The combination of a piece of fish with sweet meat, soaked in spices, with the strong aroma of fresh galangal and the fatty taste of pork belly will be the perfect dish for a weekend family meal.
To prepare a dish for about 4-5 people to enjoy, housewives should prepare 1kg of fresh fish (snakehead fish or carp); 200g of pork belly; 200g of fresh galangal root; 1 small ginger root; 2 dried shallots; 2 fresh chili peppers and some spices including fish sauce, sugar, pepper, cooking oil and caramel sauce.
Start by preliminary processing and removing the fish's fishy smell by washing it with diluted salt water and cutting it into bite-sized pieces; peel galangal and ginger and wash them thoroughly (half galangal sliced, half ground); minced dried shallots; thickly sliced pork belly.
Put the fish and pork belly in a large bowl, marinate with half of the sliced galangal, minced onions, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of pepper for about 30 minutes. This step will help the fish meat become firm, rich from the inside and eliminate the fishy smell thanks to the taste of galangal and onions.
When the stage is completed, line a layer of sliced galangal and ginger under the bottom of the earthenware pot to prevent stickiness. Arrange pork belly, each piece of fish that has absorbed the flavor, then spread a layer of crushed galangal and fresh chili on top. Add all the fish marinating water, add 2 tablespoons of remaining fish sauce, caramelized water and pour filtered water over the fish surface.
Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook slowly for about 45 - 60 minutes until the ingredients are soft.
The secret to making galangal braised fish have chewy and delicious meat, not mushy, is the "two-heat braising" technique. After the first braising, housewives should turn off the heat and let the fish pot cool. Before meals, continue to braise for the second time at low heat for about 30-45 minutes until the broth thickens, and the fish pieces have a golden brown color.
Gently put each piece of fish and meat on a plate, sprinkle with a little ground pepper and enjoy with hot rice to fully feel the delicious and fatty taste of the dish.
