Photograph of the finished Slow-Braised Silver Barb

Vietnam · Cá he kho rệu

Slow-Braised Silver Barb

2 hr Hands-on time + 20 min waiting
MediumDifficulty
6 stepsSteps
Serves 4 Amounts follow along 4

What to get ready

  • Photograph of Silver barb Silver barb 3.5 lb
  • Photograph of Fresh coconut water Fresh coconut water 5 ⅛ cups
  • Photograph of Sugarcane Sugarcane 8 pieces
  • Photograph of Fish sauce Fish sauce ½ cup
  • Photograph of Sugar Sugar 3.5 oz
  • Photograph of Shallots Shallots 2
  • Photograph of Black pepper Black pepper 0.7 oz
  • Photograph of Chilli Chilli 12
  • Photograph of Oil Oil ½ cup
  • Photograph of Steamed rice Steamed rice 1.8 lb

Method

  1. 1 Clean the snakehead fish but leave them whole, as the braised fish dish is cooked until the bones are soft and fall apart.
  2. 2 Line the bottom of the clay pot with split sugarcane stalks, then arrange the fish and red onions on top.
  3. 3 Caramelize the sugar, then pour in fish sauce and coconut milk until the fish is completely submerged.
  4. 4 Simmer over low heat for at least 90 minutes, adding hot coconut water whenever the liquid has reduced by less than half.
  5. 5 If you cook it for 90 minutes, the fish bones will be so soft you can eat the whole fish; if you cook it for too short, the bones will remain hard and crumble.
  6. 6 Simmer for the last 10 minutes until the sauce thickens, then sprinkle with pepper and chili.

With an appliance

  • Pressure cooker 1 hr

    Replace step 4: high-pressure cooking for 35 minutes, then release the pressure naturally; the bones will be tender and fall apart, equivalent to 90 minutes in a regular pot.

Start cooking