Vietnamese Cha Ca Recipe

A round trip to Hanoi at this time of the year would cost your roughly INR 30,000 plus visa charges and don’t forget to add your accommodation and other overhead expenses. Now, what if we told you that you probably don’t have to sell an arm and a leg to dish out some delicious Vietnamese cha ca? Our recipe may not have pieces of Hanoi’s fresh carp or catfish, but the rest of the preparation will definitely transport your senses to the Southeast Asian country in a bite! So, buckle up and get ready to go on a food expedition to Vietnam!

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Vietnamese Cha Ca Recipe

Cod cooked in mild spices, served with a traditional Vietnamese sauce and noodles.

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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Vietnamese

Prep Time

3 hours

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

people MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 750 gram skinless blue eye cod or other firm white-fleshed fish fillets cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces
• 3 tsp fresh ginger chopped
• 3 red Asian shallots chopped
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2.75 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 375 gram dried thin rice-stick noodles
• 1/2 cup Rice flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 8 Spring onions trimmed and cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces plus extra, finely sliced, to garnish
• 1 onion halved and sliced
• 2 bunches of dill coarsely torn
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts coarsely chopped

For the sauce

• 1/3 cup Mam Nem (Vietnamese fermented shrimp sauce)
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tbsp superfine sugar
• 1 lemongrass stem, white part finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 medium red chlies finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh pineapple flesh chopped

Course Main Dish Cuisine Vietnamese Prep Time 3 hours Cook Time 15 minutes Servings people MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 750 gram skinless blue eye cod or other firm white-fleshed fish fillets cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces 3 tsp fresh ginger chopped 3 red Asian shallots chopped 4 garlic cloves chopped 2.75 tsp ground turmeric 1/4 cup fish sauce 375 gram dried thin rice-stick noodles 1/2 cup Rice flour 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup vegetable oil 8 Spring onions trimmed and cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces plus extra, finely sliced, to garnish 1 onion halved and sliced 2 bunches of dill coarsely torn 1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts coarsely chopped For the sauce 1/3 cup Mam Nem (Vietnamese fermented shrimp sauce) 3 garlic cloves crushed 1 tbsp superfine sugar 1 lemongrass stem, white part finely chopped 2 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp lime juice 2 medium red chlies finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh pineapple flesh chopped

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Instructions

1. Combine the ginger, shallots, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the turmeric, and fish sauce in a food processor and process until a coarse paste forms.
2. Put the fish in a bowl with the paste and pepper and stir to combine well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2–3 hours. Drain the fish well.

Making the Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine well, until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Put the rice-stick noodles in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. Drain. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 2–3 minutes or until tender – or cook according to the packet instructions. Drain well.
3. Combine the rice flour, remaining turmeric and salt in a bowl. Add the fish and toss well to coat, shaking off any excess.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add the spring onion and onion and cook, tossing often, for 4–5 minutes or until the onions are lightly charred.
5. Now add half the dill, toss for 1 minute or until the dill has wilted then transfer to a bowl. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil to the pan.
6. Add the fish, in a single layer, and cook, turning once, for 5–6 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Scatter over the onion mixture and the remaining dill.
7. Divide the noodles among warmed bowls and divide the fish mixture over the noodles. Scatter over the peanuts and extra spring onion, and serve with the sauce on the side.