Buzz
Every time I set foot in the land of Mũi, Cà Mau, or Gành Hào, Bạc Liêu, I am always enchanted by the unique coastal delicacies. Yet, inexplicably, my mind keeps wandering back to the unforgettable taste of braised brown fish.
Traveling to Bạc Liêu? Remember to savor the succulent braised brown fish!
Brown fish, also known as beo fish due to its intricate patterns resembling fat tissue. Its flat body, somewhat round shape, small, short head, and scales covering its entire body.
These fish inhabit both brackish and freshwater environments. While the flesh of freshwater fish is firm, the saltwater variety is larger, softer, fattier, more tender, and exudes a delightful aroma.
This species feeds on algae and seaweed in its natural habitat, resulting in its meat being low in fishiness. Particularly, the male fish boast impressive patterns on their bodies, creating a striking appearance.
For me, this type of fish is so delicious that it... haunts me; whenever I see a fish with such beautiful patterns, I just can't resist.
Brown fish can be prepared in various delicious ways such as fresh frying, salt frying, stewing, or wrapped in banana leaves and grilled, served with a spicy lime salt dip. But there's one dish that stands out as 'luxurious,' and that's braised brown fish.
To make this dish, one must select fresh, unfrozen young fish, as frozen fish tend to lose their fat and flavor over time.
The most suitable size for braising is about 300g/fish. Clean and scale the fish, drain off excess water before cooking.
There are many ways to cook sour soup, such as cooking with banana flower, starfruit, young tamarind, lime, vinegar, mango... but it seems brown fish has a special affinity with fermented rice.
The fermented rice broth gives the fish a white, flavorful, tender texture without any unpleasant smell. Especially, the broth has a sour, spicy, salty, sweet taste that becomes addictive with every bite.
Like other hotpot dishes, the deliciousness of this one depends partly on the chef's seasoning skills, especially in using spices to make it aromatic and tantalizing to the taste buds.
Sour hotpot cannot be without chili, lemongrass, and aromatic herbs. Lemongrass eliminates fishy odors, chili stimulates the palate. Meanwhile, cilantro and Vietnamese cinnamon will elevate the sour soup to another level, with a rich, intense flavor that surpasses other hotpot dishes.
Braised brown fish can be served as a main dish or paired with vermicelli and fresh greens such as water spinach, lettuce, sesbania, and okra... Absolutely delicious!
By Hoài Vũ/ Tuổi Trẻ
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourMarch 17, 2017
