Carp

fish paste (about 300 grams, preferably silver carp or similar white fish) • ground pork (about 100 grams) • Chopped fresh dill, to taste • diced carrot (about 30 grams), for color • Minced garlic, chopped green onion, ground black pepper, chicken bouillon powder, MSG (optional), fish sauce • Cooking oil

Grass carp: 2.2 lbs (1 kg) (I used home-raised fish with firm, delicious meat) • galangal root, medium size, about 7 oz (200 g) • ginger • pork belly • Fish sauce, seasoned salt, black pepper, sugar, shallots, scallions • Fresh chili pepper, 1 small stalk lemongrass, cooking oil

black carp, cut into pieces (about 1.5 kg) • pork belly, cut into cubes (about 300 g) • sugar • seasoning powder or salt • MSG (optional) • fish sauce • oyster sauce • Ground black pepper • ground galangal (about 100 g) • shallots • garlic • lemongrass •

–3.3 lbs fish (such as grass carp, pomfret, etc.) • Galangal, lemongrass, chili, ginger • braised fish seasoning (galangal flavor, Knorr or similar) • Fish sauce, sugar • Pork belly • (If you don't want to use the Knorr seasoning packets, you can follow the alternative method below.)

Fresh fish (carp, grass carp, black carp, etc.), firm flesh, over 6 1/2 lbs (over 3 kg) • pork belly (about 1 kg) • shallots • garlic • large pieces of old galangal (the older, the more fragrant) • large piece of ginger • White rice wine • Annatto oil • Homemade caramel sauce (do not use store-bought, as it’s too dark and lacks aroma; make it by caramelizing sugar) • Oyster sauce, fish sauce, seasoning powder, MSG, cooking oil, soy sauce

large, fresh piece of black carp (preferably the belly section) • pork belly (about 300 grams) • Galangal, ginger, 4 shallots, scallions • Sugar • Oyster sauce, annatto oil, fish sauce, seasoning powder, MSG

freshwater fish (this time I used grass carp) • Pork belly (the fattier, the better) • Seasonings: galangal, ginger, turmeric, shallots, sugar, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder

Carp or grass carp (I used basa fish in the photo) • Shallots, oyster sauce, lemongrass, caramel sauce (nước hàng), fish sauce, black pepper, seasoning powder, fresh chili, chili paste (sa tế), sugar

whole fish (such as perch, carp, grass carp, or silver carp—use your favorite): • Sugar, turmeric powder, ginger, chili pepper, Vietnamese betel leaves (lá mơ), fish sauce, salt

whole carp • ground galangal • minced lemongrass • fermented soybean sauce • caramel sauce • fish sauce • salt • MSG (optional) • soy sauce • sour starfruits • sugar • pork belly (about 200 grams) •

(about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) rice • (about 10.5 ounces) mam da greens (or substitute with bok choy or similar leafy greens) • pre-cooked braised carp • ginger • salt

Carp • medium potatoes • onion • Green onions and cilantro • Salt, seasoning powder, pepper, cooking oil, MSG

Carp, pork belly, galangal, onion, garlic, chili peppers

black carp (cleaned, head and guts removed) • pork belly, cut into cubes • fish sauce (about 160 ml) • field crab soy sauce (about 160 ml) • shallots, finely minced • large pieces galangal (half minced, half thinly sliced) • caramel sauce (made from melted sugar, about 120 ml) • Hot coconut water • Black pepper, whole red chili peppers, lime

Fresh white carp • Black olive plums (already stewed) • large piece of galangal • Basic seasonings: fish sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper

carp • Galangal • Onion • fresh chili peppers • Seasoned salt • Chicken bouillon powder • MSG (optional) • Fish sauce • sugar (about 50 grams)

Carp: head and tail • tomatoes • Shallots, green onions, fermented rice, seasoning

cleaned crucian carp • young mugwort leaves • ginger • shallot • Salt

river carp with roe (if not using the whole fish, the head will make the broth sweeter and richer) • fresh rice noodles • ripe tomatoes • dill + 1.8 oz green onions (if you don't like dill, substitute with celery) • lettuce + mixed herbs + shredded water spinach • shallots

carp • pork (fattier cuts will be richer) • galangal • garlic • Fish sauce, salt, pepper

Carp (choose one weighing about 1.75 pounds or more for more meat, not just bones) • Rice, mung beans (optional) • Green onions, dill, ginger, turmeric, shallots, pepper, fish sauce, salt, MSG

snakehead fish or mud carp (about 300 grams) • fresh squid (about 300 grams) • shrimp (about 300 grams) • pork belly (about 200 grams) • catfish (about 500 grams) • Lemongrass stalks, plus minced lemongrass, onion, garlic, and chili • Large mild chili peppers • pineapple • Herbs and vegetables: bean sprouts, garlic chives, bitter herbs, fish mint, Vietnamese coriander, pennywort, water spinach, cucumber, bitter melon, eggplant, okra