Canh ca khoai comes down to keeping the pieces of fish whole. Bombay duck is soft, and one firm stir will break up the whole pot. The fish is cut into pieces about three finger joints long and marinated on its own with turmeric powder, pepper and lime juice.
The tomatoes are used two ways: the diced part is fried to thicken the broth and the wedges go in later. Bombay duck cooks very fast, and under 2 minutes in the pot is enough.
This batch weighs about 3kg, at roughly 34 calories per 100g.
Method
Cut off the head and tail of the fish and trim the dorsal and belly fins. Gut the fish and scrape away the silver membrane inside the belly to clear any off smell.
Rub the fish with coarse salt and crushed ginger in rice liquor, rinse and drain, then cut into pieces about three finger joints long so they hold together.
Marinate the fish with 1/2 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon MSG, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, a little minced ginger, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/3 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 tablespoon lime juice.
Wash the tomatoes, dice 2/3 of them to fry into the broth and cut the rest into wedges to add later. Peel and core the pineapple and cut into triangles. Mince the shallot and garlic. Roughly chop the dill. Bruise the chili.
Put 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a pot, fry the shallot and garlic until fragrant, then add the diced tomato and pineapple and stir fry, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt to soften the sourness.
Pour in 1.5 liters water and bring to a boil, then add the fish and the tomato wedges, stirring very gently.
Season with 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon MSG, 1/2 teaspoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 3 teaspoons fish sauce.
Once the soup returns to a boil for 1 minute, add the dill and chili, cook another 20 seconds, then turn off the heat and ladle into bowls.
Tips
Cut the fish into pieces about three finger joints long, since a whole fish or small pieces both break apart easily.
Bombay duck (ca khoai) cooks very fast, and under 2 minutes in the pot is enough.
Stir very gently, or better still, swirl the pot rather than using chopsticks.
The dill and chili go in right at the end for their aroma.
Marinate the fish in lime juice for about 10 minutes, since a long soak leaves the flesh falling apart in the pot.
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