Preparation
30 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
If you are scratching your head trying to figure out what to cook today, then you’ve come to the right place! Right now, follow TasteVN into the kitchen to quickly make braised dish of basa fish with lemongrass and chili to add another appealing dish to your family meal!
Ingredients for Braised Basa Fish with Lemongrass and Chili Serves 1 plate
Basa fish 500 gr Lemongrass 5 stalks Garlic 3 cloves Chili 4 pieces Ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon Chili sauce 2 tablespoons Brown sugar 3 tablespoons (or white sugar) Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Seasoning powder 1/2 teaspoon (or salt) Cooking oil 3 tablespoons Water 9 tablespoons
How to choose fresh and delicious catfish
For live catfish:
- Fresh and delicious catfish is best when it is still alive. Therefore, if possible, you should try to buy live fish.
- You should choose those that swim vigorously, with a light green skin characteristic, shiny silver scales, clear eyes, and bright red gills.
- On the contrary, do not buy those that swim weakly, have a swollen belly, and have pale skin.
For whole catfish:
- Choose those with a light brown back, a belly that bulges outwards, intact fins and tail, round and bulging eyes, clear green color, and no blood clots on the eyes. When smelling, there should be no foul odor on the fish’s body.
For processed or frozen catfish:
- Observe the fish’s skin to see if it is still fresh, and check if the fish body has any signs of damage. There should be no clotted blood around the cuts.
- The gills should be pink or bright red, and the fish should not have a foul odor. You should not choose fish with gills that are pale white or slightly dark as those are fish that have gone bad.
- For canned catfish, carefully check the packaging, the production place, the production date, and the expiration date before purchasing.
How to prepare Basa fish with lemongrass and chili
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Prepare the basa fish
First, place 500g of basa fish into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of coarse salt, 2 – 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, and mix well so that the fish is evenly coated with salt and vinegar.
Gently rub the fish with your hands to remove the slime, take out any clotted blood and entrails to prevent the fish from being fishy. After that, rinse the fish with clean water and let it drain.
Ways to reduce the fishy smell of basa fish- Method 1: You can eliminate the fishy smell of basa fish by rubbing with salt and gently massaging the fish to avoid peeling the skin. Rinse it clean with water and let it drain.
- Method 2: Marinate the prepared basa fish with 2 – 3 tablespoons of diluted white wine for about 2 minutes, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.
- Method 3: Using lemon to eliminate the fishy smell for basa fish is also very effective. Cut the lemon in half and rub it on the fish or mix 2 – 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt in the bowl to wash the fish. Then, rinse with water until clean.
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Prepare the spices (lemongrass, chili, garlic)
With 5 stalks of lemongrass, cut off the leaves, peel away 2 or 3 outer layers, trim the roots, wash thoroughly with water, crush, and then chop finely.
Peel 3 cloves of garlic, crush, and chop finely. Wash 4 chilies with water and let them drain.
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Marinate the fish
To marinate the fish, place 500g of cleaned basa fish into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 2 tablespoons of chili sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, and mix well.
Add in 1/2 of the prepared lemongrass and 1/2 of the chopped garlic, then continue to mix so that the fish absorbs the spices evenly, and let it rest for about 15 – 30 minutes.
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Make color sauce
You place a pot on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves, and cook over high heat.
When the water boils, reduce the heat and cook until the water in the pot turns a brown color, then add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to maintain the color of the sauce and turn off the heat.
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Cook the fish
Next, keep the pot of color sauce on the stove, add the remaining half of the garlic to sauté until fragrant. Then, add 500g of marinated basa fish into the pot, set the heat to medium, turn the fish over to ensure all the fish meat absorbs the color, and stir for 2-3 minutes.
When the fish has a beautiful color and the meat becomes firm, add the marinade from earlier into the pot, cover it, and cook until the fish in the pot absorbs all the marinade.
Next, add about 6 tablespoons of water to just cover the fish. Cover the pot, keep the heat medium, and let the water evaporate so the fish absorbs the seasoning evenly and firms up.
When the water in the pot reduces, add the remaining half of the minced lemongrass on top, sprinkle it evenly over the surface, and add 4 chilies. Cover the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.
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Final Product
So our dish of braised catfish with lemongrass and chili is now complete. Serve the fish on a plate and enjoy right away!
The aroma of braised catfish fills the air, the fish is fatty and fragrant, with a fresh, firm texture that is not mushy, and a slight spiciness from the pepper and chili.
The sauce is rich, with a perfect blend of salty and sweet flavors, and a slight spiciness that is just right. Serve it with a bowl of hot white rice, add a little sauce on top, and some more fish, and it will be absolutely delicious!
So TasteVN has shared very detailed information with you about how to make braised basa fish with lemongrass and chili. Make sure to save it so that one day you can go to the kitchen and showcase your skills for your family to enjoy. Wishing you success!
