Best Mullet Recipes: Discover 11 Delicious Dishes

Mullet is a familiar fish with firm meat, natural sweetness, and few fine bones, making it a favorite in Vietnamese family meals. However, many people still wonder what to cook with mullet to both preserve its signature flavor and refresh their daily menu. If you are looking for attractive suggestions that are easy to make yet flavorful, the following article by Ola Squid will help you discover delicious mullet dishes to make at home.

1. What to cook with mullet?

Mullet is a rustic fish that can be combined with various other ingredients and spices to create many attractive dishes. Here are suggestions for mullet dishes that you should not miss:

1.1. Mullet braised with turmeric

Ingredients needed:

• 600g cleaned mullet
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 100g shallots
• 10g turmeric powder or fresh turmeric
• Bird’s eye chili (to taste)
• Salt, vinegar, seasoning powder, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, pepper, cooking oil

How to prepare mullet braised with turmeric as follows:

• Wash the mullet with salt and vinegar to remove slime and fishy odors, then rinse and drain. Marinate the fish with salt, seasoning powder, sugar, MSG, fish sauce, and turmeric, mix well, and let the fish absorb the spices for about 30 minutes.
• During this time, finely mince the shallots and garlic. You can replace turmeric powder with crushed fresh turmeric to enhance the flavor.
• Then, place a pan on the stove, heat it up, and add sugar and cooking oil to make a caramel sauce until it turns golden. Sauté the shallots and garlic until fragrant, add the fish, and toss gently until the meat is firm and evenly coated with color.
• Continue by adding water and bird’s eye chili, lower the heat, and braise until the fish is tender. When the sauce thickens, season with more fish sauce and sprinkle with pepper, adjust the seasoning to taste, and then turn off the heat.

1.2. Mullet braised with tamarind

Ingredients:

• 5 mullets (500g)
• 5 green tamarinds
• 1 shallot, 1 bulb of garlic
• 8 chilies
• 2 tablespoons seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon coconut caramel sauce
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• Salt, sugar, MSG

How to make mullet braised with tamarind:

• Clean the fish, cut off the fins, then remove the guts and the black membrane, taking care not to break the gall bladder or roe so the fish doesn’t taste bitter. Rinse gently and drain.
• Thinly slice shallots, mince garlic, and finely chop chilies. Scrape the skin of the tamarinds, wash them, and cut into pieces or leave whole as desired.
• Then place the fish in a bowl, add garlic, chili, tamarind, salt, sugar, MSG, seasoning powder, fish sauce, and coconut caramel sauce. Mix well and marinate for about 20-30 minutes for the fish to absorb the seasoning.
• Heat cooking oil in a pot, sauté shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add the fish to braise, flipping gently so the fish is evenly seasoned. Next, add 2-3 chilies to enhance flavor, then pour in water until it just covers the fish. When the water boils, lower the heat and braise for about 15 minutes until the fish is tender, seasoned, and the sauce thickens. Season one last time to taste.
• Mullet braised with tamarind has the fatty sweetness of the fish, combined with the light sourness of tamarind and the spiciness of chili, creating a rich dish suitable for family meals.

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1.3. Lightly braised mullet

Ingredients

• 1 kg mullet
• 1 chili, 2 sprigs of green onion
• 50 ml white wine
• 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
• Salt, sugar, MSG, fish sauce, pepper

Instructions for cooking lightly braised mullet:

• After buying the mullet, clean the scales, remove the guts, fins, and tail. Then remove the fishy odor by rubbing with salt several times or washing with a mixture of white wine and water. Pick the roots and wilted leaves from the green onions, wash, and cut into segments. You can apply the tip of using rice water or diluted vinegar to make the fish smell better.
• Next, mix the fish with caramel sauce, MSG, sugar, and fish sauce, and let marinate for about 15 minutes for the seasoning to penetrate.
• Then place the pot on the stove, braise the fish over medium heat for 5 minutes to firm the meat. Continue by adding water just to cover the fish, lower the heat and braise for another 20 minutes, then season again to taste. Before turning off the stove, you can sprinkle with green onions and pepper, and add a few slices of chili to increase flavor.
• The hot lightly braised mullet has firm, naturally sweet meat, infused with spices, combined with green onions, pepper, and chili to create a dish that is both elegant and stimulates the palate.

1.4. Mullet braised with pineapple

Ingredients:

• 1kg mullet
• 5 cloves of garlic, 5 sprigs of green onion
• 1 pineapple
• 1 lemon, 2 horn chilies
• 500 ml fresh coconut water
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 pieces of cane sugar (about 50 g)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon seasoning powder

How to cook mullet braised with pineapple simply as follows:

• Clean the scales, guts, gills, fins, and tail of the fish. Soak the fish in water mixed with salt and lemon juice for about 10 minutes to remove slime and fishy odors, rub the body of the fish gently then rinse with clean water and drain.
• Peel the pineapple, remove eyes and core, and cut into slices. Peel garlic, slice chili, wash green onions and cut into segments, separating the white parts and green leaves.
• Put garlic, chili, cane sugar, and onion white parts into a mortar, then pound finely with 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix this spice mixture with the fish and marinate for about 20 minutes to let the fish absorb the flavor.
• Then boil coconut water and a little filtered water in a pot, add pineapple and cook for about 5 minutes to let the pineapple release its natural sweetness. Add the marinated fish, cover, and braise for 30 minutes over medium heat. Continue by seasoning with fish sauce and seasoning powder, stir gently, braise for another 10 minutes until the sauce is slightly thick, then add green onions before turning off the stove. Mullet braised with pineapple has tender, fragrant meat, with a harmony of sweet and sour flavors and a hint of spiciness from chili, which goes great with rice.

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1.5. Mullet braised with pickled mustard greens

Ingredients to prepare:

• 600g mullet
• 400g pickled mustard greens
• 2 tomatoes
• Shallots, green onions, chili
• Sugar, MSG, fish sauce, ground pepper, seasoning powder, cooking oil

How to prepare mullet braised with pickled mustard greens:

• First, clean the mullet and wash thoroughly with salt water to remove slime and fishy odors. Wash the pickled mustard greens, squeeze out water, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Wash the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Peel the shallots and mince them, while chopping green onions and chilies separately.
• Then place the fish in a bowl, add salt, pepper, seasoning powder, and fish sauce. Mix well and marinate for about 30 minutes, keeping the fish whole so it doesn’t break during braising.
• Next, heat cooking oil in a pan and sauté shallots until fragrant. Add tomatoes, stir until soft, then add the pickled greens and stir-fry for about 5 minutes until firm and blended with the tomatoes.
• Following that, put the fish into a pot with the tomato and pickled green mixture, adding a little filtered water until it just covers the fish. Braise over low heat for 20-30 minutes until the fish is tender and seasoned, then adjust to taste.
• Finally, arrange the fish on a plate, then sprinkle green onions, chili, and pepper on top. Mullet braised with pickled greens is soft, flavorful, combining the light sourness of the greens, the sweetness of the fish, and the aroma of spices, and it tastes better when hot.

1.6. Mullet braised with pepper

Ingredients needed:

• 600g mullet
• 500ml fresh coconut water
• 3 chilies, 3 ginger leaves
• 3 teaspoons caramel sauce, 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon mac khen (forest pepper)
• A bit of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• Salt, pepper, sugar, MSG

How to cook mullet braised with pepper as follows:

• Clean the mullet, removing scales, gills, and guts, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Use salt and lemon juice to squeeze gently to remove the fishy odor, then rinse with water and drain.
• Mix the fish with salt, pepper, fish sauce, caramel sauce, sugar, MSG, minced garlic, cooking oil, and mac khen. Marinate for about 15 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavors.
• Next, line the bottom of a clay pot with ginger leaves, add minced garlic, arrange the fish inside, and put chili and the marinade on top. Cook over high heat until the fish firms up, then add coconut water and braise over low heat until the sauce thickens and the fish is tender.
• Finally, season again to taste, sprinkle with more pepper and green onions before turning off the stove. Mullet braised with pepper carries the scent of mac khen and ginger leaves, with firm meat and even seasoning. Eating it hot with white rice is very satisfying and rich.

1.7. Mullet braised with tomato

Ingredients:

• 500g mullet
• 3 tomatoes
• Green onions, minced shallots, minced garlic, bird’s eye chili
• Sugar, salt, MSG, annatto oil, rice vinegar, fish sauce

Instructions for preparing mullet braised with tomato:

• First, you need to wash the mullet, remove scales and internal organs, soak in salt water for about 5 minutes to remove fishy odors, then rinse and drain. Wash the tomatoes, then cut 2 of them into wedges and the remaining one into cubes. Cut the green onions into segments and crush the chili.
• Next, sprinkle salt, MSG, pepper, minced shallot and garlic, add fish sauce and rice vinegar, mix well so the fish is seasoned for 5 minutes.
• Sauté minced shallot and garlic with annatto oil until golden and fragrant, then sauté the cubed tomato with sugar and salt until the tomato releases a beautiful red color. Add the fish and then a cup of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, toss gently. Continue by adding the tomato wedges, chili, and green onions, braise until the fish is tender and the sauce thickens to finish.

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1.8. Crispy fried mullet

Ingredients:

• 8 mullets
• 3 cloves of garlic, 2 chilies (crushed)
• 50g ripe tamarind, 50ml cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Salt, sugar, MSG

How to prepare crispy fried mullet:

• Buy the mullet, remove the gills and tail, wash thoroughly, then soak in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes to remove the fishy odor. Rinse with clean water and drain.
• Next, heat cooking oil in a pan, sauté crushed garlic until fragrant, then add the fish to fry over medium heat, flipping both sides until golden and crispy for about 5-7 minutes.
• Then mix ripe tamarind, fried garlic, crushed chili, fish sauce, boiling water, sugar, and MSG until the mixture is blended, creating a harmonious sweet and sour taste. Crispy fried fish with sweet and tender meat, served with fragrant sweet and sour tamarind fish sauce, is the perfect combination.

1.9. Deep-fried mullet

Ingredients

• 500g mullet
• 1 bunch of mustard greens
• ½ pineapple
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, 3-4 chilies
• 1 ginger root, ½ lemon
• Salt, MSG, cooking oil, sugar, seasoned fish sauce (mắm nêm)

How to make deep-fried mullet as follows:

• Clean the gills and guts of the mullet, rub with salt or lemon to remove fishy odors, then rinse and drain. Marinate the fish with salt and MSG to absorb seasoning. Mince garlic, ginger, chili, and pineapple. Cut the roots of mustard greens, wash them, and drain.
• Mix the minced garlic, ginger, chili, and pineapple mixture with sugar, lemon juice, and seasoned fish sauce until it suits your taste, creating a harmonious salty, sweet, and sour flavor.
• Next, heat oil in a pan, add the fish to deep-fry over medium heat until both sides are golden and crispy, then remove and drain. Note to only flip the fish when the bottom is golden so the fish doesn’t break.
• The deep-fried mullet is crunchy on the outside and tender sweet inside, served with mustard greens and dipped in spicy-sour seasoned fish sauce, which is very attractive. This dish is simple yet very good with rice and easy to make at home.

1.10. Charcoal grilled mullet

Ingredients needed:

• 6 mullets
• 3 cloves of garlic, 2 bird’s eye chilies
• 3 cucumbers, 1 lemon
• 50g lettuce, 100g herbs (perilla, basil, mint, fish mint…)
• 1 tablespoon sugar, 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon MSG, sea salt

How to make charcoal grilled mullet:

• Clean the gills and guts of the mullet, rub gently with sea salt or lemon to remove fishy odors, then rinse with vinegar and clean water, and drain.
• Next, arrange the fish on a grill, roast over a charcoal stove for about 10-15 minutes on each side until the fish is evenly cooked, the skin is slightly charred and releases a fragrant aroma.
• Pick and clean the lettuce and various herbs, wash thoroughly then drain. Wash cucumbers and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Then pound the garlic and chili finely then mix lemon juice with sugar, MSG, fish sauce, and filtered water. Finally, add the garlic and chili, stir well, and adjust to a sour, salty, and spicy taste. Charcoal grilled mullet has firm, naturally sweet meat and a fragrant charcoal scent. You should eat it with raw vegetables, cucumbers, and dip in spicy-sour fish sauce for more attractiveness.

1.11. Mullet steamed with fermented soybeans

Ingredients

• 350g mullet
• 250g straw mushrooms, 100g fermented soybeans
• 50g glass noodles
• 2 cucumbers, 3 tomatoes
• 2 sprigs of green onion, 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, 5 chilies
• 50ml cooking oil, sugar, MSG

Instructions for cooking mullet steamed with fermented soybeans:

• Clean the scales, gills, and guts of the mullet, rinse with diluted salt water to remove the fishy odor, and drain. Soak glass noodles in boiling water until soft then remove and drain. Wash straw mushrooms and cut in half. Wash tomatoes and cucumbers and cut into slices. Slice the onion into bite-sized pieces, chop green onions, and mince garlic.
• Place a pan on the stove, heat oil and sauté 2/3 of the minced garlic until fragrant. Add the fish to sear both sides, next add fermented soybeans, straw mushrooms, sugar, and MSG. Continue adding a little boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes for the fish to absorb seasoning.
• Then add the onion and remaining garlic, then cook for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Note that salt is not needed because fermented soybeans already have a salty taste.
• Add glass noodles, green onions, and chili to the pot, pour the sauce over so the noodles absorb the flavor. Finally, arrange the fish on a plate, place noodles, mushrooms, and soybeans on top, then decorate with tomatoes and cucumbers. Mullet steamed with fermented soybeans is rich, with tender fish meat, blended with the nutty salty taste of the soybeans, served with glass noodles and vegetables is very delicious.

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2. How to choose fresh mullet

For mullet dishes to achieve the best flavor, you need to choose fresh, quality mullet, specifically as follows:

• Fresh mullet usually has a firm body, shiny skin, tightly attached scales, and a natural shimmer.
• The eyes are clear, bright, slightly bulging; the gills are pinkish-red or cherry red, not dark or having a strange odor.
• When pressing on the body with your finger, fresh fish meat will have good elasticity, not soft, mushy, or slimy. If placed in water, fresh fish usually sinks to the bottom.
• You should not choose fish that has a foul, strong fishy smell, dull skin, bloated belly, or pale meat because those are signs that the fish is spoiled.
• Additionally, if you want to buy mullet with roe, choose those with short bodies and big, round bellies, which are usually signs of female fish with fatty meat and very delicious roe.

3. Does mullet have many bones?

Mullet is a fish with a relatively simple bone structure, not having too many fine bones compared to many other saltwater fish. Mullet bones are mainly large bones, easy to remove, so it is very convenient when preparing braised, fried, grilled dishes or rolling with rice paper.

Thanks to this characteristic, mullet is suitable for many people, including the elderly and children if properly prepared and cooked. When cooking, you only need to cut into bite-sized pieces or leave small ones whole to fully enjoy the sweet taste and firmness of the fish meat without worrying about too many bones.

Hopefully, the suggestions for mullet dishes above have partly helped you answer the question “what to cook with mullet?” and given you more attractive ideas to enrich your family meal. If you are a fan of seafood and want to enjoy premium flavors, don’t miss our whole dried squid products. And don’t forget to visit the Blog of Ola Squid to discover more interesting articles, useful knowledge, and a series of properly flavored delicious recipes.