How to cook Snakehead Fish Thick Noodle Soup

• 1

  Prepare the snakehead fish

  After buying the pre-cleaned fish from the market, scrape off the slime with a knife and wash it thoroughly with water several times.

  Cut the fish belly open with scissors and remove the intestines, keeping the fish fat. Then fillet the fish with a knife, scraping off the blood from the fish bones.

  Rub the fish head and bones vigorously with a mixture of salt and white wine, then rinse thoroughly with water. Cut the fish meat into bite-sized pieces.

  How to clean snakehead fish without any fishy smell:

  • Method 1: After cleaning the fish, rub salt and gently massage it onto the fish for about 2-3 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.
  • Method 2: Soak the cleaned fish in a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar for about 3-5 minutes. Then massage the fish again and rinse with water.
  • Method 3: Alternatively, soak the cleaned fish in rice water with a little salt for about 15-20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.

• 2

  Marinate the fish

  Marinate the fish with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Mix well and let it rest for 30 minutes for the fish to absorb the spices.

• 3

  Make the broth

  Place a pot on the stove with 3.5 liters of filtered water, 10g of dried shrimp, and 50g of shallots. Bring to a boil over high heat.

  When the water boils, skim off the foam and reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 teaspoon of white wine, the fish head, bones, fish fat, and cilantro roots. Simmer for 45 minutes.

• 4

  Prepare the straw mushrooms

  Cut off the dirty ends of the straw mushrooms, squeeze them vigorously with 1 tablespoon of diluted flour water and 1 teaspoon of salt, then rinse thoroughly with water.

  How to prepare straw mushrooms properly

  • Cut off the mushroom stems (which are often dirty), then rinse briefly in a mixture of water and rice flour for about 1 minute. Then, continue soaking in the same mixture for another 5 minutes, and rinse thoroughly with water 2-3 times.
  • Do not wash or soak straw mushrooms in salt water, as this can easily dehydrate them and make them lose their crispness.

• 5

  Complete the broth

  After 45 minutes, remove the fish and shallots. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, 3 tablespoons of rock sugar, and 2 teaspoons of MSG. Stir well.

  Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, straw mushrooms, and green onion roots. Bring to a boil.

  When the water boils, add another tablespoon of fish sauce and simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then turn off the heat.

• 6

  Sauté the fish

  Heat a pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of minced shallots and sauté until fragrant.

  Then add the fish and stir-fry until the fish is cooked through. Turn off the heat.

  Tip: Sautéing the fish beforehand helps it firm up so that when you add it to the broth, it cooks faster and absorbs the flavors better.

• 7

  Finish

  Blanch the thick noodles in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then remove them and add them to the simmering broth.

  To serve, simply add the sautéed fish to the broth and blanch briefly. Then transfer to a bowl and garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

• 8

  Final Product

  The snakehead fish thick noodle soup has an incredibly appealing aroma. The tender, flavorful fish combines with the rich and savory broth, making it a perfect combination!