Delicious and Nutritious Bitter Melon and Snakehead Fish Soup Recipe

Bitter melon and snakehead fish soup is a rustic dish beloved by many Vietnamese people. The sweet and clear broth combined with the mild bitterness of the bitter melon and the tender, fragrant snakehead fish creates an irresistible appeal. This article will guide you on how to make a delicious and authentic bitter melon and snakehead fish soup right at home.

Bitter melon and snakehead fish soup is very appealing

Bitter melon and snakehead fish soup – A rustic dish full of flavor.

Ingredients Needed

To make bitter melon and snakehead fish soup for 4 people, you will need the following ingredients:

• Snakehead fish: 1 fish (about 1kg)
• Dried shrimp: 10g
• Shallots: 50g
• Cilantro roots: 10g
• White wine: 1 teaspoon
• Tapioca starch: 15g
• Rice flour: 150g
• Straw mushrooms: 100g
• All-purpose flour: 1 tablespoon
• Bitter melon: 1 bunch
• Seasonings: salt, rock sugar, monosodium glutamate, fish sauce, granulated sugar, pepper, cooking oil.

Preparing the Ingredients

Preparing the Snakehead Fish

After buying the snakehead fish, clean it by removing the gills and intestines. Rub it with lemon, salt, and white wine to remove the slime, then rinse thoroughly. Next, use a knife to scrape off the outer black skin, rinse again, and let it drain.

Cut off the fish head and set it aside. Fillet the body into two large pieces of fish meat. After filleting, feel the meat to check for and remove any remaining bones. Slice the filleted pieces into bite-sized chunks and marinate with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of cooking oil, and ½ teaspoon of pepper.

Filleting the snakehead fish properly helps keep the meat from falling apart.

The bones from the filleted fish will be used to make the broth. However, you need to remove all the blood vessels to prevent the broth from becoming fishy.

Preparing Other Ingredients

• Dried shrimp: Rinse clean and let drain.
• Shallots: Peel, rinse, and keep whole.
• Cilantro roots: Rinse clean and let drain.
• Straw mushrooms: Cut off the black ends, mix with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and water, gently squeeze for about 1 minute, rinse thoroughly, and let drain.
• Bitter melon: Remove any wilted leaves, rinse clean, and let drain.

How to Make Bitter Melon and Snakehead Fish Soup

Making the Noodles (If You Want to Eat Snakehead Fish Noodle Soup)

Mix the tapioca starch, rice flour, and ½ teaspoon of salt together. Then, gradually pour 150ml of boiling water into the bowl of flour, stirring constantly. After adding all the water, knead the dough into a ball and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Coat your hands with 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and continue kneading the dough for 2-3 minutes until smooth, then let it rest for another 15 minutes. Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1cm and cut it into noodles.

Kneading, rolling, and cutting the noodles

Kneading, rolling, and cutting the noodles

Kneading the dough for noodles requires skill to make them chewy and delicious.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Then, add the noodles and cook until they float to the surface, then cook for an additional 2 minutes until done. After removing the noodles from the boiling water, immediately place them in a bowl of cold water, rinse once more, and let them drain.

Boiling the noodles

Boiling the noodles

Boiling the noodles correctly helps keep them from becoming mushy.

Making the Broth from the Fish Head and Bones

Bring about 3.5 liters of water to a boil in a pot, add the dried shrimp and 50g of shallots, and bring to a boil. When the water boils, reduce the heat and add ½ teaspoon of white wine, the fish head, bones, and cilantro roots, and simmer for about 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, you can remove the fish head (if you want to eat it).

After simmering for 45 minutes, remove the ingredients and season with 2 tablespoons of salt, 50g of rock sugar, 10g of monosodium glutamate, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, stirring until the rock sugar dissolves. Then, adjust the seasoning to your taste. Next, add the straw mushrooms and noodles (if using) and bring to a boil again.

Cooking the noodle soup broth

Cooking the noodle soup broth

Clear and sweet broth is the soul of the bitter melon and snakehead fish soup.

Sautéing the Fish

Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, sauté 1 tablespoon of minced shallots until fragrant. Then, add the fish and sauté until lightly cooked.

Sautéing the fish until lightly cooked

Sautéing the fish until lightly cooked

Sautéing the fish before adding it to the soup helps make the meat firmer.

Presentation and Enjoyment

Add the fish to the pot of noodle soup and cook until done, then ladle the noodles (if using), broth, and fish into bowls. Add the bitter melon to the bowls and enjoy. You can serve it with fish sauce and chili or salt, chili, and lemon to taste.

Dipping the fish and ladling the noodle soup

Dipping the fish and ladling the noodle soup

Hot and delicious bitter melon and snakehead fish soup is very appealing.

Tips for Making Bitter Melon and Snakehead Fish Soup Even Better

• Choose fresh, live snakehead fish with firm meat.
• Completely remove the blood vessels from the fish bones to prevent the broth from becoming fishy.
• Season to taste, adjusting according to personal preference.
• Enjoy the bitter melon and snakehead fish soup while it’s hot to fully appreciate its delicious flavor.

We hope that with this detailed recipe, you can make a delicious and nutritious bitter melon and snakehead fish soup for your family.