Cooks in the Mekong Delta pass around this way of braising silver barb until the fish is soft right through to the bone and can be eaten whole. The sweetness comes from the sugarcane lining the pot and from fresh coconut water. The hard part is braising for two full hours with the fish still in one piece.
The scales are left on so the outside holds its shape, while the guts and the black membrane inside the belly have to be scraped away completely. The spring onion whites, chili, peppercorns and seasonings are pounded together before they go on the fish, which carries the flavor far deeper than loose seasoning.
This batch weighs about 1.2kg, at roughly 162 calories per 100g.
Method
Clean the fish but leave the scales on, pull out all the guts and scrape away the black membrane inside the belly.
Sear the fish in a pan with the spring onion whites until the scales crisp on both sides.
Pound together 5 spring onion whites, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 chilies, 1 tablespoon minced shallot and garlic, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1.5 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 teaspoon MSG and 2 teaspoons seasoning powder.
Marinate the fish for 30 minutes with 3 tablespoons fish sauce, all of the pounded seasoning and 2 tablespoons annatto oil.
Line the bottom of a pressure cooker with the sugarcane, lay the fish on top and scatter the green peppercorns and the green and red bird's eye chilies over the fish.
Add the water from 1 fresh coconut plus hot water to come 3 to 4cm above the fish, cover and braise over low heat for about 2 hours until the fish is soft.
Turn off the heat and lift the fish onto a plate. Keep the braising liquid separately as a dipping sauce for raw or boiled greens, and serve with white rice.
Tips
Pound the seasoning to a paste before marinating, which carries flavor deep in and keeps the flesh firm through the braise.
A layer of sugarcane on the base of the pot stops sticking and adds a sweetness of its own.
Sear both sides so the scales tighten, and the fish holds together to the end.
Save the leftover braising liquid to serve as a dip for raw or boiled vegetables.
Two full hours in a pressure cooker softens the bones right through, while opening early leaves them hard.
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