Fermented fish hotpot is a famous dish of the people in the southwestern region of Vietnam with a rich, distinctive flavor that you can eat repeatedly without getting bored. Let’s join TasteVN into the kitchen to make this delicious hotpot right away using the 2 recipes shared below!
1. Fermented fish hotpot
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Fermented fish hotpot Serves 4 people
Pork belly 300 gr Basa fish 300 gr Shrimp 300 gr Octopus 500 gr Good quality fermented fish sauce 4 tablespoons Eggplant 200 gr Bitter melon 200 gr Shallots 4 bulbs Garlic 4 bulbs Horn chili 1 piece Lemongrass 2 stalks Coconut water 1.2 liters Water spinach 100 gr Water mimosa 100 gr Kèo nèo 100 gr Lotus flower 100 gr White vermicelli 900 gr Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Salt 1/2 tablespoon
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose good basa fish
For frozen basa fish:
- You should buy from reputable stores or supermarkets.
- Choose fish that is stored in vacuum-sealed bags, kept at a temperature from -20 degrees Celsius to ± 2 degrees Celsius to ensure the quality of the fish meat after purchase.
For live basa fish:
- You should choose healthy basa fish swimming in water or fish just caught from the water with scales intact and firm.
- When pressing with your hand, the fish meat should feel firm and not mushy.
- The fish’s eyes should be clear, not bulging or sunken.
- Note that when buying fish, you need to pay close attention to the length of the whiskers and the characteristics of the flesh to avoid confusing basa fish with tra fish (tra fish have equal whiskers and relatively thick flesh with a slightly pink color, while basa fish have differently sized whiskers and smaller, even flesh that is white).
How to choose fresh octopus
- You should choose octopus with clear eyes, a bright white belly, and smooth, fine skin on the back. When you touch the body, it should feel firm and not slimy.
- If buying live octopus in a tank, choose those that are still swimming, and when taken out, they should move more actively than the others.
- For frozen octopus, you should choose octopus with a gray-brown color on the back and a bluish sheen, with bright white flesh underneath, and the body should not be swollen.
How to choose good pork belly
- To buy good pork belly, you should choose a piece of meat with a balance of lean meat and fat, a thick outer skin, fat about 2/3 of a finger’s length, and the lean meat tightly attached to the layer of fat. However, it is important to note that to buy pork belly that is just right to eat, not too chewy, you should not choose a piece of meat with an outer layer of fat and skin that is too thick because that is from a pig that has been raised for a long time.
- In addition, fresh pork belly will have a dry outer membrane, light red or bright pink color. When cut, the piece of meat has a bright pink color, white-pink skin, and is soft. The fat interspersed with the lean meat is bright and firm.
- Absolutely do not buy pork belly that has an unusual smell, has cysts shaped like a loquat (fruit flies) lying parallel to the meat fibers or small white spots because that is meat that has been infected with parasites and larvae.
Tools for implementation
Food processor, strainer, knife, ladle, pot,…
How to Prepare Fermented Fish Hot Pot
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Prepare Fresh Ingredients
After purchasing the pork belly, rub it with salt, then rinse it thoroughly with water and cut the meat into small bite-sized pieces, about 1/2 finger length.
For the shrimp, remove the head, legs, and antennae, then rinse them in diluted salt water for about 1 minute before rinsing again with clean water.
For the basa fish, rub it with salt and rinse with clean water to reduce the sliminess. Then soak the fish in diluted lemon juice or water mixed with a bit of vinegar for about 5 minutes to eliminate the fishy smell. Next, cut the fish into small pieces, about 1 finger length.
Next, use a knife to cut the octopus’s head in half to remove the beak and ink sac. You can push the octopus’s beak out by gently squeezing its mouth until the beak appears, then cut it off.
Finally, rinse the octopus again in water mixed with vinegar, alcohol, or crushed ginger to eliminate the fishy smell. Then, place the octopus on a cutting board, hold one tentacle up, and cut it close to the body. Do the same for the other tentacles.
Tip: If you are using frozen octopus, after purchasing it, you should place the octopus in the refrigerator for about 24 hours to thaw it properly!
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Prepare dry ingredients
Eggplant bought should be washed clean with water, then cut into pieces about 2.5 finger lengths and split in half.
As for bitter melon, wash it with water, remove the seeds, and cut into small pieces about 1/2 finger length.
Then soak the eggplant and bitter melon in diluted salt water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then take them out to drain.
Next, take shallots, garlic, and half of a chili pepper, wash them clean, then put them into a food processor to grind them finely. You can also chop them finely with a knife and cutting board.
For the lemongrass stalks, wash them clean, slice them thinly, and then divide them into two equal parts. The first part goes into the food processor to be ground finely, and the second part you put into a small bowl with sliced chili pepper, then add 1 tablespoon of good fish sauce to make a dipping sauce.
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Stir-fry meat with basa fish
Add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to a large pot, then add the minced shallots, garlic, and chili, stirring until fragrant, then add the minced lemongrass and sauté it evenly.
Next, add the pork belly and stir until the meat is firm, then add the basa fish and sear it.
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Cook the broth
After the basa fish is cooked evenly on both sides, remove the fish and pour 1.2 liters of fresh coconut water and 600ml of filtered water into the pot, then cook over low heat.
Add 4 tablespoons of Mắm Ruốc into a large bowl, then add 2 ladles of the broth that is cooking, stir well until the mixture dissolves. Then use a strainer to pour the mixture into the broth pot to avoid sediments falling into it.
Wait until the broth boils, then add the bitter melon and eggplant, and cook on high heat for about 2-3 minutes until the broth boils vigorously, then turn off the heat.
Tip: To make the hotpot broth clearer, you should skim the foam while cooking!
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Cooking hotpot
After the broth is cooked, scoop out a sufficient amount of broth into a small pot, then add octopus, shrimp, basa fish, and the prepared vegetables to cook for about 5 more minutes, and then we can enjoy the delicious hotpot.
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Final product
The shrimp paste hotpot after cooking will have the fragrant aroma of lemongrass along with the delicious, rich flavor of shrimp paste and the sweetness of meat, fish, and seafood. Eating it hot with noodles or rice in cold weather is just perfect, isn’t it?
2. Shrimp paste hotpot (recipe shared by a user)
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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking time
30 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Fermented Fish Hotpot (recipe shared by a user) For 4 people
Instant noodles 500 gr Red tilapia 1 fish Shrimp 300 gr Oyster mushrooms 100 gr Tomatoes 2 pieces Pineapple 1/4 piece Corn 1 ear Water spinach 500 gr Lemongrass 2 stalks Shallots 5 bulbs Garlic 6 cloves Bird’s eye chili 2 pieces Tamarind 50 gr Fermented shrimp paste 4 tablespoons Cooking oil 3 tablespoons Common spices a little (Sugar/ salt/ seasoning powder)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh red tilapia
- Choose fish that swim vigorously, with bright clear eyes, not cloudy, and shiny scales.
- Fresh fish will have firm flesh that sticks tightly together, and when touched, the fish body feels elastic.
- Avoid choosing fish with bloated bellies, weak swimming, soft mushy flesh, and an unusual foul smell.
How to choose fresh and delicious butter mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms that are white, with short stems, round caps, and a distinctive natural aroma.
- You should select mushrooms of moderate size, not too large or too small, and feel firm when held.
- Avoid buying mushrooms that are bruised, have dark spots on the surface, or have an unusual strange smell.
How to choose sweet and firm corn
- Choose fresh corn that has a green outer husk that is not dry and tightly wraps around the corn cob.
- Fresh and delicious corn has soft and smooth silk threads, the cob is not bruised or wilted, and the kernels are plump, uniform, shiny, and straight.
- Do not buy corn that is too large or too small, or has many pest marks.
How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
- Choose tomatoes that are bright red, evenly colored, with intact skin and plump with juice.
- When buying, you should select tomatoes with stems firmly attached, the stems should still be fresh and not wilted, and the fruit should have a mild pleasant smell.
- Avoid choosing tomatoes that are damaged, bruised, or have an unpleasant rotten smell.
How to choose fresh and delicious pineapples
- Choose pineapples that are eye-catching yellow, sometimes with green spots, and feel moderately soft when touched.
- The larger the eyes of the pineapple, the better; a slightly round and short shape will have more flesh compared to long-shaped ones.
- Do not buy pineapples that are bruised, damaged, or have an unusual smell.
Tools Required
Blender, bowl, small bowl, pot, induction cooker, plate,…
How to Prepare Shrimp Paste Hot Pot (recipe shared by users)
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Preparing Shrimp and Fish
Remove the antenna and the sharp spines on the shrimp head, then wash thoroughly and drain, arranging it on a plate.
Ask the fishmonger to clean the red tilapia beforehand to save time; you just need to rinse it with a little salt, then wash it again with clean water and cut it into bite-sized pieces, placing them on a plate.
How to Prepare Fish without a Fishy Smell
- Method 1: After cleaning the fish, soak it in diluted salt water or rice washing water for about 15 minutes, then rinse again with water and let it drain.
- Method 2: Place the cleaned fish in a basin of diluted lemon juice for 1 – 2 minutes, then lift it out, rinse with water and let it drain.
- Method 3: After cleaning the fish, you should use diluted white wine to marinate the fish for about 2 minutes and then wipe it dry. White wine will effectively eliminate the fishy smell.
See details: Effective methods to prepare fish without a fishy smell
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Prepare vegetables
Pineapple cut off the hard core, wash clean and cut into bite-sized pieces. Tomatoes cut off the stem, wash clean and cut into wedges. Put everything into a bowl.
Sweet corn peeled off the husk and silk, washed with water and then cut into thin slices.
Tamarind put into a bowl with a little hot water, mash to extract the juice, and remove the tamarind seeds.
Shiitake mushrooms removed the black skin, washed with clean water and drained, can be left whole or halved depending on your preference.
Water spinach trimmed off old stems and yellow leaves, broken into bite-sized pieces then washed clean and drained.
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Prepare and grind the lemongrass and chili mixture
Shallots and garlic peeled, chilies de-stemmed, all washed clean.
Lemongrass, outer layer removed, cut off the hard root and green leaves. Then wash clean and cut into sections. Take about 1/4 of the washed lemongrass, chop it finely, and set aside.
Add shallots, garlic, chilies, and the remaining chopped lemongrass into a blender and grind finely for about 30 seconds at medium speed, no need to grind too finely.
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Stir-fry the ingredients
Prepare a large pot, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, then add the finely chopped lemongrass and stir on high heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Next, add the blended lemongrass and chili mixture into the pot and sauté until golden and aromatic.
Then, add the prepared onions and tomatoes to the pot and stir well. Season with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, and stir well on the stove for about 2 minutes. After that, add the sliced American corn and stir well for about 2 minutes.
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Cook the fermented fish hot pot
Next, add about 700ml of filtered water into the pot containing the stir-fried ingredients above and cook until boiling.
When the water boils, add 4 tablespoons of fermented fish sauce to the pot and stir to dissolve. Then add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of seasoning, tamarind juice, and stir well. Wait until the hot pot broth boils again, then taste and adjust according to your family’s preference.
Tip: To easily adjust the sourness of the broth, add the tamarind juice slowly, taste to see if the desired sourness is achieved before adding more.
When eating, add the red tilapia, shrimp, water spinach, oyster mushrooms, and noodles in order. When the hot pot broth boils again, you can enjoy.
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Final Product
Fermented fish hot pot with a distinctive aroma that fills the house, making everyone look forward to tasting it. Shrimp and fish are firm and sweet, and the accompanying vegetables and mushrooms make the hot pot not greasy, blending well with the rich sour and spicy broth.
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to choose fresh shrimp
- When choosing shrimp, you should select those with a transparent shell, avoiding shrimp that have dark patches or inconsistent colors.
- Choose shrimp with tails that are tightly closed together; if the tails are spread out, the shrimp may have been injected with chemicals or water.
- If you lift the shrimp and notice a slimy texture, and the body is curled into a circular shape, avoid buying them. If you press lightly on the shell and feel bumps like grit, do not purchase.
How to choose fresh water spinach
- Choose bunches of water spinach with stems about the size of a rice eating chopstick, with small tops and slightly firm appearance.
- To purchase fresh water spinach, you should go to the market in the morning as this is when the vegetables are freshly picked and very fresh.
- Avoid choosing water spinach that looks overly lush; when breaking the stem, it should be crisp, and the leaves should be dark green, with unusually large stem sizes.
How to choose fresh and delicious lemongrass
- Choose lemongrass with tightly wrapped leaf sheaths, with older stalks surrounding the younger ones inside and having a distinctive aroma.
- Select lemongrass with leaves that are not wilted and have a beautiful green color.
- Avoid choosing lemongrass that is wilted or damaged as it will have less fragrance.
How to choose delicious and quality shrimp paste
- Delicious shrimp paste will have a distinctive aroma, a sweet and rich taste, not pungent or bitter.
- Choose shrimp paste with colors ranging from bright pink to reddish-brown, without any unusual odors.
- You can buy shrimp paste at reputable stores and supermarkets. When purchasing, be sure to carefully check the origin, expiration date, and whether the packaging is intact.
How to preserve dishes
- When eating, you should scoop out just enough to use. If there’s leftover broth, you shouldn’t pour it back into the main pot as this can cause the broth to spoil easily.
- For squid and shrimp that are not used, you should place them in a specialized food storage bag and keep them in the freezer.
- Note that you should store them for a maximum of 2 days in the refrigerator; keeping them longer can cause the dish to spoil and produce toxins that are not good for health.
See more:
So finally, we have completed the delicious fermented shrimp paste hot pot, a specialty of the Mekong Delta. TasteVN wishes you success with this recipe!
