Măng fish is a species that usually concentrates in the sea areas of Central Vietnam, with a distinctive fresh and delicious taste that is hard to find in other fish. Today, Tastetutorial.com will guide you on 2 ways to make măng fish braised with pineapple and braised with tomato that are super delicious. Let’s get cooking and immediately prepare these 2 braised dishes!
1. Măng fish braised with pineapple (thơm)
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Măng fish braised with pineapple (thơm) For 4 people
Măng fish 500 gr Green onion 1 sprig Chili 1 piece Pineapple 1 piece (thơm) Celery 1 sprig Rice washing water a little Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Common seasoning a little (sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ salt)
How to choose fresh and delicious pineapple (thơm)
- You should choose pineapples that have an eye-catching yellow color, sometimes mixed with green in some spots, as these are ripe and have reached a certain level of sweetness.
- A pineapple that is just ripe will have a sweet aroma, not too strong. When you touch it with your hand, you will feel a moderate softness, and the skin is slightly wrinkled.
- Avoid buying pineapples that are uneven in color. If the fruit has too much green, it means they are not fully ripe, while fruits that are yellow but mixed with dark brown are overripe and about to spoil.
How to make Pineapple Braised Mackerel (fragrant)
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Prepare mackerel
Ask the seller to clean the mackerel, remove the intestines, then cut it into pieces and soak the fish in rice water for about 7 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
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Prepare other ingredients
Wash the green onions and chop them finely, keeping the green onion roots separate, and the green onion leaves separate. Wash and cut the celery into pieces. Slice the chili.
Peel the pineapple, use the knife tip to remove all the eyes on the body, then cut it into small, bite-sized pieces.
How to quickly peel a pineapple (fragrant) without cutting the eyes
- Step 1: Cut off the two ends of the pineapple, then cut it in half lengthwise.
- Step 2: Use the knife blade to cut diagonally on both sides of the core of the pineapple to remove it.
- Step 3: Place the pineapple upside down on the cutting board, use the knife close to the body of the pineapple to peel off the skin while removing the eyes of the pineapple as well.
- Step 4: Use a knife to carve parallel grooves on the surface of the pineapple for decoration.
- Step 5: Do the same with the other half of the pineapple.
See details: 5 simple ways to peel a pineapple quickly and easily
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Caramelizing
Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and 2 teaspoons of sugar into a pot, stir with chopsticks over low heat for about 2 minutes until the sugar turns a brown color, then add chopped green onions, stir until the onions turn golden, then turn off the heat.
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Braised fish
After caramelizing, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and the fish into the pot.
Shake it up, turn on medium heat and braise for about 1 minute, then flip the fish, braise the other side for another minute, then add 350ml of water into the pot. Braise on high heat until the fish water boils, then reduce to low heat and continue braising for about 5 minutes, then add the pineapple.
Stir well and continue braising for another 12 minutes until the water in the pot thickens, then taste and adjust the seasoning, add chopped celery, green onions, and sliced chili, then turn off the heat.
Tip- To ensure the fish absorbs the seasoning evenly, you should braise the fish over medium heat. Avoid high heat as it will evaporate the water quickly, resulting in less flavor absorption and a less tasty dish.
- To prevent the fish from breaking when flipping, be gentle!
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Final Product
The braised mackerel with pineapple will have a beautiful golden color, an enticing aroma, and the fish will be tender and delicious along with the sweet and sour pineapple.
Eating it with white rice is absolutely wonderful and very appetizing!
2. Braised Mackerel with Tomato
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Mackerel with Tomato For 4 people
Mackerel 600 gr Pork belly 200 gr Tomato 3 pieces Ginger 1 piece Galangal 2 slices (small slices) Chili 2 pieces Ginger leaves 7 leaves Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Lemon juice 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (seasoning/ monosodium glutamate/ salt)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh tomatoes
- You should choose tomatoes that are ripe on the vine, with a bright red color, uniform color, no scratches, and plump fruit.
- They should have a mild fragrance and when you gently pull the stem, it should not fall off.
- Avoid buying overly large tomatoes, those without stems, that feel light in your hand and are soft.
How to choose fresh pork belly
- You should choose pieces of meat that are bright pink, have high elasticity, and when you press them with your hand, they should not leave a dent.
- Fresh meat should be firm, with an even color, not slimy, and have no unpleasant odor.
- Additionally, you should choose meat with a balanced ratio of lean to fat, with a thick outer skin, fat about 1/2 finger width, and the lean meat should be tightly attached to the fat layer, which will make it tastier when stewed.
How to cook Tomato Braised Fish
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, and cut them into wedges. Peel and wash the galangal and ginger, then slice them. Cut the chili into slices.
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Prepare the mackerel and pork
To eliminate the fishy smell from the mackerel, after cleaning, soak it with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt, and water for about 2 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
Cut the pork belly into thin pieces for easy eating and rub salt until it dissolves, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.
Effective methods to remove the smell from pork
- To clean and remove dirt from pork belly, besides using diluted saltwater for washing, you can also use coarse salt or lemon to rub on the meat and then rinse with clean water, letting it drain.
- Another method you can use to help clean the meat and remove dirt is to use crushed ginger mixed with alcohol to wash the meat.
See details: Effective methods to eliminate the smell from different types of meat that women should know
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Caramelizing
Add 2 teaspoons of sugar to the pan, stir well over low heat for about 3 minutes until the sugar turns a golden brown color, then add 2 teaspoons of water, gently shake the pan and turn off the heat to pour into a bowl.
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Marinating Fish and Meat
Add fish, pork belly along with 1 tablespoon of seasoning, 2 teaspoons of monosodium glutamate, and 3 tablespoons of caramel, stir well and marinate for about 30 minutes for the meat and fish to absorb the spices evenly.
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Fish Stew
Layer 5 ginger leaves at the bottom of the pot, then add sliced ginger, galangal, tomatoes, and marinated fish and meat. Add about 500ml of water to the pot so that the water level is about half a finger’s length above the fish.
Next, add 4 teaspoons of seasoning and sliced chili, stew on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until the water covers the surface of the fish, then add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Stew for about 15 minutes until the water in the pot is completely evaporated, then turn off the heat.
Tip: To make the stew more delicious, you can adjust the ingredients according to your family’s taste!
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Final Product
The fish stew with tomatoes will have an appealing aroma once completed. The tomatoes will be soft, sweet, and enticing. The fish meat will be delicious, just right, not too dry. Eating it with white rice is incredibly delicious. Let’s get into the kitchen and make it right away!
What kind of fish is măng fish? How to choose fresh and delicious măng fish
- Măng fish belongs to the Chanidae family. Măng fish are distributed all over the world, especially in tropical marine areas.
- The body of măng fish is covered with a layer of small, hard scales that are very difficult to shed, usually having a light blue or gray color.
- Fresh măng fish will have clear eyes where the pupils can be seen inside. The flesh of the fish is firm and does not swell or have an unpleasant odor.
- In addition, fresh măng fish will have pink gills, shiny scales, and skin without any strange colors, with tightly closed mouths, and when pressed on the body, it has a degree of elasticity.
- You can buy măng fish at seafood markets, supermarkets, or reputable websites that specialize in providing fresh seafood. On average, 1kg of măng fish will cost around 220,000 – 300,000 VND/kg (updated 31/1/2021).
Effective ways to remove the fishy smell from măng fish
- Method 1: Soak the fish in rice water for about 15 – 20 minutes, then take it out and rinse it clean with water.
- Method 2: Soak the fish in diluted salt water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then scale and proceed to clean the fish.
- Method 3: Soak the fish in a mixture of water, white wine, and vinegar for about 5 minutes, then rinse it clean with water.
- Method 4: Squeeze lemon juice into warm water, then soak the fish for about 5 – 7 minutes, and then rinse it clean with water.
How to choose and where to buy coloring sauce
- You should choose to buy coloring sauce with clearly stated origin and expiration date on the packaging. It is advisable to buy coloring sauce with a production date close to the purchase date and well-packaged.
- You can buy ready-made coloring sauce at supermarkets, grocery stores, Tastetutorial.com stores, or purchase online at bachhoaxanh.com.
- Additionally, you can make your own coloring sauce with a detailed recipe from Tastetutorial.com.
See more
I hope these 2 dishes pineapple fish stew and tomato stew will help you change the taste for your family meal. Tastetutorial.com wishes you success with these 2 recipes!
*Refer to the recipes and images from 2 YouTube channels vodanh 051 and Phùng Thu Hương
