How to make fragrant grilled snakehead fish with lotus leaves, tender and delicious, easy to make

How to prepare Grilled Snakehead Fish with Lotus Leaves

• 1

  Prepare the snakehead fish

  Buy snakehead fish, clean off the scales and slime, cut off the fins, tail, and intestines, then soak in water mixed with vinegar for about 15 minutes.

  After that, rinse with clean water, then use a knife to make diagonal cuts on the fish body so that the fish absorbs the seasoning during marinating.

  How to remove the fishy smell from snakehead fish:

  • Method 1: After cleaning the fish, rub salt and gently massage the fish for about 2 – 3 minutes, then rinse with water.
  • Method 2: Soak the cleaned fish in a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar for about 3 – 5 minutes. Then massage the fish body once more and rinse with water.
  • Method 3: Alternatively, soak the cleaned fish in rice washing water with a little salt for 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse with water.

  See details: How to remove the fishy smell from snakehead fish

  

  
• 2

  Wrap the fish

  Evenly spread and gently massage the salt and chili mixture onto the fish body to absorb the seasoning.

  Take 2 lotus leaves, wash them clean, drain, then place the marinated fish inside, gently use your hands to wrap the lotus leaves around the fish to avoid tearing the leaves.

  Note

  • Using mature lotus leaves, wide leaf blades, with dark green veins will help make the wrapping tight and not tear.
  • If you accidentally tear the lotus leaf while wrapping the fish, continue using another lotus leaf to wrap over it.
  • Only use 2 – 3 lotus leaves to wrap the fish, do not wrap too many layers as this will cause the fish to take longer to cook and not cook evenly on both sides.

  

  

  
• 3

  Grilling the fish

  The wrapped fish should be placed on a charcoal stove to grill for about 1 hour. While grilling, you should turn the fish regularly to ensure it cooks evenly.

  Note

  For this dish, you should use a charcoal grill as it gives the fish a more appealing aroma and authentic flavor. However, if you do not have the means to use a charcoal grill, you can also grill the fish using tools such as:

  • Oven: Grill at a temperature of about 220 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Before grilling, preheat the oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes to stabilize the temperature.
  • Air fryer: Grill at a setting of 200 degrees Celsius, for 10 minutes, then take it out, flip the fish, and grill for another 10 – 15 minutes until the fish is cooked.

  

  
• 4

  Final Product

  The grilled snakehead fish wrapped in lotus leaves has an enticing aroma that spreads. The fish is just cooked through, with naturally tender and sweet flesh infused with the salty and spicy taste of chili salt, which is absolutely amazing!

  Take a piece of fresh grilled snakehead fish, wrap it with some rice noodles, fresh herbs, cucumber, pineapple, green mango, and dip it in sweet and sour fish sauce or fermented fish sauce for an incredible taste.