Vietnamese Recipes - Pan-fried Sea Bass with Spicy Tomato Sauce (Ca Chien Sot Ca Chua) Vietnamese Recipe

  
 

Vietnamese Recipes -  Pan-fried Sea Bass with Spicy Tomato Sauce (Ca Chien Sot Ca Chua)

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

  • 4 shallots, thinly sliced

  • 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 675 g/1 1/2 lb), cored, seeded and coarsely chopped

  • 2 fresh red chilies, finely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon chili paste

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus 2 teaspoons

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

  • 125 g/4 oz plain flour

  • 4 sea bass or red snapper fillets

  • 175 g/6 oz each pepper

Method:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large trying pan over moderate heat. Add the shallots and garlic and stir-try until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and chilies and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, the sugar, and 4 tablespoons water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  2. Stir in the spring onions and dill, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover to keep the sauce warm while you cook the fish.

  3. Sift the flour on to a large platter. Pat the fish dry and make a few diagonal slits on the skin side at the thickest part of each fillet. Rub the fillets with the remaining 2 teaspoons fish sauce and sprinkle with black pepper, then dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Place the fish on a platter.

  4. Heat a large nonstick trying pan over high heat for 15 seconds, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is smoking hot, carefully add the fish, skin side down. Reduce the heat to medium-high, cover the pan and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes.

  5. Using two wide metal spatulas, carefully turn the fish. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 1 minute, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Transfer the fish to a large platter. Ladle the tomato sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

For a complete main course, all that is needed is a bowl of rice, a soup, and a steamed vegetable, such as asparagus or spinach. Pass Chili dipping sauce separately.