Ca Loc Hap Bia (Snakehead Fish Steamed in Beer) Recipe

Method

1. Scale the fish, remove the guts, scrape away the black membrane inside the belly, rub it with vinegar to clear the slime, then rinse it in clean water.
2. Score the fish with parallel diagonal cuts so the seasoning reaches the flesh.
3. Mince half the lemongrass and bruise the rest. Mince the ginger, pound the galangal and finely chop the white ends of the spring onions. Rinse the rau ram, cilantro and dill.
4. Mix the minced lemongrass, spring onion whites, ginger and galangal with 1/2 teaspoon MSG, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon sate chili oil, 1 tablespoon annatto oil and 1/2 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend.
5. Rub the mixture into each cut and marinate for at least 1 hour.
6. Line the steamer basket with spring onion, rau ram, bruised lemongrass and dill, then lay the fish on top.
7. Pour 100ml beer into the water below and steam the fish for 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Mix the dipping sauce from 3 teaspoons fish sauce, 3 teaspoons water and 1 teaspoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, then add 1 stalk of minced lemongrass, the juice of half a lime and chopped cilantro, and stir well.
9. Lift the fish onto a plate and serve with the dipping sauce.

Tips

• A snakehead of 1kg or more has fewer bones and firmer, sweeter flesh than a small one.
• Scraping the black membrane out of the belly and rubbing the skin with vinegar is what clears the smell from a steamed fish.
• Lay crushed lemongrass and Vietnamese coriander (rau ram) under the fish, since setting it straight on the steamer base leaves the underside broken.
• Score the fish on the diagonal and only moderately deep, so the seasoning reaches the flesh without the pieces falling apart.
• Twenty to twenty five minutes is the full steam, since longer leaves the flesh mushy.