Chả Cá Lã Laa-Laa

Name: Chả Cá Lã Laa-Laa
Total time: 1800 s
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 400 g firm white fish; 100 g beetroot or vermicelli noodles; 1 head pak choi; small handful of red peanuts (unsalted); herbs such as Thai basil, coriander, dill and mint; herb flowers such as chive, fennel, rosemary (optional); 1 garlic clove, peeled; 2 ” piece turmeric, peeled; 2 ” piece of ginger, peeled; 1/2 red chilli; pinch coarse salt; 2 anchovies; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp peanut or groundnut oil; Dipping sauce:; 2 tbps (30ml) lime juice; 2 tbsps (30 ml) water; 1 tsp fish sauce; 1 tsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 clove fresh garlic, finely grated; 1/2 red chilli, finely grated

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

Chả Cá is a dish originating from Hanoi, a bustling and vibrant city located on the banks of the Red River in Vietnam. Hanoi's French-colonial buildings nestle amongst ancient pagodas and unique museums. This metropolis is known for its delectable cuisine with a melange of flavours from China, Russia and France representing its historic past.

During the French colonial era in the late 19th century, the Doan family served a dish of fried fish, noodles and herbs to the revolutionaries. This dish Chả Cá (Chả is grilled and chopped and Cá is fish) became so popular the family opened a restaurant in Hang Son (Paint) Street. It was soon copied and various Chả Cá eateries opened in the same street which has been officially renamed Chả Cá Street to venerate this iconic dish.

Today it is a bustling street with spider webs of exposed electric wiring hanging overhead and the street is lined still with restaurants competing to sell the best Chả Cá. This dish usually has crispy turmeric-marinated hemibagru, a genus of catfish, that is lightly cooked over charcoal then served on a hot plate with scallions and and bowls of vermicelli rice noodles, dill and peanuts.

I’ve tried to replicate this elegant dish using meaty swordfish marinaded in earthy spices, fish sauce, peanut oil and replaced pungent shrimp paste with anchovies. The fish is fried in its own marinade then served on a bed of earthy beetroot noodles, wilted pak choi, red peanuts and fresh herbs. #ChristmasGift

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

Saved

Ingredients

30 minutes plus marinading time

2 people

400 gfirm white fish
100 gbeetroot or vermicelli noodles
1 headpak choi
small handful of red peanuts (unsalted)
herbs such as Thai basil, coriander, dill and mint
herb flowers such as chive, fennel, rosemary (optional)
Marinade:
1garlic clove, peeled
2” piece turmeric, peeled
2” piece of ginger, peeled
1/2red chilli
pinchcoarse salt
2anchovies
1 tbspfish sauce
1 tbsppeanut or groundnut oil
Dipping sauce:
2tbps (30ml) lime juice
2 tbsps (30 ml)water
1 tspfish sauce
1 tsprice wine vinegar
1 tspsugar
1/2 clovefresh garlic, finely grated
1/2red chilli, finely grated

Saved

Steps

30 minutes plus marinading time

1

Marinade: Chop the garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilli and add to a pestle and mortar with the salt and anchovies. Add the fish sauce and oil and pound gently. Place in a medium sized bowl. Skin and cut the white fish into chunks and place in the marinade, stir and set aside for at least 30 minutes but can marinade up to 4 hours.
2

Dipping sauce: Mix all the ingredients and place in a small bowl. Cook the noodles as per the instructions. Wilt the pak choi in a pan with a little water for 2 minutes. Dry roast the peanuts until slightly charred and fragrant.
3

Remove the fish from the marinade and fry in a pan in the marinade juices for 3 minutes ten turn and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until cooked through and slightly charred on the outside but juicy on the inside.
4

Divide the noodles between two bowls, add the pak choi, fried fish and herbs and sprinkle with the herb flowers. Serve with a bowl of dipping sauce on the side.