As one of the most familiar foods in Vietnamese family meals, dishes made from goby fish are believed to have originated from rural areas surrounded by rivers and streams. Due to the availability of the fish, there are dozens of ways to cook goby fish. However, one of the most classic and common ways is braising goby fish with turmeric.
As we know, healthy diets almost always contain fish. It’s also one of nature’s most versatile foods. We can cook fish in different ways such as baking, frying, steaming or poaching but for braising fish, it will reduce the smell and increase the flavour of the fish.
According to traditional beliefs, goby fish is good for one’s health, especially for pregnant women and people in recovery.
Remove the fins of the gobies, wash and leave them to drain and marinate with sugar for 30 minutes. According to veteran chefs, it is one of the most important steps for a tasty braised goby with turmeric.
Aromatize them with part of fried spring onion, turmeric, sugar, fish sauce, oil, seasoning, and a little chilli and salt so that fish are firm and clear.
Let the fish absorb the spices for 10 minutes. Put the pan on the stove; add 1 tablespoon of oil and 5 teaspoons of sugar to make a caramel sauce.
Put the fish into the pan, and turn it over so that it is shrunk and has the colour of caramel. When the fish is shrunk, pour coconut water and water of spices used to aromatise the fish into the pan.
Decrease the heat and turn the fish over so that it absorbs the spices evenly. Spoon the fish into a big bowl and heat it.
Goby braised with turmeric served with hot rice has the salty, aromatic and greasy taste of goby combined with turmeric. It is not a luxurious delicacy, but it warms the heart of the expatriates living in a foreign country. This is really a delicious, simple but meaningful dish.