Preparation
15 minutes
Processing
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Today, TasteVN will guide you on how to make a delicious braised dish from snakehead fish with a warm, fragrant flavor, perfect for a comforting meal. Let’s get cooking and make this braised snakehead fish with galangal right away!
Ingredients for Braised Snakehead Fish with Galangal For 4 people
Snakehead fish 1 kg (10 fish) Pork belly 500 gr Galangal 1 root (large root) Green onion 2 stalks Ginger 1 root (small root) Chili 2 fruits Garlic 4 cloves Shallots 2 bulbs Rice washing water 500 ml Fish sauce 1.5 tablespoons Coloring sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common spices A little (salt/ MSG/ sugar/ pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh snakehead fish
- You should choose snakehead fish that have clear, bright eyes, not cloudy and slightly bulging. The cornea should be elastic. The gills should be pink-red and tightly attached to the fish body.
- Additionally, you should buy fish with firm flesh that adheres tightly together, not loose, and has high elasticity. There should be no fishy smell or any hint of ammonia.
- Avoid buying fish that have scales easily peeling off from the body, appear dull, cloudy, and have unevenly arranged scales. These are signs of spoiled fish, which will not taste good when eaten.
How to choose fresh and delicious pork belly
- You should choose a piece of pork belly that has a balance of lean meat, fat, and a thick outer skin, with the fat being about 2/3 of a finger’s length, and the lean meat tightly attached to the layer of fat.
- However, it’s important to note that to buy pork belly that is just right to eat, not too tough, you should avoid pieces with an excessively thick layer of fat and skin on the outside as that indicates an older pig.
- Additionally, fresh pork belly will have a dry outer membrane, a light red or bright pink color. When cut, the meat should have a bright pink color, white-pink skin, and be tender. The fat interspersed with the lean meat should be bright and firm.
- Absolutely do not buy pork belly that has an unusual smell, or has cysts shaped like green plums (cysts) lying parallel to the meat fibers or small white spots, as this indicates the meat is infected with parasites and larvae.
Tools needed
Clay pot, knife, scissors, cutting board, plate,…
How to prepare Braised Snakehead Fish with Galangal
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Prepare the snakehead fish
The snakehead fish bought should be scaled, the head and internal organs removed, then rinsed briefly with clean water and soaked in rice wash water for about 15 – 20 minutes. After that, take it out and rinse again with clean water.
Effective ways to eliminate fishy smell
- Method 1: Use salt to rub on the fish body, then scale and proceed to clean the fish.
- Method 2: Squeeze lemon juice mixed with warm water, then soak the fish for about 5 – 7 minutes, then take it out and rinse with water.
- Method 3: After cleaning the fish, soak it for 5 minutes in diluted white vinegar, then take it out, rinse again, and let it drain.
See details: 7 tips to easily and effectively eliminate fishy smell
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Prepare the pork belly
The pork belly should be rinsed with diluted salt water multiple times, then rinsed again with clean water and cut into large pieces about 2 finger lengths.
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Prepare other ingredients
Peel the shallots and garlic, then slice them thinly. For the chili, just remove the stem and slice it into thin pieces for eating.
Wash the ginger, then use a knife to slice it into bite-sized pieces. Wash the green onions, cut off the roots, then chop the onions into small sections about 1/2 finger length.
After washing the galangal, use a spoon to scrape off the skin and finely chop it.
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Fish Stew
First, place a layer of sliced shallots, garlic, and 1/2 tablespoon of minced galangal into a clay pot, then layer the pork belly on top. Sprinkle another 1/2 tablespoon of minced galangal and a bit more chopped scallions on top.
Next, arrange the snakehead fish on top of the galangal layer, then add all the remaining minced galangal, chili, sliced onion, garlic, and the remaining 1/2 chopped scallion on the surface.
Then, season with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1/3 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1.5 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce, 1/3 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 200ml of water into the pot.
Simmer on medium heat for about 2 minutes until the water boils, then cover and reduce the heat to low, simmering gently for about 15 minutes until the pork belly and snakehead fish are cooked, then turn off the heat.
Sprinkle a little more ground pepper, the remaining chopped scallions, and a few slices of chili on top, scoop it onto a plate, and enjoy!
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Final Product
The braised snakehead fish after completion has the enticing aroma of galangal. Tasting a piece, you will experience the rich, tender flavor of the pork belly and the snakehead fish combined with the delicious, bold taste perfectly blended with the spicy fragrance of galangal and other common spices.
Eating it with hot white rice and a bit of tomato and cucumber makes it extremely delicious, right?
See more
Finally, we have completed the dish braised snakehead fish with galangal, tender and delicious for your daily meals. TasteVN wishes you success with this dish and hope you cook many delicious meals for your family!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel: Eat to Remember
