Ingredients:
– 1 carp, weighing around 1-1.5 kg
– Pork belly (choose a piece with a small amount of meat attached)
– Pickled cucumbers
– Tomatoes, rice vinegar
– Ginger, dried shallots, turmeric, scallions, dill, chili peppers.
Instructions:
Step 1: Render the Pork Belly
For this dish, I prefer to use rendered pork belly fat. Wash the pork belly, cut it into pieces, and render the fat. Set the crispy pork bits (tóp mỡ) aside, and use the rendered fat for frying the fish.
Step 2: Prepare the Carp
Scale and gut the carp, then rinse it thoroughly. Make shallow cuts along the surface of the fish. Rub a small amount of salt inside the cavity of the fish, then pat it dry. Heat a pan with the rendered pork fat and fry the carp until it turns golden brown.
You can choose to fry or not fry the carp before stewing it with the pickled cucumbers. Frying helps reduce the fishy smell.
Step 3: Sauté the Tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes, cut them into wedges, and sauté them in the pork fat (or vegetable oil).
Step 4: Sauté the Pickled Cucumbers
Squeeze out the excess liquid from the pickled cucumbers and add them to the pan. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. If you like it spicy, add some sliced ginger and crushed chili peppers.
If you want to increase the sourness, you can add a little rice vinegar. (If you’re using homemade pickled cucumbers, you can use the brine to adjust the sourness, but be mindful of the saltiness as the brine tends to be salty.)
If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can substitute it with fermented rice (mẻ) instead. Make sure there’s enough liquid in the pan to just cover the fish when it’s added later.
Step 5: Stew the Carp with Pickled Cucumbers
When the liquid comes to a boil, add the fried carp, crispy pork bits, and a small amount of turmeric powder (or grated fresh turmeric).
Gently turn the fish once during the stewing process to ensure even absorption of the sour, spicy, and salty flavors. Be careful not to break the fish apart. When the fish is fully infused with the flavors, sprinkle in the scallions and dill, then remove the pan from the heat.
If you prefer to use pork belly instead of pork fat, simply add about 200g of thinly sliced pork belly. Fry the pork belly to render some of the fat, then proceed with the recipe as instructed above.
Desired Outcome:
The carp stewed with pickled cucumbers should have a tantalizing aroma from the sour cucumbers, complemented by the sweetness of the fish and the richness of the pork fat (or pork belly). The long stewing time ensures that the fish thoroughly absorbs the flavors, resulting in a dish that’s free from any fishy smell.
This dish is best served hot. It can be served on an inox plate or directly from the cooking pot to keep it warm.
2. STIR-FRIED STOMACH OF BASA FISH WITH PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Ingredients:
– Basa fish stomach: 250g
– Pickled mustard greens: 500g
– Shallots (or red onions or garlic), chili peppers, ginger, scallions, Vietnamese coriander, salt, pepper, seasoning powder, vinegar, white wine.
Instructions:
Clean the basa fish stomach and rub it with a mixture of salt, vinegar, and white wine. Rinse it well and place it in a colander to drain.
For the pickled mustard greens, choose the parts with more stems as they tend to be crunchier and tastier. Rinse the greens and drain them.
Peel and rinse the shallots, then crush them. Peel and rinse the ginger, then crush and finely chop it. Rinse the scallions and Vietnamese coriander, then finely chop them. Rinse the chili peppers and slice them.
Heat a pan over the stove and add some oil. Add the crushed shallots and fry until fragrant. When the shallots turn golden, add the basa fish stomach and stir-fry until it changes color. Season the fish stomach with a little bit of the seasoning, then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Add another spoonful of oil to the pan. Put in the pickled mustard greens and season them. When the greens are cooked and seasoned to your taste, return the fish stomach to the pan and mix well. Adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Finally, add the ginger, chili peppers, scallions, and Vietnamese coriander. Mix well and turn off the heat. Sprinkle some pepper on top before serving.
3. STIR-FRIED PIG INTESTINES WITH PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Ingredients:
– Half a set of pig intestines (dồi trường)
– 1-2 tomatoes
– 1 bowl of pickled cucumbers
– 1 bulb of onion; a few cloves of garlic
– 2 stalks of scallions; 1-2 chili peppers; 1 knob of ginger
– Seasonings: 1 teaspoon of fish sauce; a pinch of sugar; salt, seasoning powder, pepper; cooking oil.
Instructions:
Rinse the pig intestines and drain them well. Peel and slice the ginger into thin strips. Cut the tomatoes into wedges, and finely chop the onions and garlic. Cut the scallions into short lengths and set them aside.
Boil some water in a pot and add a pinch of salt and the sliced ginger. Add the pig intestines and blanch them for about 5 minutes. Remove the intestines and soak them in cold water for another 5 minutes.
Drain the intestines and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Heat a pan over the stove and add a teaspoon of cooking oil. Add the chopped garlic and fry until fragrant. Put in the pig intestines and stir-fry them with the chili peppers. Season with fish sauce, seasoning powder, and pepper, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Using the same pan, add another teaspoon of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and fry until fragrant. Put in the tomato wedges and sauté until they soften. Next, add the pickled cucumbers and season with a pinch of sugar and fish sauce to taste. Sauté until the cucumbers are cooked.
Return the pig intestines to the pan and mix well. Add the scallions and turn off the heat.
Serve the stir-fried pig intestines with pickled cucumbers immediately while it’s still hot to enjoy the crispy and bouncy texture of the dish.
4. BRAISED PORK RIBS WITH PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Ingredients:
– 1 bowl of pickled mustard greens
– 500-600g of pork ribs
– 1 bulb of garlic
– 2 bulbs of onion
– 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
– 2 teaspoons of fish sauce
– A pinch of seasoning powder
– Chili peppers, if you like it spicy
– Salt, pepper, MSG
– Cooking oil
Instructions:
Rinse the pork ribs and pat them dry. Cut the ribs into bite-sized pieces. You can parboil the ribs to remove any impurities.
Peel and finely chop the garlic and onions. If the pickled mustard greens are too sour, rinse them briefly to reduce the sourness.
In a bowl, combine the ribs with salt, seasoning powder, MSG, and pepper. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes to let the ribs absorb the flavors.
Place a pan or pot over the stove and add sugar and a little bit of cooking oil. Heat it up until the sugar turns a caramel color. Add the ribs and stir-fry until they change color. Then, add the chopped garlic and onions.
Next, put in the pickled mustard greens, chili peppers (if using), and fish sauce. Add just enough water to barely cover the ribs. Cover and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Braise the ribs until the liquid reduces and thickens. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
When the ribs are tender, turn off the heat. Don’t braise it until the liquid is completely reduced; leave a little bit of the thickened sauce to enjoy with rice.
5. BEEF STEW WITH PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Ingredients:
– 200g of beef short ribs
– 1 bowl of pickled cucumbers
– Scallions, garlic, seasonings, tomatoes
Instructions:
Rinse the beef and cut it into small cubes. Marinate the beef with 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/3 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and a dash of fish sauce for about 15 minutes.
Heat a pan with a teaspoon of cooking oil and fry the marinated beef until it’s browned, which should take about 3 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat a teaspoon of cooking oil and fry the chopped onions until fragrant. Add the tomatoes (cut into small pieces) and season with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the pickled cucumbers (finely chopped and squeezed dry). Season with 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, allowing the cucumbers to absorb the flavors.
Transfer the beef to a pot and add the cucumber mixture. Pour in 1.5 liters of water and 1/2 bowl of cucumber brine. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until the beef is tender. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Just before turning off the heat, add a few slices of chili peppers and scallions.
Serve the beef stew with pickled cucumbers in a bowl, garnished with scallions and chili peppers. Enjoy this hearty dish with a bowl of hot rice, especially during the winter months.
Good luck with your cooking!
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