How to Cook Northern-Style Sour Fish Soup with Glass Pot

How to make Northern-style sour fish soup

• 1

  Prepare the ingredients

  When buying fish heads at the market, ask the seller to clean them to remove the gills and slime. When you get home, simply rub the fish head with 1 tablespoon of salt, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse it several times with water until clean. After that, cut the fish head in half for easier cooking.

  For the green onions, chop both the roots and the leaves finely. For the dill, cut off the old roots and chop it small, then mix it with the green onions. Peel the shallots and slice them thinly.

  Divide the tomatoes into two parts: 2 will be cut into wedges and 3 will be chopped finely. For the finely chopped tomatoes, place them in a bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and use a spoon to mash them up.

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the luffa

  You use a sharp knife to prick the surface of the luffa all over to release its sap, then roast it over a low flame until the outer skin is charred black.

  Next, you peel off the charred skin and wash it clean with water. After that, you place the luffa in a pot, add 200ml of water, and put it on the stove to cook for 10 minutes. After cooking, you strain the juice and discard the seeds.

  Tip: Since luffa is seasonal, you may find it hard to buy this fruit out of season. Therefore, you can roast several luffas at once, peel them, and freeze them in the refrigerator for later use.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Cook the fish head

  You put a pot on the stove, boil 1.5 liters of water, then add 1 teaspoon of salt. When the water is boiling vigorously, you add the fish head and cook. The fish head will cook quite quickly. Once the water boils again for the second time, you only need to cook for about 10 more minutes for the fish to be done.

  Tip: Adding the fish when the water is boiling helps reduce the fishy smell. If you want the soup to be lighter, you do not need to sauté the fish beforehand as this will add oil to the soup.

  

  
• 4

  Sauté tomatoes for color

  While cooking the fish, prepare a separate pan, heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, and sauté minced shallots until fragrant. When the shallots are golden and aromatic, add finely chopped tomatoes and sauté over low heat until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

  Then, ladle 2 scoops of broth from the fish pot into the pan, stir well, and use a sieve to strain this mixture into the fish soup pot to create an attractive color.

  

  

  
• 5

  Cooking sour fish soup

  When the fish head is tender, add the tomato wedges and cook until boiling. At this point, season with 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (adjust to taste).

  Finally, slowly pour the juice from the sour gourd into the pot, tasting as you pour to ensure the right level of sourness. When the soup tastes just right, turn off the heat.

  
• 6

  Final Product

  You arrange the chopped green onions and dill at the bottom of the bowl, then ladle the head of the fish and the hot broth on top. The sour fish soup is completed with a refreshing sour taste, gentle sweetness from the fish, and the fragrant smell of dill. This is definitely a dish that will make the family meal more appealing.