SPICY CARAMEL FISH!?!

Ever had the craving for exotic food every once in a while? Dishes that are not part of our everyday lives often attracts our attention, doesn’t it? One major obstacle in the way is usually cost and the hassle of going and waiting for hours in restaurants. That’s why I am going to tell you how to make one of those mouth watering dishes that doesn’t cost much and can be made in a short time by anyone as well. It is a traditional Vietnamese serving, called caramel fish that I learnt from a friend. The instructions below will help you recreate one of Asia's finest cuisines. Look below for the magic formula!!

Ingredients: 1/2lb catfish fillets, sugar, garlic, fish sauce, onions, salt, black pepper, oil, red chilies
Cooking Time: 30 min

Step 1: THAW THE FISH

Put about 10-12 fillets in a bowl and fill with warm water. Let it thaw for about 10 minutes. This is done so that the fish that is normally frozen, would become tender. The more tender the fillets are, the more flavor it will absorb from the ingredients and sauce that would be added to it.

Comments

[ABadie]

Upon reading this forum, i got really quite interested as i learned a lot from all the other postings in here. I pondered whether it is really possible to do that cooking technique with fish. I thought that fish was mainly for frying and with soup or sometimes grilled, but not in that manner though. I consulted my program about that and to my surprise, it was listed there! Good thing that i had that program to help me clarify my thoughts. Definitely will try this recipe as soon as I get to send this. By the way, is there any kind of fish that I could do this with?

[kavilan]

Its best for catfish but you can always try some other fish of your choice. Good luck!

[chndt2008]

Praise from the Chinese people: you're great!

[canida]

Wow, this sounds great! I can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

[mrtfor2008]

Sounds delish, and as soon as I get a real kitchen at my disposal, I will give it a shot... I would like to add a couple of tips for food safety. Frozen food should be thawed under cool running water, not hot or warm water, especially meats. It doesn't take much, just a trickle of cold tap water into a bowl of frozen goods is enough. It's much safer and you'll be surprised how quickly it thaws. Also, marinating should be done in a refrigerated environment. Yeah, I know, it will take longer in a cold environment and there is enough salt in the fish sauce to yadda yadda yadda... I just don't like seeing unsafe food handling procedures being given. Marinade in a fridge in a container that won't spill. Hell, you could save yourself some water and time by placing the marinade into a zip top bag with the frozen fish and letting that rest in the bottom of your fridge for a day, shaking it around every few hours or so to maximize distribution and aid in quicker thawing. Long marinade time? Check! Saving water? Check! Proper food handling methods used? Check! Sounds tasty to me.

[valhallas_end]

That sounds surprisingly delicious. I'll have to try this next time I get my hands on some catfish... Have you tried experimenting with this recipe with any other fish?

[kavilan]

Ideally, I think its best to use catfish although I have not tried it with other fish. I suggest you try it with catfish first and then other types later on.

[lemonie]

Ideally you would use palm-sugar?

L

[kavilan]

Yes, its better to use palm or brown sugar.