Simple and Easy Recipe for Steamed Snakehead Fish with Sweet Cabbage at Home

How to prepare steamed snakehead fish with cabbage

• 1

  Prepare the snakehead fish

  For convenience and speed, you can ask the seller to clean the fish for you; at home, you just need to eliminate the fishy smell by scraping off the slimy layer on the fish’s body with a knife.

  Then, rub salt evenly around the fish, let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with clean water and drain.

  Next, place the drained snakehead fish on a plate, add about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, rub it evenly and marinate for about 10 minutes for the fish sauce to soak into the fish.

  How to prepare snakehead fish without a fishy smell

  • After purchasing snakehead fish, you need to scrape off the scales, cut off the fins and tail. Gut the fish, clean out the intestines along with the cloudy membrane inside and the white tendons next to the fish’s spine.
  • Next, use a knife to cut off the gills and trim the head, then eliminate the fishy smell of the snakehead fish by soaking it in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar with a small bowl of warm water for about 3 – 5 minutes.
  • Finally, massage the entire body of the fish once more, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the remaining ingredients

  Green onions should have their roots removed, washed clean, drained, and cut into pieces. Shallots and garlic, after peeling, should be minced.

  Chilies should be washed and sliced. Cabbage should be taken apart into leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces, then soaked in diluted salt water for about 2 minutes to eliminate bacteria, then rinsed again with clean water.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Fry fragrant garlic and chili

  Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the pan, turn on the gas stove, and heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add all the chopped shallots, minced garlic, and sliced chili.

  Stir-fry over low heat for about 3 minutes until the shallots, garlic, and chili become fragrant and golden crispy, then turn off the heat and quickly remove the shallots, garlic, and chili to a bowl.

  Tip: To prevent the garlic and shallots from burning, you should turn off the heat when you see them slightly turning golden and continue to stir until they are perfectly golden!

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Steamed Fish

  Add the drained cabbage into a pan with oil where garlic and onion have been sautéed, then stir evenly over low heat for about 2 minutes until the cabbage wilts, then add the marinated snakehead fish.

  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 spoon of seasoning powder, 1/3 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce.

  Cover the pot, keep the heat low, and steam for 20 minutes until the snakehead fish is tender, then add chopped green onions. Serve the dish on a plate, sprinkle with some crispy fried shallots and garlic on top, and enjoy!

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Finished Product

  Steamed snakehead fish with cabbage will have an enticing aroma of fried garlic. When eaten, you will feel the sweet and tender flesh of the snakehead fish infused with spices, perfectly complemented by the crunchy and subtly sweet cabbage.

  This dish can be enjoyed with hot rice or wrapped in rice paper, which is also very appealing and delicious.