Delicious and Unique Eel Hotpot Recipe for Cold Days

How to prepare Eel Hotpot

• 1

  Preparing the eel

  After buying, clean the eel’s intestines, use a knife to scrape the top of the skin to remove the slime. Then rinse with clean water about 2 – 3 times and let it drain.

  Next, cut the eel into slices suitable for eating.

  How to reduce the fishy smell of eel:

  • Wash the eel with boiling water, use a knife to scrape the entire skin to remove the slime, then rinse with clean water 2 – 3 times.
  • Use salt or kitchen ash to rub into the flesh of the eel, then rinse well with water to eliminate the unpleasant smell.

  
• 2

  Prepare other ingredients

  Tomatoes should be washed clean and diced. The onion should be peeled and cut into wedges.

  Pineapple should be peeled, especially making sure to clean the eyes of the pineapple. With half a pineapple, you divide it into 2 parts, one part you dice. The remaining part you cut into fan shapes.

  Lemongrass should be smashed and cut into sections. Green onions and coriander should be washed clean and chopped.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Sauté tomatoes and pineapple

  Place a pot on the stove, add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 tablespoon of minced shallots and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the pot, sautéing until fragrant over medium heat.

  Once the shallots and garlic start to smell fragrant and turn golden, add all the diced pineapple and tomatoes into the pot, stirring well over high heat. Season with 1/3 teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir continuously until the pineapple and tomatoes are evenly cooked and start to release their juices, then reduce to medium heat.

  Tip: Make sure to sauté the pineapple and tomatoes well for a naturally sweet broth and a nicer color.

  

  

  
• 4

  Cook the hotpot

  You pour about 1.5 liters of broth into the pot with pineapple and tomatoes from earlier, add in cut lemongrass, and stir well. Bring the hotpot broth to a boil over medium heat.

  Once the water in the pot is boiling, add the entire package of Thai hotpot seasoning into the pot, season with 1 tablespoon of sugar, and stir well. Then add the pineapple and onion, and cook for about 5 minutes for the hotpot broth to boil again.

  Finally, add the snakehead fish to cook until done. Add in green onions and coriander, stir well, and turn off the heat.

  Tip: Adding snakehead fish last will help it cook just right, making it firmer and sweeter.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  The hot pot dish has a very eye-catching color from lemongrass and tomatoes. The broth is sour, served with soft and chewy eel, sweet meat. You can prepare a bowl of fish sauce with chili for dipping the fish, making the dish more flavorful and appealing.