Dish of Cha Cá La Vong
(click to enlarge)

Fish - Cha Cá Hanoi


  -   Cha Cá Hanoi / La Vong
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 main
***
1 hr
Part		 "Some assembly required". This very famous recipe from Hanoi is excellent for intimate dining, but is not a buffet or party dish. See Serving for details.

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Fish Fillets (1)
-- Marinade
Galangal (2)
Shallot
Lemon Juice (3)
Turmeric (4)
Shrimp Paste (5)  
Oil
Pepper, black
-- Herbs
Scallions
Dill Sprigs
-- Cooking
Oil
-- Serve Over
Rice Noodles (6)  
Boiling Water
-- Garnish
Scallion whites
Roasted Peanuts
-- Serve With
Nuoc Cham Dip
Do Ahead   -   (30 minutes)
  1. IF using: prepare Dry Roasted Peanuts
  2. Make Nuoc Cham dipping sauce.
Prep   -   (2 hrs - 35 min work (exclusive of filleting fish)
  1. Cut FISH into large bite size pieces, about 1-1/2 inches on a side and the thickness of the fillet.
  2. Peel GALANGAL, slice very thin crosswise and chop as fine as you can. If possible, then pound in a large stone mortar until well mashed.
  3. Chop SHALLOT fine. Squeeze LEMON JUICE and mix all Marinade items. Massage into Fish until evenly distributed. Set aside for at least an hour, or up to overnight in the fridge.
  4. Cut whites from the SCALLIONS and slice them lengthwise into very narrow strips for garnish. Cut greens crosswise into about 2 inch segments. Cut DILL SPRIGS into about 2 inch lengths, discarding large stems. Mix Dill with Scallion greens but keep Whites separate.
  5. Soak RICE NOODLES in warm water for half an hour to an hour depending on thickness and dryness. Drain.
Run   -   (20 min)
  1. Set up a pot of Boiling Water for the Noodles.
  2. Set dipping bowls of Nuoc Cham on the table.
  3. In a spacious skillet, Heat 1 T Oil. Stir in the Fish and fry stirring until fish is golden and cooked through (4 to 5 minutes).
  4. Meanwhile:   drain Rice Noodles and dump into the boiling water. Strain out as soon as tender. That's just a few seconds for really thin noodles, a little longer if thicker.
  5. Stir Herb mix into the pan with the Fish. fry just until the Herbs are wilting (about 30 seconds). Take off the heat.
  6. In shallow bowls, place some Rice Noodles. Spoon some of the Fish/herb mix over the Noodles. Garnish as desired and serve right now. Also see Serving for more details.
NOTES:

  1. Fish:

      In Vietnam, Vietnamese Catfish are most used, but Snakeheads are also sometimes used. Both these fish can be found in Asian markets here in North America. The Catfish is easier to use - but the common Swai fillets are not very good for this recipe. They have been very skillfully trimmed to remove almost all flavor - you would be better off using American Channel Catfish. You can also use Walking Catfish, sold as "Yellow Catfish" here in Southern California. I buy frozen Swai / Basa with head removed and gutted. Note: Vietnamese Catfish have a lot of belly fat, which should be trimmed off. Many recipes in English recommend Cod, but in extensive testing, cod was the least acceptable (compared to Catfish, Grouper and Halibut). For details see our Varieties of Fish (very large page).

  2. Galangal:

      This relative of Ginger can be found in most Asian markets, fresh or frozen. If you don't have it, use 1-1/2 T Ginger and increase the Shallot to compensate. For details see our Galangal page.

  3. Lemon Juice:

      This is a substitute to provide a sour note which would be provided by me (fermented rice) in Vietnam. Some recipes suggest Yogurt or Sour Cream, but I prefer to avoid dairy in Southeast Asian recipes.

  4. Turmeric:

      Some cooks use a mix of fresh and powdered Turmeric, but fresh is messy and not available everywhere in North America.

  5. Shrimp Paste:

      Usa a Thai or Vietnamese shrimp paste. I usually use the Thai with oil. If you object to shrimp paste, use 1/2 Tablespoon of Fish Sauce. For details see our Shrimp Sauce / Paste page.

  6. Rice Noodles:

      Use thin Rice Noodles (often called "Rice Stick"). Don't confuse these with Mung Bean Noodles which look a lot the same dry but their cooking properties are very different. For details see our Rice Noodles page.

  7. Serving:

      In restaurants in Vietnam, the fish is pre-grilled. A gas burner would be brought to the table with a skillet. The Herbs, Grilled Fish, Garnishes, Dipping Sauce and Rice Noodles would all be provided separately. The herbs and fish would be fried in the pan just until hot. Each diner would place some Noodles in their bowl, then some Fish/Herb mix, top it with Garnishes and eat with Dipping Sauce. In the home it can just be finished and assembled onto individual plates and served, or assembled on a hot cast iron fajita plate and brought to the table.   The Big Problem here is Women. When something has to be served right now that's exactly when they excuse themselves to the lady's room and don't return for 10 to 20 minutes - especially if they have been told how critical the serving time is.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch tt=to taste ar=as required
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