Cha Ca Recipes

CHả Cá THăNG LONG (VIETNAMESE TURMERIC FISH WITH DILL)

Steps:

• Mix the first measurement of oil, sugar, salt, fish sauce, shallot, turmeric, ginger and garlic together in a bowl. Chop the fish into chunks (around 3-4cm), add to the spices and toss to coat. Leave to marinade for half an hour to a couple of hours before cooking.
• In the meantime, make the nuoc nam dressing. Dissolve the sugar into the lime juice and add the fish sauce, chilli, garlic and water. Stir to combine. Taste to adjust the seasoning of fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. You want a nice blend of sweet, sour and salty.
• Before cooking, prep the spring onion, chop the dill roughly and roast the peanuts and chop roughly.
• Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pan on high. Add the fish along with any remaining marinade to the pan (you might have to cook these in 2 lots if there is not enough surface area for all of the fish to ensure the pan stays hot enough) and panfry until golden brown and cooked through (roughly 2-3 minutes on each side). The key here is getting the pan hot enough so you get lots of crispy brown bits!
• Add the spring onion, dill and peanuts and sauté for a couple of minutes until the greens wilt slightly and the peanuts are coated in the fish marinade.
• Plate the fish mixture on top of a bed of rice vermicelli noodles, top with mint, vietnamese mint and coriander and serve with nuoc nam dressing.

CHA CA LA WONG

Steps:

• Place the fresh turmeric, ground turmeric, ginger and galangal in a food processor or mini-chopper. Process until very fine, almost a paste. Transfer to a stainless-steel dish. Wash food processor immediately to prevent staining. Place the fish in a bowl. Rub mixture all over fish, remembering to wear gloves or plastic bags on your hands to avoid turmeric stains. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Combine fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of the garlic, half the chile flakes, the lime juice, sugar and 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl. Stir well. Refrigerate. Place noodles in another bowl, cover with warm water and set aside 10 minutes until softened.
• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, drain noodles and add to boiling water. Cook 1 minute, then drain.
• Spread lettuce on a serving platter. Spread noodles over lettuce. Cover lightly with a sheet of foil or plastic wrap.
• Place oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet and heat to a high temperature. Add fish pieces. When seared on one side, 1 minute or so, turn to sear other side, sprinkle with salt and remaining chile flakes and cook through, another minute or two. Remove to another platter. Add onions to pan and reduce heat to medium. When onions start to brown, add remaining garlic, stir, and add scallions. Stir again. Tuck fish pieces back into the pan and add the dill. Cook about 1 minute, just enough to warm fish. Remove pan from heat.
• Spread contents of the pan, including all the oil, on noodles. Scatter herbs on top, then toss on peanuts and fried shallots. Serve with sauce on the side.

FISH PAN FRIED WITH TURMERIC AND DILL: CHA CA HANOI

Steps:

• Cut the ling fillet into 1 1/2-inch/4 cm pieces, place in a bowl and set aside.
• Put the white heads of the spring onions (reserving the stalks) and garlic in a mortar and pound to a paste. Add the turmeric, curry powder, yogurt, fish sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, and a 1/3 of the dill, roughly chopped, to the fish and mix well.
• Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Thinly slice 4 of the green spring onion stalks.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil, then fry the fish fillets on one side for 30 seconds.
• Turn the fillets over, add the fish stock and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Remove the fish and squeeze over the juice from the lemon.
• Mix the bean sprouts, sliced spring onion, remaining dill and vermicelli together.
• Place into bowls and spoon over the fish fillets and sauce.

CHA CA

Steps:

• Wash the monkfish, and cut each piece into slices 1/2 inch thick.
• With the food processor running, add the shallots, garlic and onion, processing until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the turmeric, 2 tablespoons oil and pepper, and continue processing until mixture is a fairly smooth paste.
• Mix the monkfish slices with the turmeric mixture and allow to marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, either prepare a charcoal fire or use a top-of-stove grill. Arrange fish on a greased two-piece wire grill to make them easy to flip. Grill only long enough to brown a little on both sides.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in a pan that can be taken to the table. Add 2/3 of the scallions and dill. When fish is ready, arrange it on the scallions and dill and top with remaining scallions and dill. Cook the fish in the oil at the table until done.
• For each serving, put some rice noodles in a bowl and top them with the monkfish, then sprinkle with torn mint, shiso, basil leaves, peanuts and nuoc cham.