How to Make Delicious and Aromatic Mekong Delta Specialty Fish Sauce Hotpot

How to prepare Mudfish Hotpot

• 1

  Preparation of Mudfish

  Because the mudfish is covered with a type of mucus to protect its body, the process of cleaning and removing the fishy smell is very important. To clean the slime and minimize the fishy smell, you can rub a mixture of salt and vinegar on all parts of the fish several times, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.

  You should clean the gills and keep the fish intestines to experience the characteristic light bitterness of mudfish when eating.

  How to clean mudfish without slime and fishy smell

  • Cleaning mudfish with salt and vinegar: With this method, just mix vinegar with a little salt and gently rub it on the fish body; the fish will be clean of slime and significantly reduce the fishy smell.
  • Cleaning mudfish with hot water: First, boil water at about 70 – 80 degrees Celsius and add a little salt. Then soak the mudfish in it for about 5 – 7 minutes, when the water cools down, gently rub with your hands. Finally, rinse with clean water.
  • Cleaning mudfish with kitchen ash: If your house has kitchen ash, cleaning the fish is extremely simple. Just put the mudfish into a bowl of ash and then use the ash to rub along the body of the fish. This method can thoroughly remove slime and fishy smell.
  • Cleaning mudfish with banana leaves: Just crush a handful of fresh banana leaves and use it to rub against the fish. The latex in the banana leaves can effectively remove slime and fishy smell. After that, just rinse with clean water to prepare delicious dishes.
  • Cleaning fish slime with flour: Use flour on the fish, then wipe off the slime and rinse with water.

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the remaining ingredients

  Peel and finely chop the garlic and washed chili.

  Wash and cut off the top of the eggplant. Use a knife to cut the eggplant in half horizontally into 2 pieces. Continue to divide each piece into 4 equal parts.

  Wash the pork belly and slice it thinly, placing it in a plate. Then add 1/2 spoon of salt, 1 spoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 spoon of seasoning powder, 1.5 spoons of sugar, and 2/3 tablespoon of fish sauce. Then stir well to let the meat absorb the spices.

  Cut the long beans, lotus stems, and water spinach into bite-sized pieces. After that, wash the water lily and the mentioned vegetables thoroughly and place them in a basket to drain.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Sauté the ingredients

  Place a frying pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Wait until the oil is hot, then add 1/2 of the minced garlic to the pan and sauté until golden. Continue to add the pork belly and stir evenly for 3 – 4 minutes, then turn off the heat.

  

  
• 4

  Cook the hotpot broth

  Place a pot on the stove, pour enough water to fill the pot halfway. Wait until the water is close to boiling, then add 250g of fish sauce made from snakehead fish, cooking until the fish meat is soft enough to easily remove the bones. This step mainly helps make the hotpot broth richer. Note to use a ladle to skim off the foam on the surface of the water while cooking for a clearer broth.

  Place another pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and wait for the oil to heat up before adding the remaining minced garlic, frying until golden. Then, add lemongrass and continue frying until the lemongrass is slightly golden, then add chili.

  Set to medium heat, pour fresh coconut water into the pot and stir well. Once you see the water about to boil, continue adding the filtered snakehead fish broth, pork belly, and eggplant. Stir every few minutes for a more harmonious flavor in the broth.

  Add 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, then continue stirring. Depending on your and your family’s taste, you can adjust the amount of seasoning added to the broth.

  Since snakehead fish cooks very quickly, in just 2 – 3 minutes, you can add the snakehead fish to the hotpot when everyone is ready to eat. Continue to add water lily, water spinach, long beans, 2 or 3 chili peppers, and lotus flowers to the hotpot. After cooking for about 1 – 2 minutes, you can enjoy this hotpot dish right away!

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  Catfish hotpot with soft and sweet catfish meat, rich and fatty, blended with the flavorful broth that carries the distinctive taste of fermented linh fish along with the crisp sweetness and freshness of various vegetables. Everything is evenly absorbed with incredibly attractive spices. You can enjoy the dish with vermicelli and a bowl of spicy fish sauce to enhance the flavor of the dish!