The season of anchovies is here, let's go to the kitchen and prepare 4 delicious dishes from this product.

The season for anchovies only lasts from April to June every year; with its distinctive delicious flavor, whether it is fried or made into refreshing sour soup, anchovies always bring a wonderful culinary experience.

The anchovy is a freshwater or brackish water fish with a small, soft body like a noodle, milky white or transparent in color.

Anchovy is also known by other names such as milkfish, candlefish, glass fish. The fish has a sweet, elegant, delicious flavor.

The season for anchovies only lasts from April to June of the solar calendar every year. They mainly live in large rivers in the North, of which the Da River anchovies ( Hoa Binh ) are famous for their outstanding delicious quality. Because they cannot be artificially raised, wild anchovies are of high value and are often scarce during the off-season.

Thanks to its characteristics of having no hard bones and little fishy smell, anchovies have become a favorite ingredient of many housewives.

Main nutritional ingredients contained in anchovies

Although small, anchovies contain many nutrients that are beneficial to health. Specifically, anchovies contain a lot of protein, omega 3, vitamin B2 and B12, folic acid, iron, magnesium, etc.

Thanks to that, eating anchovies you will receive many nutrients that are good for the heart, regulate blood pressure, reduce blood fat and are good for the nervous system.

Delicious dishes made from anchovies

1. Fish cake

Ingredients for making anchovy fish cakes. (Source: Vietnam+)

Ingredients: 400gr anchovy, 200gr minced meat, 2 eggs, 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch, betel leaves, dill, green onions, Vietnamese coriander, chili, shallots, spices (fish sauce, salt, pepper, seasoning powder).

Making:

- Pre-process, clean impurities, wash Da River anchovies and drain.

- Wash the vegetables, drain and chop finely. Finely chop the shallots.

- Put anchovies, minced meat, 2 eggs, chopped vegetables and cornstarch in a large bowl and mix well. Add spices such as 1.5-2 teaspoons of fish sauce, half a teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, half a teaspoon of chili powder and a little pepper, mix well and marinate for about 12-15 minutes.

- Pour oil into a preheated pan, when the oil is hot enough, lower the heat to medium and start frying. Use a spoon to scoop bite-sized fish cakes into the pan, turning them constantly so that the cakes are evenly cooked. Wait until the cakes are golden brown and smell delicious, then take them out and enjoy.

Finished fish cake. (Source: Vietnam+)

Dipping sauce: Using chili sauce or soy sauce is the fastest. For a better taste, you can also mix sweet and sour fish sauce with garlic and chili.

2. Sour soup with anchovy

Ingredients: 250g anchovy, half a ripe pineapple, 2-3 tomatoes, 2 tablespoons cooking oil, tamarind (or fermented rice, star fruit), 2-3 chopped shallots, onion, dill and spices (fish sauce, salt, pepper, seasoning powder).

Making:

- Soak the anchovies in diluted salt water, then rinse and drain.

- Marinate fish with minced onion, 1 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and leave for 10-15 minutes.

- Pick herbs, cut tomatoes into wedges, wash and drain.

- Peel the pineapple and cut into bite-sized pieces.

- Green onions and dill, chopped or minced to taste.

- Saute chopped onion with cooking oil, add tomato and stir-fry with 2 tablespoons fish sauce to soften faster.

- Add pineapple and stir-fry until cooked.

- Continue adding tamarind and pouring enough water to boil, scoop out into a bowl, mash, remove seeds and add a little water then put back into the pot of soup (adjust the acidity to taste).

- Put the anchovies in the pot, boil for 1-2 minutes because the fish cooks very quickly, then season to taste.

Finally, you just need to sprinkle green onions and dill into the pot and stir quickly, turn off the stove, ladle the hot soup into a bowl and wait to enjoy.

Sour soup with anchovies.

3. Sweet and sour anchovy

Ingredients: Da River anchovy, tapioca starch, shallots, chili, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice.

Making:

- Prepare, wash the fish and mix well with tapioca starch.

- Pour oil into a hot pan, fry the fish until all sides are cooked and crispy, then remove to a plate.

- Add onion, chili, garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then stir-fry with fish for 5-7 minutes. Add sweet and sour fish sauce and stir-fry for another 5 minutes, taste to see if it's good and turn off the heat.

The sweet, fragrant, soft but not mushy taste of Da River anchovy can fascinate any diner from the first time they enjoy it.

4. Braised fish with pepper

Ingredients: 200g anchovy, good fish sauce, ground pepper, sugar, cooking oil

Making:

- Clean the anchovies, put them in a pot and marinate with a little fish sauce, pepper, sugar, and cooking oil. Let the fish absorb the spices for about 30 minutes.

- After the fish has absorbed the spices, put the pot on the stove, turn on low heat and simmer the fish for about 10 minutes. At this point, you do not need to add water because the fish will release water during the braising process.

- When the fish is cooked, you can scoop it out and serve it with hot rice. This rich braised fish with pepper dish will surely satisfy you.

Although small, the anchovy is a precious gift of nature with a delicious and distinctive flavor. Whether it is fried or served in a refreshing sour soup, the anchovy brings a wonderful culinary experience. If you have the chance, don't miss the chance to enjoy this special fish!

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/mua-ca-ngan-den-roi-hay-vao-bep-che-bien-ngay-4-mon-ngon-tu-san-vat-nay-post1037347.vnp