How to Make Vietnamese Stir-Fried Eel with Lemongrass and Chili
When making Stir-Fried Eel with Lemongrass and Chili, what many people may be concerned about is processing the eel and how to make the eel clean and non-slippery.
Ingredients
- 500g fresh eel
- 1 bunch of wild betel leaves
- 5 stalks of lemongrass
- 2 dried onions
- 10 cloves of shallots
- 1 horn chili pepper
- Rock salt
- 2 lemons
- Cooking oil, vegetable oil, chili powder, pepper, fish sauce, MSG
Instructions
Preparing Ingredients
When buying eel at the market, the seller usually prepares the eel meat for you. If you have to prepare live eel yourself, you can read the article: How to Prepare Live Eel.
Pick the wild betel leaves, wash thoroughly, and chop into small pieces.
Lemongrass: remove the tough outer layers, cut off the base, and wash clean. Lightly crush the base of the lemongrass and chop finely. Slice the main part of the lemongrass thinly.
Horn chili peppers: wash clean and slice diagonally.
Dried onions and shallots: peel and chop finely. When making Nghe An-style eel, shallots are indispensable. They are an important ingredient that helps the eel dish carry the rich flavors of the Central region.
Marinating Eel
To make the eel richer and more aromatic, marinate it with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, some dried onions and shallots, finely chopped lemongrass base, and some ground pepper. Mix well and let the eel absorb the seasoning for at least 15-20 minutes.
How to Make Stir-Fried Eel with Lemongrass and Chili
Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a pan, heat the oil, then sauté the remaining dried onions and shallots, followed by the main part of the lemongrass. When these ingredients start to release their fragrance, add the eel meat to stir-fry.
Stir continuously until the eel is cooked through and firm, then begin seasoning. Do not season the eel before it is cooked, as it will not become aromatic and will instead taste fishy.
Adjust the seasoning quantities to suit your taste. For the amount of eel above, season with:
- 1 teaspoon of fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon of MSG
- ½ teaspoon of chili powder
- ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil
If you prefer a darker golden color, you can add a bit more vegetable oil.
On average, the time to stir-fry the eel until just cooked is about 5 minutes over medium heat. At this point, add the wild betel leaves and horn chili peppers, increase the heat, and stir quickly for an additional 20 seconds before turning off the heat.
Transfer the stir-fried eel to a plate, sprinkle a little ground pepper on top to enhance the aroma.
Final Product Requirements
Stir-Fried Eel with Lemongrass and Chili has an incredibly attractive color and aroma. The eel meat is tender and flavorful without any fishy smell, as it has been thoroughly cleaned, and especially, the fragrance of wild betel leaves dominates. Stir-Fried Eel with Lemongrass and Chili should be eaten hot, accompanied by rice or as a delicious snack.
