Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
15 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
On hot days, if there is a sour soup that is sweet and tangy and refreshing, nothing can compare. So what are you waiting for? Today, TasteVN will guide you to make this sour soup with dried snakehead fish. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients for Sour Soup with Dried Snakehead Fish For 4 people
Dried snakehead fish 200 gr Sour tamarind 50 gr Aromatic herbs A little Fresh lime 2 fruits Common spices A little (MSG/ sugar/ salt)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose and where to buy dried snakehead fish
- Good dried snakehead fish will have a natural color, either white-yellowish or brownish.
- Choose dried snakehead fish that is not too dry and hard, the fish should still be flexible with firm flesh.
- Do not buy if the dried fish looks flaky, and has an unusual fishy smell.
- You can find dried snakehead fish at seafood markets, shops selling dried food, or on e-commerce sites.
- Currently, the price of dried snakehead fish ranges from 290,000 VND/kg for farmed fish and 500,000 VND/kg for wild fish. (price updated in 06/2021)
- Additionally, you can easily make delicious dried snakehead fish at home with TasteVN’s recipe!
How to choose fresh and delicious banana flowers
- Good banana flowers have a dark red or purple-red skin, and the outer skin is covered with a thin layer of white powder.
- If you pick up the banana flower and it feels firm and heavy, with a hollow and airy inside, it is a good banana flower.
- Do not choose banana flowers that have been stored for a long time or are too mature, as they will be very hard and chewy when eaten.
How to prepare dried snakehead fish cooked with sour soup
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Prepare the dried snakehead fish
Cut the dried snakehead fish into bite-sized pieces.
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Prepare the other ingredients
Prepare 1 bowl of water, then add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and squeeze the juice of 2 fresh lemons into it, stirring well to dissolve.
Slice the banana flower thinly, then place it into the bowl of water. Next, rinse it with cold water 2 – 3 times and then drain.
How to prepare banana flower without browning
- Peel off the old outer layers of the banana flower, cut it in half, and then slice it thinly. After that, soak it immediately in the bowl of diluted salt water to prevent browning.
- Remove the banana flower and rinse it in a colander with cold water 2 to 3 times until clean. Use your hands to mix it well so that the banana flower is submerged in the bowl of water. Then, soak it for about 20 minutes to let the sap of the banana flower release completely.
See details: How to slice banana flower without browning
Wash the herbs thoroughly and then chop them finely.
Put the sour tamarind in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of warm water, then use a spoon to mash the tamarind. After that, strain the tamarind and only take the juice, discarding the pulp.
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Cook the soup
Next, boil 1 liter of water, then add the tamarind juice, season with 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and cook again until the water boils before adding the dried snakehead fish.
Then add the banana flower and cook over medium heat, waiting about 3 minutes for the water to boil, then add the herbs and stir well.
Finally, season to taste and turn off the heat.
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Final product
The sour soup cooked with dried snakehead fish is very fragrant and appealing. The sour and sweet taste of tamarind blends with the salty and aromatic flavor of dried snakehead fish, along with the banana flower and herbs, making it very delicious and unique. It’s simple and tasty, perfect for enjoying on hot sunny days.
The above is a guide on how to make dried snakehead fish cooked sour soup deliciously and lightly for cooling on hot days. I wish you success with this recipe!
*Refer to the images and recipe from the YouTube channel Daily Cooking Vlog.
