Delicious crucian carp porridge

The tender and nutritious meat of the crucian carp is often used to prepare flavorful and appealing dishes. This article shares with you how to make a unique and delicious crucian carp porridge with Vietnamese coriander.

The fins and scales of the fish are firmly attached to the body and are not missing. Fresh fish eyes should be bright, clear, and not bulging; instead, they should be slightly sunken. The gills should be bright red. The fish meat should be firm and elastic.

When buying Vietnamese coriander, choose bunches that are fresh, green, with smooth, small leaves that are intact and not bruised or yellowed. Check the inside of the bunch; if it's dry and not soggy, and without any slimy residue, then it's a good choice.

Ingredients for 4 people :

- 1 kg of crucian carp;

- 100 grams of rice;

- 200g Vietnamese coriander; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; a little common seasoning (salt/MSG/seasoning powder).

Preparation method:

After purchasing the crucian carp, clean off the scales, cut off the fins, remove the internal organs, then rinse thoroughly with water and let it drain before cooking.

Rub salt thoroughly all over the fish, then rinse with water; this can effectively remove the fishy smell from the fish meat.

Alternatively: Soak the fish in rice water for about 15 minutes; the rice water helps remove the fishy smell. You can also soak the fish in water mixed with a little lemon juice and salt for about 5-10 minutes, then rinse it off, and the fishy smell will disappear.

Marinate the fish with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of MSG, and a little salt. Mix well and let it sit for about 15 minutes to allow the fish to absorb the flavors evenly.

Wash the Vietnamese coriander thoroughly, removing any old or yellowed leaves. Drain well in a colander, then chop finely.

Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil over high heat. Wash 100g of rice and add it to the pot, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

Cook until the water boils again and the rice grains are evenly cooked; add more water if the porridge becomes too thick.

When the porridge boils and the grains have expanded evenly, add the fish to the pot and continue cooking over high heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the fish is completely cooked. Turn off the heat, add coriander, and enjoy.

The porridge has a naturally sweet flavor from the fresh crucian carp, with tender, slightly chewy fish meat. Served with fragrant Vietnamese coriander, it completely eliminates any remaining fishy smell.

If you're worried about the fish still having a fishy smell, you can lightly fry both sides of the fish until slightly golden before adding it to the porridge.

If you're making porridge for a baby starting solids, boil the fish first, then separate the fish meat and sauté it briefly with shallots until fragrant before adding it to the porridge last to preserve the sweet and savory flavor of the fish. Depending on your taste, add chili and green onions to enhance the flavor.

The porridge has a naturally sweet flavor from the fresh crucian carp, with tender, slightly chewy fish meat. Served with fragrant Vietnamese coriander, it completely eliminates any remaining fishy smell.

Note: For a softer and tastier porridge, you should soak the rice for about 1-2 hours before cooking. Before soaking the rice, you need to wash it thoroughly to remove any grit and dirt.

Besides soaking the rice, you can rinse it, drain it, then put it in a pan and stir-fry it evenly over low heat until the grains turn golden before cooking. Roasted rice will help the porridge cook more evenly, look more appealing, and taste better.

To achieve the perfect consistency for your porridge—not too thick, not too thin—you can adjust the water ratio to 1:4, or adjust it according to your family's preferences and taste.

Throughout the cooking process, remember to stir the porridge at least once every 10 minutes and cook over medium heat; otherwise, the rice will settle to the bottom of the pot and burn.

You can mix glutinous rice with regular rice to make the porridge soft, delicious, and not cloying when cooked.

According to giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/doi-song/am-thuc/202506/mon-chao-ca-diec-ngon-393323a/