How to Make Vietnamese Braised Snakehead Fish with Pepper
Braised Snakehead Fish with Pepper, turmeric, and ginger leaves will surely tempt you with its incredibly rich flavor.
Ingredients
- 700g snakehead fish
- 200g pork belly
- 1 ginger root
- 4 shallots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- Ginger leaves
- Whole and ground black pepper
- 1-2 chili peppers
- Salt
- Seasoning: Fish sauce, sugar, MSG
Instructions
Preparing the Snakehead Fish
Using the handle of a knife, hit the snakehead fish on the head to stop it from flailing. Then, scale the fish, remove the fins and gills. Make an incision along the belly, remove the guts, and scrape out the black membrane. Rub coarse salt all over the fish to clean and remove the slime and fishy odor. Rinse the fish thoroughly, let it drain, and then cut it into smaller pieces.
Preparing Other Ingredients
Wash the ginger leaves and cut them into pieces about 5-7 cm long. Ginger leaves can be easily found at local vegetable stalls, and they're quite affordable, often cheaper than ginger root. In Hanoi markets, a bundle of ginger leaves (with small ginger roots attached) costs around 6,000 VND per bundle with 5 stems.
Alternatively, you can grow your own by planting a ginger root in the soil, watering it every 2-3 days, and in two weeks, you'll see shoots sprouting up to about 3 cm tall.
Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Wash the ginger, crush, and mince it.
Rinse the pork belly with salt, slice it into 1 cm thick pieces, then let it drain. Marinate the pork with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce.
Marinating the Snakehead Fish
Marinate the snakehead fish with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of MSG, 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder, along with some minced ginger, shallots, and garlic. Mix well and allow the fish to absorb the seasoning for at least 30 minutes.
Lightly Frying the Fish
After marinating, lightly fry the fish. This helps firm up the fish so it won’t break apart during the braising process, and it also enhances the flavor and gives the fish a beautiful golden-brown color.
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Once hot, fry the remaining minced shallots, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, then add the fish and lightly fry on all sides until it firms up.
Braised Snakehead Fish with Pepper
Line the bottom of a pot with ginger leaves, then layer the fried fish and pork belly. Finally, add a layer of pork belly alternating with the fish.
Pour the oil used for frying the fish into the pot. Add the fish marinade and a bit of water so that the liquid just covers the fish. Add 1 teaspoon of whole black pepper and 1-2 chili peppers.
Initially, cook over high heat to bring the liquid to a boil, allowing the fish to take shape and develop a nice color on top.
Let the fish simmer on high heat for 3-4 minutes, then reduce to low heat, cover the pot, and braise the fish for about an hour until the sauce thickens. During this time, adjust the seasoning to your taste.
If you need to add more liquid during the cooking process, use filtered water instead of tap water to avoid a fishy smell.
Final Product Requirements
This dish is best served hot. The fish has a beautiful golden-brown glaze with a thick, savory sauce. The aroma is extremely inviting, with the fish being tender, sweet, and richly flavored. The pepper, ginger leaves, and turmeric all blend together, seeping into the fish for an incredibly delicious taste.
Besides braised fish, you can diversify your daily meals with a dish like sour snakehead fish soup.
However, no matter what dish you prepare, it's crucial to choose fresh snakehead fish. Look for fish with a sharp head, dark color, and a slender, firm body, even if it's not too big. The tail should be flat for the best meat quality.
