How to Make Crispy Fried Snakehead Fish with Sweet and Sour Tamarind Dipping Sauce at Home

How to prepare crispy snakehead fish with tamarind sauce

• 1

  Prepare and marinate the fish

  To eliminate the fishy smell and remove the slime on the body, soak the snakehead fish in a bowl of ice water for about 30 minutes.

  Then take it out, rub thoroughly with a mixture of salt and 50ml of vinegar until the fish is no longer slimy, then rinse the fish really clean under running water and place it in a colander to drain.

  Next, add the fish along with 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/3 teaspoon of pepper, and the juice of half a lemon into a bowl, mix well, and marinate for 10 minutes.

  How to clean snakehead fish to remove slime and fishy smell

  • Clean snakehead fish with salt and vinegar: With this method, just mix vinegar with a little salt and gently rub it on the fish’s body; the fish will be free of slime and significantly reduce the fishy smell.
  • Clean snakehead fish with hot water: First, boil water at about 70 – 80 degrees Celsius, then add a little salt. After that, soak the snakehead fish for about 5 – 7 minutes, and when the water cools, gently rub with your hands. Finally, rinse with clean water.
  • Clean snakehead fish with kitchen ash: If you have kitchen ash at home, cleaning the fish is very simple. Just put the snakehead fish into the ash bowl, then use the ash to rub along the length of the fish. This method can effectively remove slime and the fishy smell.
  • Clean snakehead fish with banana leaves: Just crush a handful of fresh banana leaves and use them to rub on the fish. The sap in the banana leaves can effectively eliminate slime and the fishy smell. After that, just rinse with clean water to prepare for delicious dishes.
  • Clean fish slime with flour: Use flour on the fish, then wipe off the slime and rinse with water.

  

  

  
• 2

  Skewer the fish and beat the eggs

  First, hold the fish and use the pointed end of the skewer to pierce through the mouth of the fish and run along the body of the fish to the tail.

  Then pour the batter onto a plate, crack 1 egg into another plate and beat it well.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Fry the fish until crispy

  First, dip each skewered fish into the egg and then roll it in the batter.

  Next, pour 800ml of cooking oil into a pan, wait until the oil is hot, then add the fish, frying on high heat for about 3 minutes until the fish is golden and crispy, then remove and drain the oil.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Making Tamarind Sauce

  To make tamarind sauce, you mix 6 tablespoons of tamarind paste, 6 tablespoons of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of fish sauce in a bowl, stirring well until the sugar dissolves.

  Next, you heat a pan on the stove and pour the sauce mixture into it, cooking on low heat for about 3 minutes until the sauce thickens, then add chopped chili, stir well, and turn off the stove to let it cool.

  Tip: To make the sauce tastier, do not cook it until it becomes too sticky!

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  The crispy fried eel will have an incredibly appealing aroma and color. With the fish fried to a golden crisp, it’s perfect for dipping in the sweet and sour tamarind sauce. It will be even better if you enjoy it with hot rice and share it with family!