What Delicious Dishes Can You Make with Betta Fish? A Collection of Easy-to-Prepare Meals

Marlin is a familiar marine fish, known for its white, firm meat, few bones, and natural sweetness. Therefore, marlin can be processed into many delicious dishes such as grilling, braising, steaming, cooking soup, hotpot, or porridge. If you are also wondering what to cook with marlin and how to choose marlin correctly, do not miss this article. Let’s join Ola Squid to explore the list of attractive marlin dishes as well as instructions on how to choose delicious marlin right below!

1. What to cook with marlin?

Marlin can be processed into a variety of dishes depending on your taste and cooking time; you can choose braised dishes, grilled dishes, or light soups. Here are suggestions for some easy-to-make, nutritious dishes from marlin:

1.1. Grilled marlin with sate

Ingredients

• 500g marlin fillet
• 90g sate sauce
• 10 piper sarmentosum leaves (lá lốt)
• 5 cloves of garlic, 5 shallots
• 5 chilies, 1 tablespoon of pepper
• Salt to taste

How to grill marlin with sate:

• After buying the marlin, gently rub it with salt to remove the fishy smell, wash it clean, pat dry, and then cut into bite-sized slices. Peel the shallots, garlic, and chilies, then crush them finely; wash the piper sarmentosum leaves and chop them small.
• Next, put the fish in a bowl, mix well with the shallot-garlic-chili mixture, sate, and pepper. Add the piper sarmentosum leaves, toss gently, and marinate for about 10-15 minutes for the fish to absorb the seasoning. Then place the fish on the grill, grill until both sides are firm and fragrant.
• Grilled marlin with sate has a mild spicy taste, the strong aroma of piper sarmentosum leaves, and sweet soft meat, which is very delicious when served with raw vegetables, cucumber, tomatoes, and dipped in garlic chili fish sauce.

1.2. Grilled marlin with chili salt

Ingredients:

• 500g marlin
• 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Tay Ninh shrimp salt, 1 tablespoon grain salt
• 1/2 teaspoon MSG, 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons white salt, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon Korean chili powder (for color, not spicy)
• 3 lemongrass stalks, 3 bird’s eye chilies
• 1 bulb of garlic, 2 green horn peppers

How to process grilled marlin with chili salt:

• Clean the marlin, soak in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes, wash again then drain and cut into thick bite-sized slices. Finely mince lemongrass, garlic, and chilies; grind the grain salt until smooth.
• Then you mix the mixture of lemongrass, garlic, chili along with seasonings including salt, sugar, MSG, pepper, sesame oil, cooking oil, butter, honey, and chili powder to create a consistent chili salt sauce.
• Heat up the grill then place the fish on the rack and grill briefly on both sides to firm them up. Next, brush each layer of chili salt sauce onto the fish, continue grilling until the fish is golden brown, emits a fragrant aroma, and the seasoning layer evenly coats the surface.
• Grilled marlin with chili salt has a rich spicy and salty taste, chewy sweet fish meat, very delicious when eaten hot. This dish is suitable for serving with raw vegetables, vermicelli, rice paper, or dipped in green chili salt to further stimulate the taste buds.

1.3. Crispy fried marlin

Ingredients:

• 300g marlin
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 stalks of green onions (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
• 200ml cooking oil

Instructions for making crispy fried marlin:

• Clean the marlin, use salt to rub gently to remove the fishy smell, then wash again and pat dry. Then you filter the fillet part, cut into bite-sized square pieces, and mix with finely chopped green onions.
• Next, mix the flour with tapioca starch, put the fish in and toss gently so the flour coats the outside evenly. Wrap tightly and let the fish rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to help the flour layer stick better.
• Heat oil in a deep pan, put the fish in and fry over medium heat until all sides are golden and crispy. Finally, take the fish out to drain the oil and you can enjoy. Crispy fried marlin has a crunchy crust, the fish meat inside is soft and sweet, very delicious when dipped in garlic chili fish sauce or chili sauce.

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1.4. Braised marlin with pineapple

Ingredients

• 500g fresh marlin
• 1 shallot, half a pineapple
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon caramel sauce (nước màu)
• 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• Pepper, green onions, coriander

How to cook braised marlin with pineapple as follows:

• Clean the marlin, wash with diluted salt water to remove the fishy smell, then drain. Peel the pineapple and cut into bite-sized pieces; mince the garlic and shallot.
• Place a pot on the stove then sauté garlic and shallots with cooking oil, put the fish in and toss gently. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and add a little water, stir-fry until the fish absorbs the seasoning. Next, add the pineapple, stir well until the pineapple softens and releases natural sweet juice.
• Then you pour in more caramel sauce, lower the heat and simmer until the braising liquid thickens, then turn off the stove. Braised marlin with pineapple has a balanced sweet and salty taste, soft fish meat, well-absorbed flavors, blended with the mild sourness and gentle aroma of pineapple, very delicious when used with hot rice.

1.5. Braised marlin with pepper

Ingredients

• 3 slices of marlin fillet
• 2 shallots, 1 chili
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
• Sugar, seasoning powder, salt, pepper

How to cook braised marlin with pepper:

• Clean the purchased marlin, soak in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes then wash again and drain. Crush shallots, garlic, and chili finely with sugar and seasoning powder, then mix with fish sauce to create a marinating mixture.
• Next, put the fish in a bowl, add cooking oil, caramel sauce, and all the prepared seasonings, sprinkle with pepper and marinate for about 20 minutes to absorb.
• Then you put the fish in the pot and braise with high heat until the water boils and the fish firms up. Lower the heat, continue braising until the liquid thickens, the fish is soft and cooked, and smells of pepper. Braised marlin with pepper has a harmonious sweet and salty taste, soft sweet fish meat, evenly absorbed seasonings, very suitable for serving with hot rice in family meals.

1.6. Grilled marlin with scallion oil

Ingredients:

• 500g fresh marlin
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1 bowl of chopped scallions
• 2 shallots
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar

How to make grilled marlin with scallion oil:

• Clean the marlin, scale it, remove intestines then wash with diluted salt water to remove fishy smell, drain. Finely chop green onions, put in a bowl then pour in hot cooking oil to create scallion oil.
• Mix minced garlic with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper to make the marinating sauce. Next, brush the scallion oil and sauce mixture evenly onto the fish body, place more sliced shallots on top.
• Then you place the fish on the grill, grill at high heat for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is golden brown and emits a fragrant aroma. Place the fish on a plate then sprinkle with more scallions, fried shallots and serve with raw vegetables to make the dish complete.

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1.7. Steamed marlin with ginger

Ingredients

• 500g fresh marlin
• 2-3 chilies, 2-3 ginger roots
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Instructions for cooking steamed marlin with ginger:

• Clean the marlin, scale it, remove head and tail then rub with salt lightly to remove fishy smell, wash again and drain. Mince ginger, garlic, and chili, mix with fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar to form a seasoning mixture.
• Next, you put the fish in the steamer, pour the seasonings evenly over it, then cover and steam for about 15-20 minutes until the fish is soft and well-absorbed with the ginger aroma. Finally, place the fish on a plate and you can sprinkle more scallions and shredded chili to make the dish more fragrant and attractive.

1.8. Steamed marlin with lemongrass

Required ingredients:

• 500g fresh marlin
• 1 red chili, 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 3 lemongrass stalks, 2 stalks of green onions
• 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Pepper, coriander and scallions

Simple way to make steamed marlin with lemongrass:

• First, buy the marlin, remove head and tail then wash clean with diluted salt water to remove fishy smell, drain. Smash the lemongrass, cut into sections; wash green onions, cut into sections.
• Then you boil water in the steamer, line the lemongrass and scallions underneath, then place the marlin on top and steam for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is soft and fragrant.
• Next, prepare the sauce by mixing fish sauce, sugar, and minced garlic to taste. When the fish is cooked, you pour the sauce evenly over the fish surface, sprinkle more scallions, pepper, and coriander to complete. Steamed marlin with lemongrass has a natural sweet taste and gentle aroma.

1.9. Marlin in tomato sauce

Ingredients:

• 300g marlin, cut into rounds
• 6 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 220ml cooking oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
• A little cilantro
• Sugar, salt, seasoning powder

How to cook marlin in tomato sauce:

• Wash the marlin clean, rub with salt then drain. Peel the onion, then cut into wedges. Wash tomatoes, chop small or puree, marinate with salt, sugar, and seasoning powder for about 10 minutes to absorb flavors.
• Place a pan on the stove then heat 200ml cooking oil, put the fish in and fry over low heat for about 10 minutes until one side is evenly golden. Then flip to fry the other side until the fish is firm and slightly golden.
• Next, you heat up another pot, put 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in and sauté minced shallot and garlic until fragrant and golden. Add the marinated tomatoes and stir-fry until soft and thickened.
• Put the fried fish into the pot, press down lightly into the sauce, then simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes for the fish to absorb evenly. Continue adding onions, cover for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and season again to taste. Finally, sprinkle a little cilantro on top before turning off the stove.

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1.10. Marlin sour soup

Ingredients

• 300g marlin
• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 5 okra pods, ¼ pineapple
• 200g elephant ear stalks (bạc hà), 2-3 chilies
• 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 shallot
• 100g fresh tamarind, 100g bean sprouts
• A little herb seasoning (rau nêm)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, ½ tablespoon fish sauce
• Sugar, salt, seasoning powder, pepper

Instructions for processing marlin sour soup:

• Wash marlin with diluted salt water then cut into bite-sized blocks. Cut cherry tomatoes in half (or wedges if large), thinly slice pineapple, cut okra and elephant ear stalks into bite-sized pieces, wash bean sprouts. Mince chilies, peel and mince shallot and garlic. Mash tamarind with 1 cup of warm water, filter out seeds to get the juice.
• Heat cooking oil, sauté minced shallot and garlic. Continue adding tomatoes and pineapple, stir for 30 seconds, then add chili and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Put the fish in and stir-fry with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder for about 3 minutes until the meat is firm.
• Then you add 1 liter of filtered water, bring to a boil, then add okra, elephant ear stalks, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ½ amount of tamarind juice. When the soup boils, skim off the foam and season to taste, then add the remaining tamarind juice to adjust the sourness.
• Add bean sprouts and herb seasoning, then add ½ tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon pepper, stir well. Finally turn off the stove and scoop out into a bowl.

1.11. Marlin hotpot

Required ingredients:

• 500g fresh marlin, filleted and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 300g sour bamboo shoots
• A little straw mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, tomatoes, pumpkin flowers
• Herbs: rice paddy herb, thorny coriander, dill
• Fried garlic, minced garlic, minced shallot
• Cooking oil, cashew oil, fish sauce, hotpot seasoning packet

How to cook marlin hotpot:

• Wash the marlin clean, you can use lemon to remove fishy smell, cut into pieces about 0.8 cm. Squeeze the sour bamboo shoots dry and cut into bite-sized sections. Cut ripe tomatoes into wedges, wash mushrooms, cut herbs into sections.
• Next, you sauté minced garlic and shallots with cooking oil. Then turn off the stove and add sour bamboo shoots, toss well to help them stay crunchy, then put them on a separate plate.
• Use the pot previously used for bamboo shoots, add cashew oil and quickly stir-fry straw mushrooms and tomatoes. Pour in about 1.5 liters of boiling water (or adjust according to servings).
• Next, you season with salt, sugar, fish sauce or Thai hotpot seasoning packet. Season to taste, consider the sourness of the bamboo shoots to adjust accordingly. Boil for 10-15 minutes, then drop the marlin in. When the fish is cooked, add the enoki mushrooms, pumpkin flowers and herbs, stir gently and enjoy immediately.

1.12. Marlin noodle soup (Bún cá cờ)

Ingredients

• 500g marlin fillet
• 300g bronze featherback fish cake, 200g fresh vermicelli
• 15g minced shallot, 10g minced garlic
• 1 slice of pineapple, 1 tomato
• 2 lemongrass stalks, 3 bird’s eye chilies
• 6 stalks of green onions
• 100g raw vegetables (optional)
• Salt, MSG, sugar, cashew oil

How to make marlin noodle soup:

• Wash marlin fillet with diluted salt water, wash again with clean water and drain. Cut fish into slices along the bone. Cut tomatoes into wedges, pineapple into sections, finely shred the scallion stalks, keep the roots. Smash lemongrass, slice fish cake into bite-sized pieces, wash and chop raw vegetables.
• Sauté minced shallot and garlic with cashew oil, then add lemongrass and pineapple, stir quickly for about 20 seconds. Next, you add tomatoes, stir-fry for 1 minute then season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour 2 liters of water into the pot, bring to a boil.
• When water boils, add marlin, season with 1 more teaspoon of salt, 1.5 teaspoons of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of MSG. Stir well then season again to taste. Finally, add scallion roots, turn off the stove and display noodles in a bowl, sprinkle more raw vegetables and fish cakes to enjoy.

1.13. Marlin cooked with pickled mustard greens

Ingredients

• 200g marlin fillet
• 100g pickled mustard greens
• A few scallions, finely chopped
• 2 chilies
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• Pepper, sugar, salt

Instructions for processing marlin cooked with pickled mustard greens:

• Wash the marlin fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces and drain. Wash the pickled mustard greens multiple times, cut into slices and wash the chilies.
• Mix fish with fish sauce, turmeric powder, pepper, sugar, salt and let it absorb for 15-30 minutes.
• Then you put the fish in the pot, cover and braise over medium heat until the meat firms up. Flip the fish then add pickled mustard greens and 1 cup of water, increase heat to bring to a boil. Braise for about 10 minutes until the fish is soft and the greens are slightly tender.
• Sprinkle scallions, turn off the stove and enjoy. Marlin cooked with pickled greens has chewy, fragrant meat, a rich braising liquid, and served with hot rice is very attractive.

1.14. Fried marlin with fish sauce

Required ingredients:

• 250g marlin fillet
• 1/2 tablespoon minced scallion whites
• 1/4 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons tamarind juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 minced fresh chilies, 4 chopped scallion stalks
• A little salt

How to make fried marlin with fish sauce

• Wash marlin fillet with salt to remove fishy smell, then wash again with clean water and pat dry with a towel.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan, then put the fish in and fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes on each side until evenly golden. Remove fish to drain oil.
• Leave about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, then turn on high heat and sauté minced garlic and scallion whites until fragrant. Next, you lower the heat, add fish sauce, tamarind juice, minced chili and sugar, then stir well for the sugar to dissolve completely and the sauce to boil slightly.
• Then you put the fish into the pan, use a spoon to pour the sauce evenly over the fish, then simmer for about 10 minutes for the fish to absorb seasonings evenly. Season again to taste, sprinkle chopped scallions, stir gently for 1 minute then turn off the stove and display the fish on a plate.
• The fish meat is firm, sweet and soft, blending with the sweet and sour sauce from tamarind and fish sauce, adding a bit of spicy taste from chili and fresh green color of scallions makes the dish more attractive, extremely appetizing.

1.15. Shaking marlin (Cá cờ lúc lắc)

Ingredients:

• 500g marlin
• 2 bell peppers (red and green)
• 200g watercress, 50g tomato
• 1/2 onion, 5 cloves of garlic
• Oyster sauce, fish sauce, caramel sauce (or burnt sugar), sugar, lemon, salt, pepper

How to process shaking marlin:

• Mix fish with fish sauce and pepper, then let it absorb for about 15 minutes. Arrange watercress on a plate, place tomato on top. Prepare the sauce including oyster sauce, fish sauce, caramel sauce, sugar and pepper, stir well.
• Sauté half the amount of garlic and shallots with oil, then add salt, sugar, stir well. Add onions and bell peppers, stir-fry for a few minutes then remove to a plate.
• Next, you use the old pan, add oil then sauté the remaining garlic and shallots. Then you put the fish in and fry until evenly golden, crispy skin but not too long to avoid drying.
• Pour the sauce in, toss the fish evenly then turn off the stove. Arrange the stir-fried vegetables on the plate, place the fish on top, then sprinkle with pepper and a few slices of chili for decoration. You can use lemon pepper salt for dipping if you like.

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2. How to choose fresh and delicious marlin

When choosing marlin, you should prioritize those with clear, bright, and clearly protruding eyes; this is a sign of fresh fish, not stale. The fish body should be firm, skin glossy, scales seamless and not scratched or darkened. When pressing lightly on the fish meat, if it feels elastic and quickly returns, it proves the fish is still fresh. In addition, the smell of fresh fish will only have a mild sea scent, not foul or fishy. With marlin fillets, you should choose pieces of meat that are pale pink, firm and have no strange smell.

3. Nutritional value of marlin

In 100g of cooked sea marlin provides about 120-130 kcal, 20-24g of protein and 4-6g of fat, including omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA. The fish is also a source of vitamins B12, B3 (niacin), D along with essential minerals such as selenium, zinc, iodine and phosphorus, while containing 45-60mg of cholesterol.

With high protein but moderate calories, marlin is a suitable choice for those who need to supplement protein without worrying about weight gain, especially suitable for people in physical training or recovering health. The highlight is that marlin contains abundant omega-3, supporting cardiovascular and brain health.

3. Frequently Asked Questions

3.1. What is the difference between marlin and swordfish?

Marlin and swordfish are often confused due to their similar shape, both having long bodies and pointed heads. However, marlin is smaller, has a rounder and softer body, while swordfish is large in size, has a hard body and a significantly longer nose. In terms of flavor, marlin has sweet, soft meat, easy to process, while swordfish meat is chewy, sweet but less fatty, suitable for grilling or making sashimi.

3.3. Is sea marlin good?

Sea marlin is completely good for health when processed correctly. Fish meat contains lots of high-quality protein and Omega-3, helping to supplement nutrition for the heart, brain and eyes. However, just like other types of seafood, you should choose fresh marlin, avoid stale fish or fish caught from polluted waters.

3.2. How much does sea marlin cost per kg?

The price of sea marlin varies depending on size, season and origin. Fresh marlin fillets currently cost from 300,000 – 500,000 VND/kg, while large whole fish can be higher. Prices can also change according to each seafood store and purchase area.

3.4. How to preserve marlin dishes for a long time?

To keep marlin fresh for a long time, you should store it in the refrigerator cooler at a temperature of 0 – 4°C, wrapped tightly with food film. With fillets or processed dishes like fried, braised, grilled, you can keep them in a closed box and store in the cooler for 1 – 2 days. If you want to freeze for longer, you need to wrap tightly and keep at -18°C, when using defrost naturally in the cooler before processing.

Above is a summary of 15 recipes for processing rich and attractive marlin dishes, hoping to have helped you answer the question “what to cook with marlin”. If you want to explore more useful articles and interesting cooking tips, don’t forget to visit olasquid.com right now! Besides these fresh fish dishes, if you are looking for premium seafood snacks, check out our high-quality dried seafood products at OlaSquid.