Vietnamese catfish recipes have the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and spicy served over a delicious bed of rice. These Vietnamese catfish recipes are our favorites!
Vietnamese Catfish Recipe
Vietnamese Catfish Coated in Caramel
This delicious Vietnamese catfish recipe has all the perfect flavor combinations while being cooked Vietnamese style for the perfect taste to keep guests coming back for more.
Ingredients
2 pounds catfish (fillets or nuggets)
4 minced cloves garlic
2 minced shallots
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fish sauce
3 cups of water
2 teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
Directions
Rinse fish under lukewarm water and pat dry. Set aside on a plate.
Combine garlic powder, fish sauce, and salt in the mixing bowl. Then, leave the fish in the bowl to marinate for twenty minutes. Refrigerate longer if desired.
Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat to heat the oil. As soon as the oil is hot, slowly stir in the garlic and shallot, gently mixing it together while frying. Continue to do this until they are both brown, which should take approximately one minute.
Next, add the fish fillets to the same pan. Sear them on both sides until they are golden brown.
After that, gently add the coconut water to the mixture and turn the heat to a low setting, allowing the mixture to braise.
As the mixture simmers, prepare the caramelized sauce. To do this, put the water and sugar in a saucepan on medium heat. Slowly stir the mixture until the sugar begins to bubble as if it is going to boil soon. It will turn a caramelized color. Pour this mixture over the fish in the pan.
Simmer the fish on medium-low heat for approximately 30 minutes. As it simmers, the sauce will thicken. It is done when the fish fillets are firm and the same color as caramel.
After this, add seasoning to your preference to taste. You can also add more fish sauce or sugar. After done, sprinkle freshly ground pepper over the fish for both additional seasoning and an aesthetic appeal.
This recipe is most commonly served over rice and steamed vegetables. Several variations exist to guarantee that you love the dish.
Both white and brown rice taste delicious with this recipe. Avoid flavored rice recipes and stir fry rice. The flavor combination will not taste good together. People that do not enjoy the taste of rice can omit the rice from this dish and still enjoy a delicious dinner.
This dish also includes steamed vegetables. These can be served on the side, or you can make a bed of steamed vegetables in place of the rice.
Those that enjoy the taste of fish but would prefer this recipe as a light lunch often pair it with a garden salad.
This Vietnamese catfish recipe is so versatile that it can be paired with anything
Related Video:
