Bánh canh cá lóc, or Vietnamese thick noodle soup with snakehead fish, is a traditional dish from Vietnamese cuisine that you can enjoy any time of the day. It is a tasty combination of pork, snakehead fish filets, and thick noodles served with lots of aromatic herbs.
When you travel to Vietnam, you’ll come across many street vendors selling this treat, with many customers enjoying it for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.
But what if you want to make bánh canh cá lóc at home? Don’t worry! I’ll provide you with the most authentic recipe in today’s post!
A Quick Guide to Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup
“Bánh canh” are traditional Vietnamese noodles made from tapioca flour, or sometimes a combination of tapioca and rice flour. It has a thick texture and a signature starchiness.
The Vietnamese usually serve these noodles with pork-based broth, a wide array of meat or seafood toppings, and fresh herbs.
Popular variations of this dish include:
What Are Essential Tools for Crafting Bánh Canh Cá Lóc?
The tools required for this recipe are quite simple. I’d recommend getting a high-quality set of mortar and pestle to help you crush the ingredients more easily.
What Are Must-Have Components for Bánh Canh Cá Lóc?
As for the ingredients, snakehead fish is the most authentic choice. You will also need pork bones to make the broth.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Bánh Canh Cá Lóc
Now that you’ve prepared all the necessary ingredients, time to make some delicious Vietnamese thick noodle soup!
Step 1: Prepare the Spices and Vegetables
Mince the shallots and garlic and divide them into 2 parts. You’ll use the first part for marinating the fish and the other for cooking.
Mince the coriander, scallions, and laksa leaves. Keep the coriander and scallion roots, as they can make the broth more delicious.
Slice the white radish into pieces and thinly grate/chop the cabbage.
Crush the chive bulbs and separate them into 2 parts, similar to the shallots and garlic.
Step 2: Marinate The Fish
Fille the snakehead fish on both sides, then cut the fillets into 1.2 to 1.6-inch (3 to 4-cm) pieces. Keep the filleted fish and the bones separate.
Marinate the fish with:
Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Make The Broth
First, blanch the pork bones in boiling water with scallions for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, transfer them to cold water and wash off the residue.
Pour 13 cups (3 liters) of water together with the 1.1 pounds of pork bones, onions, coriander, and scallion roots, white radish, and ginger into a large pot. Add the fish bones and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat.
Remember to skim the broth frequently to make it clearer.
Step 4: Stir Fry the Fish
Heat a pan on the stovetop and add olive oil. Toss in the crushed chive bulbs, minced garlic, and shallot. Fry until fragrant, then remove them from the pan.
Add the fish filets to the pan and pour in a small bowl of water or pork bone broth to prevent the fish from drying. Stir fry the fish for 10 to 15 minutes or until fully cooked and fragrant. Stir gently in order not to crush the fish.
Step 5: Finishing Up the Dish
Boil a pot of water and add a little cooking oil. Blanch the bánh canh for 30 to 40 seconds.
Remove all the vegetables, spices, and fish bones from the stock pot. Then, season the broth with:
Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Step 6: Present and Serve
Place the fish over the Vietnamese thick noodles, then pour in the broth. Sprinkle some scallions, coriander, laksa leaves, and fried onions on top.
Put the chopped cabbages and common knotgrass on a plate next to the soup noodle bowl. Don’t forget to prepare some chili fish sauce and Shacha sauce for the fish.
Enjoy everything together for the most authentic Vietnamese taste.
Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup: How to Store Leftovers
Most noodle soup-style dishes will taste best when served warm, and bánh canh cá lóc is no exception. However, you can also store the leftovers in the refrigerator. Put the broth in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
You can also store the noodles in the fridge. Just remember to keep the stock and the noodles in separate containers. Otherwise, they’ll absorb the stock and become soggy.
How to Master Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with Snakehead Fish?
Here are additional handy tips to ensure that your noodle soup will turn out delicious every time.
A Heart-Warming Meal Is Waiting For You
Bánh canh cá lóc is the perfect dish to make whenever you crave a soothing, warm noodle soup dish with an Asian twist. The savoriness of the broth and fish combines exceptionally with the aromatic herbs and vegetables to create an unforgettable meal.
Give this dish a try, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much your family loves it! Drop a comment to let me know your thoughts on today’s recipe, and don’t forget to share it with other people around you!
Bánh Canh Cá Lóc Recipe (Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with Snakehead Fish)
Equipment
- Pot
- Pan
- Mortar and pestle
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Ladle
- Slotted Spoon
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1.8 pounds snakehead fish
- 1.1 pounds pork bones
Condiments and spices
- 0.2 pound chive bulbs
- 0.3 pound shallot, garlic
- 1.06 ounces rock sugar
- 6 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 teaspoons cashew oil
- 4 teaspoons soup powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 small ginger
Vegetables
- Common knotgrass
- White cabbage, onion, white radish, laksa leaves, scallions, and coriander
- 1.1 pounds Vietnamese Banh canh noodles
Instructions
- Mince the shallots and garlic and divide them into 2 parts
- Mince the coriander, scallions, and laksa leaves, keeping the roots. Slice the white radish into pieces and thinly grate/chop the cabbage. Crush the chive bulbs and separate them into 2 parts.
- Fille the snakehead fish on both sides, then cut the fillets into 1.2 to 1.6-inch (3 to 4-cm) pieces.
- Marinate the fish soup powder, turmeric powder, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, fish sauce, cashew oil, minced shallot, garlic, and crushed chive bulbs for 15 minutes.
- Blanch the pork bones in boiling water with scallions for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to cold water and wash off the residue. Pour water together with the pork bones, onions, coriander and scallion roots, white radish, and ginger into a large pot. Add the fish bones and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat, skimming frequently.
- Fry the crushed chive bulbs, minced garlic, and shallot with olive oil until fragrant. Remove from the pan.Stir fry the fish in the same pan for 10 to 15 minutes or until fully cooked and fragrant. Add a small bowl of water or pork broth to prevent the fish from drying.
- Blanch the thick noodles for 30 to 40 seconds. Remove all the vegetables, spices, and fish bones from the stock pot. Season the broth with fish sauce, brown sugar, salt, soup powder, and rock sugar.
- Place the fish over the Banh canh noodles, then pour in the broth. Sprinkle some scallions, coriander, laksa leaves, and fried onions on top. Serve the soup noodle with fresh vegetables, chili fish sauce, and Shacha sauce.
Video
Notes
- Wash off the pork bones’ residue and congealed blood carefully to ensure a clear and tasty broth.
- You can use udon noodles instead of bánh canh (Vietnamese thick noodles).
- Cooking the noodles inside the stock pot will result in a thicker broth.
- Don’t cook the broth at an overly high temperature because you’ll cloud it.
- Too much water will make your broth bland and flavorless, so be careful when adding water.
Nutrition
Richie
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert
Education
Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam
Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.
Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.