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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Steamed dishes are always a great choice for a light, healthy meal that ensures nutrition and appealing flavor without complicated preparation. Today, let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to make delicious steamed flatfish with mushrooms!
Ingredients for Steamed Flatfish with Mushrooms Serves 3
Flatfish 1 fish (about 400g) Carrot 1 piece Onion 1/2 piece Dried wood ear mushrooms 4 pieces Shallots 2 pieces Chili 2 pieces Green onions 2 stalks Coriander 3 stalks Vietnamese coriander 3 stalks Roasted peanuts a little Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common seasoning a little (Salt/ seasoning powder/ sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh flatfish
- Choose fish that are diamond-shaped and flattened on both sides. Observe the fish’s eyes; if they are clear and not cloudy, the fish is fresh.
- Check the gills; fresh fish have pinkish gills. Press lightly on the fish’s flesh; if you feel the elasticity of the flesh, then it should be selected for purchase.
- Do not choose fish with dark red gills or cloudy eyes, as they may be fish that have died for a while and will not taste good.
- Absolutely do not buy flatfish if pressing on the flesh causes it to dent, as they may be spoiled fish.
How to choose good dried wood ear mushrooms
- You should prioritize choosing mushroom caps that are large, thick, and have few small mushrooms at the base.
- The good mushrooms have a dark amber color, the top side is slightly shiny, and the underside has a coffee milk color.
- Avoid choosing mushrooms that look too black, as this type can become mushy when soaked in water and is less crunchy.
How to choose good peanuts
- You should choose peanuts that have shiny, beautiful shells, with evenly sized kernels, and feel firm when held.
- Avoid peanuts that show signs of mold, have unusual colors, or have shriveled kernels with wrinkled shells.
- Do not buy peanuts that have been stored for a long time, as their shells are usually not shiny and will smell oily when cooked.
How to choose fresh carrots
- Choose carrots that are of moderate size, not too large, have a long and slender shape, and feel firm when held.
- Fresh carrots have a deep orange color and bright appearance, smooth skin, not rough, and the green tops are still tightly attached to the body.
- Avoid selecting carrots with wilted tops, slimy bodies when touched, soft and mushy flesh, or many bruises on the surface, as these are old carrots that can affect health.
- Generally, larger carrots are not as tasty as smaller ones because they are older carrots that have a lot of fibers and very few nutrients.
How to choose delicious, chewy vermicelli
- For this dish, you can choose dong vermicelli, Northern vermicelli, or whatever you prefer.
- You can buy vermicelli at supermarkets, TasteVN, markets, or reputable stores.
- For packaged products, you should carefully check the expiration date, ensure the outer packaging is intact, not torn or discolored, and that the product inside is not moldy.
Required tools
How to prepare steamed fish with mushrooms
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Prepare the ingredients
To eliminate the fishy smell of the fish, clean it thoroughly, remove all the internal organs, rub salt on the fish, and then rinse it with water. Continue to make diagonal cuts on the fish’s flesh so that when marinating, the fish can absorb the spices better.
How to clean the fish so it doesn’t smell
- To prevent the fish from smelling while preparing it, make sure to remove all the internal organs and scrape off the fish’s slime.
- Use lemon to rub on the fish for about 5 minutes, then rinse with water to help eliminate the fishy smell.
- If you don’t have lemon, you can use salt to scrub or rinse the fish with cold water mixed with a little alcohol or vinegar.
See details: How to clean the fish so it doesn’t smell
Soak the wood ear mushrooms in water for about 1 hour to expand, then cut off the stems and slice them into strips. Soak the vermicelli in warm water for about 15 minutes until soft, then remove and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Peel the carrots and shred them. Peel the onion and slice it thinly. Cut off the old stems of the cilantro and wash them clean, then chop them finely. Wash the green onions, cut the white parts into small pieces, and chop the green leaves.
Roast the peanuts and crush them. Peel the shallots, keeping one whole and chopping the other finely. Wash the chili peppers.
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Marinate the fish
Crush 1 shallot, the white part of the green onion, 2 chili peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and mix well.
Place the fish on a large plate and rub the marinade mixture all over the fish and inside the belly.
Let the fish marinate for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
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Stir-fried vermicelli with vegetables
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, when the oil is hot, sauté minced shallots until fragrant.
When the shallots are fragrant, add wood ear mushrooms, carrots, onions, and vermicelli and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 of the green onions, 1/2 of the cilantro, 1/2 of the coriander, mix well, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking, then turn off the heat.
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Steam fish
Prepare a steamer, add 1 liter of water to boil and place the fish plate in the steamer, cover and steam for 10 minutes over medium heat until the fish is cooked.
Continue to add the stir-fried vermicelli with vegetables and steam for an additional 4 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Remove the steamed fish plate and garnish with roasted peanuts and the remaining green onions, cilantro, and coriander on top for an appealing look.
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Final Product
Steamed fish tastes better when eaten hot, and the fish is served with sweet and sour fish sauce, fresh vegetables, rice paper, or with rice.
The fish is marinated just right, the meat is sweet and not at all fishy thanks to careful preparation, while the glass noodles and wood ear mushrooms are chewy and delicious.
It truly is delicious. You should try making and enjoying this dish right away.
See more
Above is a guide on how to make steamed flatfish with mushrooms that is authentic, delicious, and incredibly simple and easy to make, which anyone can do. Wishing you success with this recipe!
*Image and recipe sources are shared from Facebook: Duy Trang
