The hardest part of ca chep om dua cai chua is clearing the muddy smell. A good pot has a clean sour broth, firm fish and pickles that still snap. Braised too long, the fish breaks up and the greens go limp.
The fish is rubbed all over with salt and half a lime, rinsed, then fried only until pale gold rather than crisp. That is what holds the pieces together in the braise. Let the fried fish drain before it goes into the pot.
This batch weighs about 3.9kg, at roughly 107 calories per 100g.
Method
Gut the carp and rub 1 tablespoon salt and half a lime all over it to clear the smell, then rinse and drain. Leave it whole or cut it into steaks.
Rub 100g pork belly with salt, rinse and cut it into small pieces. Rinse the pickled mustard greens and cut them into short lengths. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Blend the fresh turmeric and strain out the juice. Shred the bird's eye chili and ginger. Bruise and mince the shallots. Cut the dill into 4cm lengths and shred the spring onion.
Heat 200ml cooking oil in a pan to about 180 degrees C and fry the fish over high heat until pale gold, not crisp. Lift it out and drain.
Heat 50g cooking oil in another pan and sear the pork belly. Once the edges color, add the shallots and fry until fragrant, then add the shredded ginger and bird's eye chili.
Add the pickled greens and tomatoes, stir fry for about 5 minutes, then pour in 1.5 liters of broth.
Season with 15g seasoning powder, 10g MSG, 9g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 5g salt and 15g fish sauce, then add the turmeric juice.
Once the liquid boils, slide the fish in and braise gently for about 20 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons lime juice, taste for sourness, then braise for a further 10 minutes and turn off the heat.
Line a long platter with the tomatoes and pickled greens, lay the fish on top and scatter over the dill, spring onion and shredded red horn chili.
Tips
Carp scales are crisp and edible, and leaving them on keeps the flesh sweet.
If the pickled greens are very sour, rinse and wring them out, then add a little kOBE Monk Fruit Blend while cooking to balance it.
Stir fry the pickled greens with the pork belly until the fat renders before adding liquid, since a rushed stir fry leaves them sharp.
Braise at a bare simmer and stir as little as possible, which is what keeps the fish whole.
Add the lime juice at the end so the sourness stays bright.
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The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.