How to make thick fish cake with rich tomato sauce for a cozy family meal

How to Prepare Fish Cake with Tomato Sauce

• 1

  Prepare the Snakehead Fish

  If you have already bought pre-filleted snakehead fish, you just need to marinate it with spices.

  Alternatively, you can buy the whole fish and fillet it at home to ensure food safety. First, you need to cut the snakehead fish into fillets. Then, place the fillet on a cutting board with the tail facing you.

  Next, use a specialized knife or a spoon to scrape the fish gently and evenly from the tail up to obtain the flesh for making fish cakes. Repeat this process until you have finished filleting the required amount of fish.

  Note:

  • You should avoid scraping the fish in the opposite direction, that is, from the head to the tail, as this can easily result in bones.
  • You should not press hard on the fish while scraping and do it gently to avoid mixing bones with the fish flesh.

  

  
• 2

  Prepare Other Ingredients

  For tomatoes, after buying them, wash them thoroughly, remove the stems, and soak them in salt water for about 10 minutes. Then, dice the tomatoes. Next, for dill, onions, and cilantro, wash them and chop them finely.

  For garlic and shallots, peel them and chop finely, then place them on a plate. Finally, chop some fresh chili to season the dish for better flavor.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Marinate and make fish cake with snakehead fish

  First, you place the prepared snakehead fish into a nylon bag and then put it into a bowl.

  Next, you proceed to marinate the fish with 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, a little salt, a little pepper, 2 teaspoons of cooking oil, 1 teaspoon of minced shallots, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of finely chopped dill, and 1/2 teaspoon of minced chili.

  Tip: Adding cooking oil during the marination process will help prevent the fish from sticking to the bag when you stuff the fish.

  After adding all the ingredients, tie the nylon bag tightly and then use another bag on top for added security. Next, you proceed to knead the fish with both hands for about 15 minutes.

  Note:

  • It is advisable to use a nylon bag to knead the fish instead of putting the fish in a bowl and using a spoon, as that will make the fish less chewy and can cause the fish meat to become mushy.
  • You should tie the nylon bag tightly to avoid the fish spilling out during the kneading process.
  • The longer you knead, the chewier and tastier the fish will be.

  After you see that the fish mixture has become firmer, you should start shaping the fish into balls. First, use a spoon to spread some cooking oil on a plate. Put on gloves and apply a little oil to your gloves to prevent sticking.

  Spread a little oil on the round spoon. Then, use the spoon to take an adequate amount of fish paste and place it in the palm of your hand, then roll it into a ball. Continue doing this until all the fish paste you prepared is used up.

  Tip: Using a round spoon will help the fish balls form into evenly shaped and more aesthetically pleasing rounds.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Pre-fry the fish paste

  First, place a pan on the stove and add a little cooking oil. When the oil is hot, gradually add each fish ball and pre-fry on low heat for about 15 minutes.

  At this point, when you see the fish balls puffing up, remove them to a plate to proceed to the next step.

  Note: When frying the fish, you should only pre-fry until the fish balls puff up, then remove them immediately. Avoid frying too long as it will make the fish paste dry and hard, which will affect the taste.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Make tomato sauce fish cake

  You heat a pan on the stove and add about 3 teaspoons of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the remaining minced garlic and onion to the pan and stir well.

  When it becomes fragrant, continue to add 300g of tomatoes. Stir-fry on low heat until the tomatoes are cooked, then add the fish cake. Continue to stir to let the fish cake absorb the flavor.

  At this point, add 1/2 cup of water and start seasoning. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, then simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

  Add all the chopped green onions and cilantro to enhance the dish’s aroma. Finally, serve it on a plate and enjoy.

  

  

  

  
• 6

  Finished Product

  The dish is a combination of the delicious taste of snakehead fish cake, blended with the rich tomato sauce, with a fragrant aroma wafting through the kitchen and an eye-catching color that is sure to make you ecstatic from the very first bite.

  Especially when eating snakehead fish cake with tomato sauce accompanied by hot rice, it tastes absolutely wonderful!