add 2 slices of snakehead fish and the chopped green onions.
Cook the fish for about 5 minutes until firm, then add the pineapple, tomatoes, water spinach, and okra, pressing gently to submerge the ingredients in water and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, stir gently, and then turn off the heat.
Serve the soup in a bowl, topping it with bean sprouts, shredded rice paddy herb, and cilantro, garnishing with a few slices of chili and the sautéed garlic for added flavor. And there you have it, the snakehead fish soup is ready!
Tip:
- To make the soup more flavorful, you should add the fish sauce at the end.
- Avoid overcooking the vegetables as they will not taste good.
- Before turning off the heat, you should taste and adjust the seasoning to suit your family’s palate.
- To keep the bean sprouts crispy and delicious, do not cook them fully; just blanch them.
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Final Product
The fish meat is sweet and firm, accompanied by a sour and sweet broth that will be extremely appealing. Having a bowl of sour fish soup with striped catfish on hot summer days is simply delightful, isn’t it!
How to Distinguish Striped Catfish from Panga Fish
Striped catfish and panga fish have quite similar shapes, so when choosing, you should pay close attention to differentiate these two types of fish as follows:
- Panga fish, also known as “bần catfish,” has a green back, green dorsal fin, and a yellow tail.
- Striped catfish also has a yellow tail, but its back is bluish-gray, and the fish’s skin shines like striped catfish when exposed to sunlight.
See more:
Hope that with sour striped catfish soup, you have added another delicious recipe to treat your family in the upcoming meal. Wish you success in your cooking!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Cô Ba Bình Dương.
