Food & Receipts

The Secret Ingredient to Transform Your Braised Fish: Tender, Flavourful, and Simply Delicious

To elevate your braised fish dish, simply add a tiny ingredient that will make a huge difference. It might sound simple, but the results are astonishingly delicious!

Administrator

18 December, 2024

Braised fish has long been a familiar dish, often present in the meals of many Vietnamese families thanks to its savory flavor and simplicity. However, not everyone knows how to braise fish to make it tasty, flavorful, and tender, with firm meat and bones that easily melt in your mouth. If you’ve struggled with braising fish, whether it’s dry, mushy meat, or insufficiently soft bones, don’t worry! With the following small but effective tips, you will easily master this dish, bringing delicious and flavorful meals to your family table.

Secret to Quick Braising Fish

A great tip to make fish cook faster and soften both bones and meat is to use ingredients with natural acidic properties, such as tomatoes, sour pickles, star fruit, or pineapple. The acid from these ingredients will help soften the protein structure in the fish meat and aid in the breakdown of calcium in the bones, thus reducing cooking time while ensuring the desired tenderness. Moreover, these ingredients also contribute to enhancing the flavor of the dish and reducing any fishy odor.

Additionally, you can add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to the braising liquid. The acid in lemon or vinegar not only helps the fish cook evenly and retain its freshness but also imparts a unique flavor to the dish. However, use these ingredients in moderation to avoid making the dish too sour and upsetting the balance of flavors.

Pay attention to using the right amount to avoid making the dish too sour and imbalancing the flavors.

How to Prepare Braised Fish That’s Delicious, Not Fishy, and Quick to Tenderize

Ingredients:

– 2kg of walking catfish (or similar firm-fleshed fish)

– Sour star fruit (quantity depends on your preference)

– Sugar (for making caramel sauce)

– Chili sauce (adjust to taste, if you don’t like spice, you can omit it or substitute with fresh chili)

– 2 green bananas, 1 medium-sized galangal root, a knob of ginger, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and some young ginger leaves.

Tip for removing the fishy odor:

Before cooking, you can clean the walking catfish by rinsing it with diluted saltwater or vinegar and then gently rubbing a small amount of crushed ginger on its surface. This method helps remove the slime and effectively reduces the fishy smell thanks to the antibacterial properties of salt, vinegar, and ginger.

You can also soak the fish in rice water for about 10-15 minutes before cooking. This is a natural and safe method to eliminate the fishy odor.

Soak the fish in rice water for 10-15 minutes to reduce the fishy smell.

Braised Fish Preparation:

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

– Cut the cleaned and de-scaled walking catfish into pieces of your desired size.

– Peel and cut the green bananas into thick slices, then soak them in water mixed with a little vinegar to prevent discoloration and remove any latex.

– Wash the star fruit and cut it into moderately thick slices (don’t cut them too thin to avoid mushing during cooking).

– Crush or finely chop the galangal and ginger to maximize their aroma and ability to mask the fishy odor. If you’re short on time, you can simply slice them.

Step 2: Make the caramel sauce

Heat about 3 tablespoons of sugar with a small amount of water over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves and turns a golden brown color. Then, add water and chili sauce to create a thick mixture that will enhance the color and flavor of the dish while adding a mild spiciness.

Step 3: Marinate the fish and arrange the ingredients

– Place the fish in a pot and gently turn it over to coat it evenly with the caramel sauce.

– Arrange the ingredients in the following order: green bananas, star fruit, crushed galangal and ginger, peppercorns, and a few slices of fresh chili (if using).

– Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the surface and garnish with a few young ginger leaves to enhance the flavor.

Step 4: Braise the fish

Add boiling water to the pot, ensuring it covers the fish and other ingredients. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes or longer, depending on your preference, until the liquid reduces and thickens, and the fish absorbs the flavors.

Once the fish has cooled down, you can reheat it on the stove to braise it further. Cook until the fish meat is firm and the bones become soft.

The addition of these ingredients reduces the braising time by half.

Why These Ingredients Help Soften the Fish and Reduce the Fishy Odor

– Sour Star Fruit: The natural acid in star fruit helps soften the protein structure in the fish meat and aids in breaking down the calcium in the bones, making the fish tender more quickly.

– Ginger and Galangal: The distinctive aromatic oils and heat from these roots effectively mask the fishy odor. When crushed or finely chopped, they release more of their essence.

– Green Bananas: These absorb any remaining fishy odor and add a nutty flavor, contributing to the dish’s harmony.

– Olive Oil and Young Ginger Leaves: Olive oil not only adds a subtle richness but also helps spread the aroma of the other ingredients throughout the dish. The young ginger leaves enhance the dish’s characteristic flavor.

Final Product