Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Bong lau fish is an ingredient used to make many dishes from soups, stir-fries, stews, to boiled dishes,… and each one is irresistibly delicious. Today, let’s join TasteVN cook to prepare bong lau fish soup with sour bamboo shoots that’s extremely delicious for the whole family to enjoy!
Ingredients for Bong Lau Fish Soup with Sour Bamboo Shoots Serves 4 people
Bong lau fish 1/2 fish Sour bamboo shoots 250 gr Sour tamarind 10 gr Tomatoes 2 pieces Chili 1 piece Minced shallots 5 gr Minced garlic 5 gr Vietnamese coriander/ cilantro a little Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Vinegar a little Sugar 3 teaspoons Salt 2 teaspoons
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh bong lau fish
- For fresh fish, choose those that are still lively and move actively. The fins and tail of the fish should be intact, the fish’s skin should have a natural silver color and not have spots or lesions.
- For pre-prepared fish, choose pieces with light pink flesh, the color of the flesh should not be too dark. Fresh fish flesh will have very good elasticity and especially should not leak fluid or have an unpleasant smell.
How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
- Pay attention to the color and aroma of the tomatoes. You should choose those that are bright red, evenly colored, with a firm and plump skin, and not bruised. When held, they should feel solid.
- Good tomatoes have a light, natural fragrance. The green stem should be fresh and firmly attached to the fruit. Try pulling the stem; if it is firmly attached and not easily detached, it indicates that the tomato is fresh and will taste very good.
- You should avoid tomatoes that are overly red, with wrinkled skin, wilted and detached stems, and have no aroma, as these are overripe and damaged tomatoes.
How to choose delicious sour bamboo shoots
- When buying bamboo shoots, choose those with a light yellow outer skin, a characteristic aroma, and no surface scum. Additionally, bamboo shoots that are not soaked in chemicals will not have an overly shiny appearance and will not look appealing.
- You should avoid sour bamboo shoots with a foul smell, outer skin that has unusual colors like overly white or brownish-yellow, and surfaces that are spotted or damaged.
- You can make sour bamboo shoots at home using TasteVN’s recipe to ensure safety.
How to cook Pangasius fish with sour bamboo shoots
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Prepare the Pangasius fish
After buying the Pangasius fish, soak it in water mixed with a little vinegar, lemon, or salt, then use a knife to scrape off the slime on the fish skin and rinse it thoroughly with water.
Tip:
- You should buy fish that has been pre-prepared for easier cooking!
- Depending on your family’s preference, you can keep or remove the fish head.
How to clean Pangasius fish without leaving it dirty or fishy:
- Method 1: After cutting the fish into bite-sized pieces (usually about 2 finger joints), rub the fish thoroughly with coarse salt and vinegar to remove the slime and fishy smell. Don’t forget to remove any clotted blood inside the fish, including the fish head, and rinse it clean with water.
- Method 2: After cutting the fish into pieces, pour warm water over it and wait for the slime to coagulate, then scrape it off. Finally, rinse it with clean water.
See details: 7 tips to easily and effectively remove the fishy smell of fish
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Prepare the other ingredients
Sour bamboo shoots, after buying, discard the soaking water, rinse with clean water and blanch briefly in boiling water to remove the unpleasant smell.
Tomatoes should be washed, cut into wedges, and various herbs should be chopped finely.
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Blanch the fish
Put a pot of boiling water on the stove, once the water is boiling, add the fish and blanch for about 3 minutes.
Tip: Blanching the fish before cooking will help the fish stay firm and prevent the soup from being fishy. -
Cook the soup
Place a pot for cooking the soup on the stove, add chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add tomatoes and bamboo shoots sautéed with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar. When the bamboo shoots and tomatoes are slightly firm, add 1 liter of hot water to cook the soup.
Add a little soup water into a bowl containing tamarind, stir and extract the tamarind juice into the pot. Then add the fish into the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
Season the pot with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and adjust the seasoning to your family’s taste. Turn off the heat, add chopped cilantro and a little sliced chili.
Tip: You can add fresh cilantro or fried garlic to enhance the flavor of the soup!
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Final Product
A steaming bowl of soup, with fragrant smoke rising. The broth is sour and spicy, and the fish is tender and rich in the flavors of home. Dip a piece of fish in salty fish sauce, take a bite of rice, oh what could be better.
See more:
So with simple and easy-to-find ingredients, you have a delicious and eye-catching bowl of snakehead fish with sour bamboo shoot for your family meal. Wishing you success with this recipe from TasteVN!
*Recipe and images referenced from the YouTube channel Enjoy Living Every Day in America
