Braised anchovies is one of the familiar rustic dishes on a Vietnamese dining table that is rich, simple, and irresistible. However, not everyone knows how to braise anchovies so that the meat does not break, does not smell fishy, absorbs spices evenly, and smells fragrant from the kitchen to the dining table. In this article, Ola Squid summarizes the 5 best ways to make braised anchovies, from traditional pepper-braised, central-style caramelized, to fish sauce braise, along with secrets to selecting, preparing, and storing fish that few places share with you.

Summary of content

Secrets to selecting high-quality anchovies for the best braised dish

The quality of ingredients determines 70% of the success of the braised anchovy dish. Below are the important criteria you need to keep in mind when choosing ingredients:

Freshness of the fish eyes: The eyes must be crystal clear, slightly bulging, and show no signs of being cloudy or bloodshot. This is the clearest proof that the fish was just caught.
Color of fish scales: Prioritize batches of fish with shiny scales that adhere tightly to the body. Avoid choosing fish that have lost too many scales or look dull and opaque.
Firmness of the flesh: When gently pressing on the fish body with your hand, the flesh must be firm and bounce back immediately, leaving no indentations or feeling mushy.
Natural scent: Fresh fish only has a slight, characteristic fishy smell of the sea, absolutely no foul odor, ammonia scent, or smell of chemical preservatives.
Uniform size: You should choose a batch of fish of similar size so that when you perform the method of braising anchovies, all the fish will cook and absorb spices evenly at the same time.

Fresh anchovies have shiny scales and clear eyes

How to clean anchovies and effectively remove the fishy smell

Preparation is an important step to remove impurities and unpleasant odors, helping the dish achieve a perfect flavor. A preparation process will include the steps listed below:

Remove excess parts: Pinch off the fish head and intestines to avoid a bitter taste. For very small anchovies, you can keep them whole but need to wash them more thoroughly.
Use sea salt: Gently rub the fish with sea salt for about 2-3 minutes. Salt helps effectively remove slime and disinfect the surface.
Remove odor with rice water: Soak the fish in rice washing water for about 10 minutes. Components in the rice water have the ability to neutralize the fishy smell extremely well without losing the sweetness of the fish.
Use white wine and ginger: This is the secret of professional chefs. A little white wine mixed with crushed ginger will help completely eliminate the strong fishy odor.
Drain completely: After washing, spread the fish evenly in a basket and let it drain completely. If the fish is still wet, it will easily become mushy when braised, and the braising liquid will not have clarity or shine.

Pinch off anchovy heads and intestines to avoid bitterness and rinse with salt water

Anchovy braised dishes that are incredibly rice-consuming

Variation in spices and cooking methods gives us many unique versions of braised anchovies. Each region has its own secret for processing anchovies. Below is a list of dishes made from anchovies:

Traditional pepper-braised anchovies

This is a national dish that appears in almost every Vietnamese meal. The combination of the saltiness of fish sauce and the pungency of pepper creates an irresistible attraction.

Pepper-braised anchovies combine the saltiness of fish sauce and the pungency of pepper

Ingredients:

500g fresh and delicious anchovies.
Spices: 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 10g of sugar, 3 teaspoons of annatto oil.
1 minced shallot, 1 minced garlic clove, 3 bird’s eye chilies.
1 teaspoon of ground pepper.
3 stalks of scallions, cooking oil.

Instructions:

Preparation: Proceed to clean by removing the fish intestines and prepare other ingredients.
Marinating the fish: Mix the fish with 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of annatto oil, minced shallot and garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes to make the fish firm and flavorful.
Cooking the fish: Sauté shallot and garlic with cooking oil until fragrant, add the fish, and stir gently until the fish meat is firm.
Slow braising: Pour in a little hot water just enough to cover the fish, reduce heat to low until the liquid thickens and dries up.
Final touch: Sprinkle the remaining pepper and chopped scallions on top before turning off the heat.

See more:

Caramelized braised anchovies in authentic Central Vietnamese style

The caramelized braised anchovy dish requires meticulousness in caramelizing sugar and monitoring the heat to achieve the characteristic sticky consistency.

Caramelized braised anchovies with a rich salty-sweet flavor and glossy surface

Ingredients:

400g white anchovies, drained.
2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 15g of sugar, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of soup seasoning.
3 tablespoons of annatto oil to create an attractive orange-red color.
1/2 tablespoon of spicy chili powder, 1/2 sliced ginger, 2 chilies.

Instructions:

Preparation: Clean the fish and accompanying ingredients.
Create sauce mixture: Heat annatto oil, add sugar and caramelize until dissolved and dark brown. Add fish sauce and stir well to create a thick mixture.
Braise the fish: Add anchovies to the sauce pot, add shredded ginger and chili powder. Stir extremely gently.
Reduce liquid: Keep the heat at the lowest level so the spicy liquid slowly absorbs into the fish body, creating a sticky coating around each fish.
Finished product: The fish must be firm, have a rich salty-sweet taste, and the surface must be as glossy as if covered with a layer of honey.

Salty-sweet braised anchovies

Salty-sweet braised anchovies with a balanced salty-sweet taste make this dish very easy to eat, especially suitable for children’s palates.

Ingredients:

500g anchovies.
300ml fresh coconut water.
2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 15g of sugar, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of soup seasoning.
1 shallot, 1/2 garlic bulb, 1 horn chili.

Instructions:

Preparation: Clean the fish and mince the shallot, garlic, and horn chili.
Sauté until firm: Add the fish to the pot with seasonings and marinate for about 15 minutes, then place on the stove and stir-fry quickly.
Use coconut water: Pour fresh coconut water into the fish pot. Coconut water will help the fish meat tenderize without breaking, and the natural light sweetness will penetrate deeply.
Conclusion: Braise until the coconut water is reduced to about 1/3, creating a moderate thickness, which meets the requirement.

See more: 7 ways to cook delicious, authentic homemade braised basa fish

Anchovy fish sauce braise (Kho quẹt)

This is an interesting variation often used as a dipping dish for boiled vegetables, bearing a rustic style.

Anchovy fish sauce braise is a dish that is extremely rice-consuming

Ingredients:

300g anchovies.
100g pork fat.
100g dried shrimp (soaked until soft).
2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 15g of sugar, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of soup seasoning.
1 shallot, 1/2 garlic bulb, 1 horn chili.

Instructions:

Preparation: Clean the anchovies and mince the scallions and bird’s eye chili.
Make pork cracklings: Render the pork fat until golden and crispy, remove the cracklings separately.
Cook the braising sauce: Use the rendered fat, sauté shallot and garlic until fragrant, add the dried shrimp and anchovies, and stir well.
Mix fish sauce and sugar: Pour the fish sauce and sugar mixture in a 1:1 ratio into the pot. Add whole green pepper clusters.
Cook until thick: Braise until the mixture thickens and large bubbles appear, then add the cracklings and scallions, then turn off the heat.

Turmeric-braised anchovies

Braised anchovy dish with turmeric is simple but very good for the digestive system thanks to the properties of fresh turmeric.

Ingredients

500g striped anchovies.
2 pieces of fresh turmeric (crushed to extract both juice and pulp).
2 stalks of minced lemongrass.
2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 10g of sugar, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of soup seasoning.
1 shallot, 1/2 garlic bulb, 1 horn chili.

Instructions:

Marinate the fish with turmeric: This is the most important step. Mix the fish with fresh turmeric, minced lemongrass, and seasoning for 20 minutes for the yellow color to penetrate evenly.
Braise the fish: Place the pot on the stove, braise over low heat. If you want it to be more fragrant, you can line the bottom of the pot with a layer of turmeric leaves.
Finish: When the braising liquid has completely evaporated and the fish turns a golden yellow color and smells fragrant with lemongrass and turmeric, it is complete.

Reference: Top 3 unbeatable delicious braised squid recipes you must try

Notes to prevent the braised anchovy pot from breaking

Many people encounter the situation where the fish breaks or falls apart after braising, losing its aesthetic appeal during consumption. To overcome this, you need to apply the following tips:

Marinate for enough time: Salt and fish sauce during the marinating process will help the fish muscle fibers contract and become firmer before being exposed to high temperatures.
Do not stir the fish with chopsticks: When the fish is in the pot, minimize the use of chopsticks. If you need to mix, hold the pot handles and shake gently in a circular motion.
Use low, simmering heat: High heat makes the liquid boil vigorously, and this mechanical action will break the structure of the small fish.
Choose the right pot: An earthenware pot or a pot with a thick bottom is the best choice because they distribute heat evenly and retain heat for a long time, helping the fish cook slowly without needing vigorous boiling water.
Do not add too much water: Too much water causes the cooking time to be prolonged, and fish soaked in hot water for a long time will easily become mushy.

To have a delicious dried anchovy dish you need to marinate long enough for the spice to absorb into the fish

Answering frequently asked questions when preparing braised anchovies

Below is a summary of the questions that users are most interested in when making braised anchovy dishes at home.

How many calories are in braised anchovies, and is it fattening?

Not fattening, this is a dish rich in protein and calcium if you eat it in moderation and combine it with plenty of green vegetables, this dish absolutely does not cause weight gain and is very good for cardiovascular health.

The calorie content in this dish depends heavily on how you season it and the accompanying ingredients:

Fresh anchovies: About 130 calories/100g.
Pepper/turmeric-braised anchovies: About 200 – 230 calories/100g.
Anchovy fish sauce braise: Can be up to 350 calories/100g.

How to store prepared braised anchovies

To keep the braised anchovy dish as delicious as new, you should follow these professional storage steps:

Cool completely: Absolutely do not put the fish in a container while it is still hot because condensed steam will make the fish quickly sour and spoil.
Use an airtight container: Use a glass container or food-grade plastic container with a tight-fitting lid to prevent the fish smell from affecting other foods in the refrigerator.
Storage temperature: In the refrigerator’s cooling compartment, the fish can be kept for 5-7 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can divide it into small zip bags and store it in the freezer.
Note when reheating: Only take out enough to eat for reheating, avoid reheating multiple times which will make the fish dry and lose nutrients.

Enjoying braised anchovies in the right way with side dishes

A perfect meal needs a harmonious combination of flavors. Braised anchovies are best eaten with: piping hot white rice, boiled vegetables, sour soup, white porridge.

Through this article, hope you have pocketed the braised anchovy recipes and professional preparation tips so the fish pot is always firm and not broken. The braised fish dish not only provides high nutritional value but also connects family affection through each cozy meal. Besides fish dishes, don’t forget to visit the store of Ola Squid to refer to other products such as dried squid, high-quality sun-dried squid. We are committed to bringing the freshest seafood specialties to your kitchen.

Rate this post

Secrets to selecting high-quality anchovies for the best braised dish

How to clean anchovies and effectively remove the fishy smell