Preparation / Directions:
An excellent way to get twice the pleasure out of your fish purchase. You can use either the fish head or the fish carcass if you wish. To the people of South Viet Nam, this is as much their traditional dish as Southern Fried Chicken is to our southerners--and it will meet with instant praise.
Sprinkle the scallions, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 teaspoons fish sauce over the fish head. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and drop in the sour bamboo and pineapple slices. Cook at a lively boil for 5 minutes. Drop fish head into the actively boiling water and, keeping at a boil, add the 2 tablespoons fish sauce, remaining teaspoon salt, and a dash of MSG. Boil the fish head for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer to a soup tureen, sprinkle on the coriander and scallion green, and serve.
Note: If the fish head is dropped into water that is not boiling, it will fall apart.
From "The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam", Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman, Barron's, 1979.
This is real good with chunks of catfish, shrimp, whatever
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