Quang Nam people must always remember dishes made from flying fish. When the flying fish season comes after the third lunar month, almost every daily meal of the coastal residents of Quang Nam always includes dishes whose flavors follow the sense of smell, taste and even in the memories of those far from home.
Perhaps the southern fish in the central coastal region such as flying fish, mackerel, herring, anchovies, etc. are all cheap, easy to cook and eat. And dishes made from flying fish such as flying fish soup with young jackfruit; flying fish stewed with jackfruit; flying fish fried with onion, shallot, turmeric, chili and garlic fish sauce; flying fish soup with bitter melon, watermelon or other vegetables available in the garden... are very familiar to every family's dinner table during the hot summer days. The flying fish dish cooked with young jackfruit from Quang Nam has entered folk literature. And who is a Quang Nam native who does not know these two lines by heart: "Whoever returns, tell your source friend/ Send young jackfruit down, send flying fish up".
But if you are a Quang Nam resident and do not know another delicious rustic dish made from flying fish, it is a pity. The dish that I have been used to eating since childhood until now, and still crave every time I remember it - that is flying fish stewed with green tomatoes. The dish that every time I go to the market and see flying fish for sale, I crave it, I have to find a bunch of green tomatoes to cook with it.
Young jackfruit sent down, flying fish sent up.
Flying fish braised with green tomatoes must be eaten hot and eaten at the same meal to be delicious, should not be left for the next meal. Clean the scales of the flying fish, remove the gills, cut into two finger-length pieces, then wash and drain. Pound a shallot, add a little ground pepper, chili powder and a tablespoon of fish sauce to marinate the fish. Wash the green tomatoes, cut into wedges. Wash a few green chillies and place them aside. Once done, put the pot of water on the stove. Boil the water and add the fish. Boil the fish for about three minutes, add the tomatoes, break the green chillies in half and braise with the fish and tomatoes. Lower the heat to let the pot of fish simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste, remove from heat, scoop into bowls and eat right away. Because the aroma of this dish is very stimulating to the taste buds, just smelling it makes you want to sit down right at the table to eat.
Braised flying fish with green tomatoes is delicious with white rice or vermicelli. The fish meat is soft and has a sweet taste. The tomato pieces are cooked but still retain their original shape. Before you can chew them, the delicious taste melts on your tongue. The broth is fragrant with the spicy taste of green chili, ground pepper and onion. The fish is delicious, the tomatoes are delicious, even the fish broth when poured over rice or vermicelli is surprisingly delicious. Whenever there is a dish of braised flying fish with green tomatoes, my family always scrapes the last grain of rice from the rice pot. After finishing the meal, I still crave it as if I haven't eaten a bite.
On the menu of some restaurants in Hue, there is a dish called “soccer fish cooked with green tomatoes” that is very popular with diners, and I have eaten it a few times. However, the delicious taste of “soccer fish cooked with green tomatoes” of Hue is not as fragrant or delicious as the dish of “soccer fish cooked with green tomatoes” of my country that I often eat. In my opinion, “soccer fish cooked with green tomatoes and green chili” has a stronger flavor and the aroma of the dish is also more attractive. The fish broth is also much more delicious.
If you want to try it, go to the market early in the morning, buy about half a kilo of flying fish, some green tomatoes, add some green chillies and prepare it the way I did. And I believe that, after cooking this dish once, your family's daily meals will often include flying fish stewed with green tomatoes on days when flying fish are abundant and the weather is hot. Flying fish stewed with green tomatoes will help cool down and add flavor to summer meals.
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