Pla chon paesa

Method

1. 1 Line the bottom of the pot with Chinese cabbage and pickled mustard greens, then place the whole snakehead fish on top.
2. 2 Sprinkle plenty of shredded ginger and sliced pickled lemon around the fish.
3. 3 Pour chicken broth into the pot, filling it to about halfway up the fish, then cover with a lid.
4. 4 The key is to only cook the fish halfway in the water; the upper part is cooked by steam, so the flesh doesn't become mushy.
5. 5 Steam over medium heat for 18 minutes, and do not open the lid during the process.
6. 6 Season the fish with fish sauce, then crush garlic and chili peppers to make a dipping sauce, and sprinkle chopped scallions over the fish.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 35 min

  Replace step 5: steam the fish at low pressure for 8 minutes, then quickly release the pressure to prevent the flesh from becoming mushy; the amount of broth in step 3 should still only reach halfway up the fish. Step 6 remains unchanged.