This simple Vietnamese dish is a very appropriate recipe for my very first blog post! I'll explain more as you read on. *Please do read on!*
This recipe is called Braised Branzino with Tomatoes and Pickled Mustard Greens.
Doesn't the recipe name sound like our Malaysian Teochew Steam Fish? This dish also looks the same with the exception of tofu and dried mushrooms (in Teochew Steam Fish).
That was my exact thoughts when I looked at this recipe. But.... since I managed to buy two pieces of siakap, I decided to try both recipes at the same time to make a comparison.
Trust me when I say that just by changing the cooking method and some ingredients, this dish is completely different from our Teochew Steam Fish.
The broth for this dish is so rich and flavourful. It feels more 'refined' than our Teochew Steam Fish. It was the perfect gravy for plain white rice. (I hope I don't get 'hantam-ed' by any Teochew's!)
So...... back to why I said that this dish is an appropriate start for this blog? I like lists so here goes why......
1. This blog is to highlight all my food adventures; cooking, baking, decorating, etc. To share with you my successes and failures and what I learned from them.
2. I LOVE exploring new cuisines. I devour recipe books, especially those on foreign cuisines. I also read loads of blogs, both local and foreign.
3. I enjoy cooking and eating from many cuisines.
4. I like knowing how our local Malaysian cuisine differs from other cuisines, in terms of cooking technique and/or taste.
5. I would like to finally connect with our vibrant cooking/baking community. Not just admire you bloggers without even commenting on the good work that you do. So, I'm submitting this dish for AFF.
6. THIS DISH REPRESENTS ALL MY REASONS ABOVE.
So, please do try this dish and tell me how it compares to our Teochew Steam Fish. Do you prefer this Vietnamese Dish or our local dish? My Father in Law prefers the familiar so he voted for the Teochew Steam Fish!
Here's the recipe:
Braised Branzino with Tomatoes and Pickled Mustard Greens
• 1 (1½- to 2-pound) whole branzino, cleaned with head and tail intact (I used siakap)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings
• 8 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 Thai chiles, stemmed and crushed
• 2 tomatoes (such as Early Girl or Roma), cored and quartered through the stem end
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped pickled mustard greens, homemade or store-bought
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Rinse the fish, pat dry, and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slash the fish on the diagonal 3 or 4 times on each side, cutting all the way to the bone. Season the fish on both sides and inside the cavity with the salt and pepper, then dust both sides with the flour, brushing off the excess.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. When oil is hot, add the fish and cook until well-browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side 5 minutes more. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the now-empty pan over medium heat. (If using a clay pot, do this step and all of the remaining steps in it instead of the pan.) Add the shallot and scalllions and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute longer, until fragrant but not browned.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomato pieces begin to soften and release their juices. Add the mustard greens and stir to combine, then pour in the stock. Gently slide the fish into the liquid, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, basting with the hot liquid, for about 8 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Use the tip of a knife to check; the flesh should flake easily.
Stir in the fish sauce, transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with the cilantro.
From Vietnamese Home Cooking, by Charles Phan. (Published by Ten Speed Press)
Braised Branzino with Tomatoes and Pickled Mustard Greens
• 1 (1½- to 2-pound) whole branzino, cleaned with head and tail intact (I used siakap)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings
• 8 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 Thai chiles, stemmed and crushed
• 2 tomatoes (such as Early Girl or Roma), cored and quartered through the stem end
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped pickled mustard greens, homemade or store-bought
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Rinse the fish, pat dry, and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slash the fish on the diagonal 3 or 4 times on each side, cutting all the way to the bone. Season the fish on both sides and inside the cavity with the salt and pepper, then dust both sides with the flour, brushing off the excess.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. When oil is hot, add the fish and cook until well-browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side 5 minutes more. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the now-empty pan over medium heat. (If using a clay pot, do this step and all of the remaining steps in it instead of the pan.) Add the shallot and scalllions and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute longer, until fragrant but not browned.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomato pieces begin to soften and release their juices. Add the mustard greens and stir to combine, then pour in the stock. Gently slide the fish into the liquid, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, basting with the hot liquid, for about 8 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Use the tip of a knife to check; the flesh should flake easily.
Stir in the fish sauce, transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with the cilantro.
From Vietnamese Home Cooking, by Charles Phan. (Published by Ten Speed Press)
P.S. Blogging wasn't in my horizon when I made this dish so I don't have many photos. Hopefully I will post more photos for my other recipes. You might also see more changes to this blog as I refine it. I wanted to put up this blog quickly to meet the AFF deadline!
it has a longer ingredient list than Teochew steamed fish. My Teochew grandmother does it very simple and always insist that it must only be done with freshest fish possible. But I definitely would like to try this!
ReplyDeleteYes, it has a slightly longer list and definitely more steps than Teochew Steam Fish. Do try it and comment on it as a Teochew gal.
ReplyDelete