Feather Back Fish Dish

Stuffed Fish stew with Chili Broth

This type of fish soup is one of a kind that made us remember our mom. As a delta region residence, my mother cooked different types of fish as a main meal for the family.
Roasted rice and lemon grass are the key ingredients to give this fish dish a unique flavor.
As a child, I hated this dish because of the small bones in the fish meat. But our mom never gave in to cook what we want because of 4 siblings having different choices. We noticed that she always cooked what our father loved to eat. We learned to compromise and ate what my mom prepared for our family dinner.


She always talked about this fish dish that she was thankful to her mother in law. Our Grandma let her join dinner with them when she returned from work as a high school teacher in the evening on her way back home. She told us about this story every time she cooks this dish. In a small town or a big city, some Myanmar families show their hospitality by inviting the guests to join in if they happen to pay a visit at lunch or dinner time. It is a beautiful, courteous habit of the people or maybe a Myanmar culture that is also familiar to me.


I have come to love this dish as it is sweet and flavorful with the lemongrass, to enjoy with side vegetables and salty shrimp paste dip. We can substitute with lake trout to make a similar dish too.


The most tricky part to prepare this dish is separating the meat from the bones after pounding the fish. The purpose of pounding it is to make sure fish meat is chewy and flavored with chili ginger paste. It is also a traditional delta region food. It may not be suitable to be served in the USA because of law and regulations. We might get sued for serving this fish with some inadvertent bones in it. As for me, I still need to try once again while I am in my motherland.

Stuffed Fish Stew in chili broth

Ingredients

2 lb      2 counts Medium size feather back whole fish ( scaled and cleaned)
1 cup    Fine Chopped onion
1/4 cup Fine Chopped Ginger
2 tbsp   Fish Sauce
1 tsp     Turmeric powder
2 tbsp   Chilli powder
2 stalk   Lemongrass ( pounded)
2 tbsp    Roasted Rice powder
4 tbsp    Oil

Instruction

1. Pound the fish with the back of a big knife or meat tenderizer. for about 10-20 minutes.
2. Cut open the fish just by slicing both sides as the photos.
3. Debone the fish then pound the fish meat a little more with salt and food tenderizer.
4. Mix the chili powder, chopped onion, and ginger together in a bowl and divide into 2 portions.
5. Spread half of the chili mixture into the fish meat and cut into 3 pieces equally.
6. Then roll each piece and set aside.
7. In the 4 Qt pot or pan, add oil and heat with medium-high heat.
8. Stir fry the chili mixture and cook for 5 min till fragrant.
9. Add the prepared fish rolls into the pan together with pounded lemongrass.
10. Sprinkle fish sauce on the fish and add roasted rice powder.
11. When all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed by stirring, add 2-3 cups of water.
12. Cover the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes till fish is cooked and add salt to taste.
13. This dish can be accompanied by vegetable salad or stir fry vegetables.