Ninh Binh fish cake soup is a wonderful choice for a home breakfast, offering a rich flavor and excellent nutrition to start your day. Let's join BDATrip in the kitchen today to discover how to make Ninh Binh fish cake soup and bring a special breakfast to your family!
Notes on Selecting Ingredients
If you find it difficult to buy snakehead fish, you can substitute it with natural tilapia. This type of fish also ensures a sweet and delicious broth, no less than snakehead fish.
When choosing fish, pay attention to selecting medium-sized ones, about the size of your palm. Fish that are too small have less meat, which is soft and bony, making the dish less tasty. Conversely, fish that are too big will have a lot of belly fat, reducing the freshness of the broth.
First, wash the snakehead fish under running water. To remove all the slime from the fish, add a pinch of salt and shake well. Then, rinse the fish with clean water again. Next, scale the fish thoroughly, paying attention to the edges and back to ensure no scales remain. Cut off the fish head, use a sharp knife to completely remove the intestines, and clean the fish belly. Rinse the fish again with clean water to ensure there is no odor or impurities.
Clean the pork bones under cold water. To remove any smell and ensure the bones are clean, soak the pork bones in water with a little white vinegar for about 5 minutes. After soaking, rinse the bones again with clean water and let them dry.
Pick out the wilted leaves, roots, and old, hard parts of the water spinach. Then, cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, about 5-7 cm. Wash the vegetables under running water and drain before use.
Choose ripe red tomatoes for a beautiful color and sweet taste for the broth. Wash the dill and scallions, remove wilted leaves, and cut into pieces about 3-4 cm.
Rinse the rice noodles briefly under cold water to remove any dirt, then soak in cold water for about 10-15 minutes to soften. Once softened, blanch the noodles in boiling water to ensure they are tender but not mushy, then drain.
First, place the body of the snakehead fish in a pot of boiling water. Boil for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is just cooked. Do not boil for too long to avoid making the fish meat mushy. Once the fish is cooked, take it out, let it cool a bit, then separate the meat from the bones, keeping the central and side bones. Be careful to handle gently so the fish meat doesn't break apart.
Put the central and side bones along with the fish head into a mortar and pound them. Pound finely to extract all the flavors and nutrients from the fish bones. After pounding, you can strain through a sieve or thin cloth to collect the essence, discarding the bone residues. This essence will be used to enhance the broth.
In boiling water, blanch the cleaned pork bones for about 5 minutes to remove impurities and odor. Then, discard the first boiling water. Next, place the pork bones in a new pot of water, add about 2-3 liters of water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and continue to simmer the bones for about 1-2 hours to extract the sweet broth.
After the pork bone broth has reached the desired sweetness, pour in the filtered essence from the fish bones. Simmer the broth over low heat to blend the flavors. Add a teaspoon of salt to the broth to enhance its taste.
First, heat a pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 3 teaspoons of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add 3 teaspoons of minced shallots. Stir-fry the shallots until fragrant and golden brown, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Once the shallots are fragrant, add the wedged tomatoes to the pan. Stir-fry the tomatoes for about 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Add a teaspoon of seasoning powder, stirring well to infuse the tomatoes with the seasoning. Continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes until the tomatoes are fully cooked and form a fragrant tomato-shallot mixture.
After the tomatoes are soft and infused with seasoning, pour the entire tomato-shallot mixture into the simmering broth. To enhance the flavor and aroma, add a few slices of julienned ginger. Ginger not only enhances the aroma but also reduces the fishy smell of the fish.
Continue simmering the broth over low heat to blend all the ingredients, creating a distinctive flavor for the fish cake soup. Finally, adjust the seasoning of the broth with salt and seasoning powder to taste. You can add a bit of sugar or fish sauce to balance the flavors if needed.
Heat a pan and then add about 3-4 tablespoons of cooking oil, enough to cover part of the fish when frying. When the oil is hot (you can check by dropping a small piece of fish into the oil; if it sizzles immediately, the oil is hot enough), gently place each piece of fish into the pan. Ensure the pieces do not overlap to cook evenly.
Fry the fish over medium heat to cook and crisp both sides evenly. When one side is golden, use tongs or chopsticks to flip it over and fry the other side. Each side takes about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish pieces.
When the fish is golden and crispy on both sides, use tongs or chopsticks to remove the fish from the pan. Place the fish on paper towels or a clean paper towel to absorb the excess oil. The paper towel will soak up the remaining oil on the surface of the fish, keeping it crispy and flavorful.
Leave the fish on the paper towel for about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a plate or bowl to prepare for the next steps.
Place the crispy, drained fish pieces on top of the rice noodles in a bowl. Arrange the fish evenly across the surface to ensure each noodle portion can be enjoyed with the crispy fish.
Heat the broth again if needed. Once boiling, add the cleaned and cut water spinach to the pot. Blanch the water spinach in the broth for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just enough to cook but still retain its crunch and vibrant green color. Remove the water spinach and place on top of the fish in the bowl, adding a fresh, green touch to the dish.
Scatter the washed and cut scallions and dill over the bowl. Scallions and dill not only add flavor but also make the fish cake soup more attractive and appetizing.
Slowly pour the hot broth into the bowl of rice noodles, ensuring the broth covers all the ingredients. The broth should be boiling and well-seasoned, with a rich flavor from the fish and pork bones, blended with the vegetables. Pour the broth gently to avoid breaking the noodles and maintain the beautiful presentation of the ingredients.
Finally, you can add a bit of fresh chili or chili powder, along with a sprinkle of ground pepper to enhance the spiciness and flavor. The Ninh Binh fish cake soup is now ready, offering a refreshing, rich, and nutritious dish. Enjoy it hot to fully appreciate the wonderful flavors of each ingredient.
The Ninh Binh fish cake soup bowl is truly captivating with its vibrant colors and flavors. The golden crispy fish meat stands out against the pure white noodles. Additionally, the fresh green of the water spinach and scallions, along with the bright red of the tomatoes, creates a lively culinary picture. When enjoyed, you'll savor the unique sweet and fatty taste of the fish, the cool freshness of the water spinach, and the gentle aroma of the spices. All these elements blend to create a delicious and nutritious dish that everyone will love.
We hope that with the recipe shared by BDATrip, you will easily prepare and enjoy this delicious and rich countryside fish cake soup. Wish you success and enjoy warm meals with your family.
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