Entree: Vietnam – Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City – Lẩu Cá (Vietnamese sour-spicy fish hot pot with vegetables and fresh herbs)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 25 min

Total 40 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) snakehead or firm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces, approx. usable weight 2 lb (900 g)
- 8 cups (1.9 L) fish stock or water with fish bones simmered and strained
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) tamarind concentrate or soaked tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 3 oz / 85 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 oz / 30 g)
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white part finely sliced (about 1 oz / 30 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges (about 10 oz / 300 g)
- 1 cup (150 g) pineapple chunks
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 g) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 Thai bird chiles, sliced (or to taste) (about 5 g)
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground black pepper
- 4 oz (115 g) water spinach (rau muống) or substitute morning glory, trimmed
- 6 oz (170 g) napa cabbage, sliced into bite-size pieces
- 4 oz (115 g) enoki or oyster mushrooms, cleaned
- 8 oz (225 g) rice vermicelli (bún), cooked per package directions
- 1/2 cup (15 g) cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup (10 g) Thai basil leaves
- 1/4 cup (5 g) sawtooth coriander (ngò gai) or additional cilantro if unavailable
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) annatto oil or neutral oil infused with a pinch of annatto (optional, for color)
- Salt to taste, about 1/2 tsp (3 g) to start

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and lemongrass and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and pineapple and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 4 minutes. Stir in tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, and sugar; cook another minute.
3. Pour in the fish stock and bring to a gentle boil. Skim any foam, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season with black pepper and adjust salt or fish sauce to taste.
4. If using annatto oil, stir it into the broth for color. Add the fish pieces to the simmering broth and poach gently until just cooked through, about 4–6 minutes depending on thickness.
5. Add heartier vegetables (napa cabbage, mushrooms) and simmer 2–3 minutes, then add water spinach and cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute.
6. Turn off heat, stir in most of the chopped herbs (reserve some for serving), and squeeze a little lime juice to brighten. Transfer pot to the table or ladle into bowls.
7. Serve hot with cooked rice vermicelli, extra herbs, lime wedges, and chilies so diners can assemble bites of fish, broth, noodles, and herbs.