Ingredients for Sour Soup with Snakehead Fish
– 500g of snakehead fish, also known as catfish
– 200g of tomatoes
– 100g of ridged gourd
– 100g of yardlong beans
– 100g of bean sprouts
– 2 tamarind fruits for sourness
– 1/2 pineapple
– Garlic, chili, and fried shallots
Spices: Fish sauce, salt, sugar, seasoning powder
Herbs: Limnophila aromatica, sawtooth coriander/cilantro
Cooking Instructions for Sour Soup with Snakehead Fish
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
First, clean the snakehead fish with lemon and salt to remove any slime and fishy smell, then rinse and set aside to drain.
Peel and cut the pineapple into bite-sized triangular pieces. Peel and cut the ridged gourd diagonally. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Cut the yardlong beans diagonally. Rinse the bean sprouts and set aside to drain. Wash and chop the herbs into small pieces. Mince the garlic. To add a sour taste to the soup according to your preference and available ingredients, you can use tamarind, key lime juice, or fermented rice powder. Cook the tamarind, mash it, and strain the pulp to extract the juice, setting it aside.
Step 2: Marinate the Fish Before Cooking the Soup
Place the fish in a bowl and marinate it with fish sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic for 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavors. This step also helps to reduce any fishy odor and makes the soup more aromatic.
Step 3: Cook the Soup
Heat some cooking oil and fry the minced garlic over low to medium heat until fragrant and slightly golden. Remove the garlic and set it aside to use as a garnish later. Fry the marinated fish in the garlic oil to eliminate any fishy taste and firm up the flesh, then remove it and set it aside.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and season it with fish sauce, salt, and sugar to taste. Add the fried fish and simmer, skimming off any foam to clarify the broth. Once the fish is cooked, remove it and set it aside. Put the pineapple, tomatoes, and tamarind juice into the broth, adjusting the seasoning to balance the sour, salty, and sweet flavors. Then, add the ridged gourd, yardlong beans, and bean sprouts. Return the fish to the pot to heat it through. Garnish with fried garlic, limnophila aromatica, and sawtooth coriander/cilantro, and serve hot.
Step 4: Serving
The sour soup should have a clear broth with tender, intact pieces of fish. It offers a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, and mildly spicy flavors, with a crunchy texture from the vegetables. This dish is especially appetizing during the summer, stimulating your taste buds and making you want more.
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