How to make delicious and appealing eel and banana flower hot pot simply at home

How to prepare Eel Hotpot with Banana Flower

• 1

  Preparing the eel

  The eel should be cleaned of slime, gutted, and then washed thoroughly with diluted salt water.

  Cut off the eel’s head and cut the eel into bite-sized pieces.

  How to clean eel of slime and remove the fishy smell

  Method 1: Put the eel in a plastic bag with coarse salt, massage it well for about 2 minutes, then rinse off the slime and wash with lemon juice. Next, rinse with clean water and let it drain.

  Method 2: Use lemon juice or rice water to remove the slime from the eel; when you feel the eel is clean, gut it and wash again with diluted salt water.

  Method 3: If you have kitchen ash, rub it on the eel and swipe off the slime several times with the ash. Finally, rinse with clean water.

  Method 4: Place the eel in the freezer for about 2 hours; when preparing, take the eel out, soak it in cold water, and then use a mesh cloth to gently swipe along the body of the eel several times to remove the slime.

  

  
• 2

  Prepare other ingredients

  Turmeric washed, peeled, and finely chopped.

  Lemongrass washed, finely chopped at the root part, and cut into sections for the stalk.

  Shallots peeled, washed, and sliced. Garlic peeled and minced.

  Ginger scraped, washed, and minced. Tomatoes washed and cut into wedges.

  Green onions trimmed, washed, and cut into long sections.

  Banana flower shredded, washed with water, then soaked in diluted salt water.

  Herbs including cilantro, rice paddy herb, and lettuce washed, soaked in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes, then drained.

  

  
• 3

  Marinate the eel

  Mix the eel with all of the minced turmeric, half of the garlic, ginger, and minced lemongrass, and shallots. Then add 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of five-spice powder, mix well, and marinate for about 30 minutes for the eel to absorb the spices.

  

  
• 4

  Stir-fried eel and hot pot

  Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, then add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and whole stalks of lemongrass to sauté until fragrant. Next, add half of the tomatoes and stir-fry until the tomatoes are slightly cooked, then add the eel to stir-fry together.

  Stir-fry for about 10 minutes, when the eel is nearly cooked, scoop all the eel out into a bowl.

  In the pot where you just stir-fried the eel, add 1 liter of water, bring to a boil, then add the remaining tomatoes and the stir-fried eel, and season to taste. Lower the heat and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

  When serving, add various hot pot vegetables including banana flowers, rice paddy herb, cilantro, lettuce, and green onions, and cook until done.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Finished product

  The eel is sweet, chewy, and fragrant, with the fresh hot pot vegetables blending perfectly in the rich, flavorful broth. You can add a few slices of chili to the hot pot and enjoy it with fresh noodles if you like!