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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Japanese mackerel, also known as saba braised with bamboo shoots, is a delicious and flavorful dish that is sure to make your meal more enjoyable. Now, let’s go shopping for ingredients with TasteVN and get into the kitchen to make this braised dish right away. We will reveal the detailed recipe for you right below.
Ingredients for Japanese mackerel – saba braised with bamboo shoots For 4 people
Bamboo shoots 400 gr Saba 1 fish (about 400 – 500gr) Spring onions 3 stalks Chili 2 pieces Shallots 4 bulbs Garlic 4 bulbs Green pepper 50 gr (4 stalks) Cooking oil 4 tablespoons Caramel sauce 1 tablespoon (for braising) Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (Seasoning/ sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ ground pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh saba
- Choose fresh saba with clear eyes and bright red gills.
- It’s best to buy fish that still have a firm texture when you press on the flesh.
- Fresh fish have scales tightly attached to the body, shiny, without mucus, and no unpleasant smell.
- Do not choose saba when you see cloudy eyes or dark red gills.
See details: How to choose fresh saba
What is bamboo shoot?
- Bamboo shoot is a type of shoot obtained from the bamboo tree – a type of plant belonging to the bamboo family, which has no thorns and has a flexible stem. Bamboo shoots are solid, have a sweet and rich flavor, and a light aroma, making them very popular in cooking.
- You can buy bamboo shoots at clean agricultural product stores, large supermarkets, markets, or order online from major, reputable e-commerce websites. The current price of bamboo shoots ranges from 180,000 VND/kg to 200,000 VND/kg (price updated on April 8, 2021).
How to choose fresh and delicious bamboo shoots
- Choose bamboo shoots that are about the size of 2 – 3 fingers, not too large as they will be less fibrous when eaten.
- Good bamboo shoots have a light yellow color and are somewhat flexible, making them hard to break.
- It is advisable to choose bamboo shoots that are uneven in size, and when smelling, they should have a natural bamboo aroma, indicating they are fresh and not soaked in chemicals.
- Do not buy bamboo shoots that are brittle and easy to break, especially if they have an unpleasant odor.
How to cook Japanese mackerel – mackerel cooked with bamboo shoots
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Prepare the ingredients
After purchasing, clean the mackerel by removing the scales, gutting, and washing it thoroughly. Cut the fish into thick slices about the size of 2 – 3 finger joints.
How to clean fish to remove slime and odor
- To clean and remove the fishy smell, soak the fish in rice water for about 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse with clean water before cooking.
- You can also use a mixture of salt and alcohol to soak the fish for about 10 minutes and then rinse with water.
- Alternatively, use ginger to eliminate the fishy smell by soaking the fish in water with a crushed piece of ginger added, soaking for about 5 minutes, and then draining it before cooking.
See details: How to clean fish to remove slime and odor
Clean the spoiled leaves, remove the roots of the green onions, keep the green onion tops separate, and chop the green onion leaves finely.
Peel the shallots and garlic. Remove the stems from the chili peppers. Finely chop 2 shallots with garlic. The remaining 2 shallots should be crushed together with the chili and the green onion tops.
Wash the bamboo shoots and green pepper thoroughly. Then cut the bamboo shoots into bite-sized pieces and boil them for about 30 minutes, without covering, to allow the toxins in the bamboo shoots to evaporate completely.
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Marinate the fish
After cleaning, the fish will be marinated with a mixture of crushed shallots and chili, adding 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1 teaspoon of caramel sauce. Mix well to coat the fish evenly with the spices and let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
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Stir-fried bamboo shoots
Add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan, heat the oil and add 1/2 of the minced onion and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Next, add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry quickly over medium heat for about 3 minutes until the bamboo shoots are slightly cooked, then season with 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and stir-fry for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat.
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Stew fish with bamboo shoots
Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan, heat the oil, and add the remaining minced onion and garlic, sauté until golden and fragrant. Next, add the marinated fish and fry briefly until the fish is sealed on both sides.
Then, add 1 bowl of boiling water (rice bowl), the stir-fried bamboo shoots, and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens, then add chopped green onions, green pepper, and sliced chili if desired, and turn off the heat.
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Finished Product
Thus, we have the delicious and fragrant saba fish braised with bamboo shoots, perfect for today’s meal. The fish is tender, soaked in rich and savory marinade, with a blend of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors, while the bamboo shoots are crunchy and fragrant. Eating it with hot rice can make the pot of rice disappear before you know it.
See more:
Above is a detailed guide on how to make Japanese mackerel – saba fish braised with bamboo shoots flavorful and rice-consuming for the family. TasteVN hopes that with our useful shares about super simple and convenient cooking recipes, you will gain many tips for delicious cooking and can make your favorite dishes. Wish you success!
*Refer to the recipe and images shared from Facebook: Nguyễn Thanh Trúc.
