VIETNAMESE GRILLED CATFISH WITH NOODLES (CHA CA)

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Vietnamese Grilled Catfish with Noodles (Cha Ca) image

You can serve this with rice instead of noodles. You can use the dipping sauce over almost anything - as a dip, over noodles, on salads, seafood and meats. You can make it up to 1 day ahead, just refrigerate.

Provided by morelhunter

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 23

1/3 cup minced shallot
3 tablespoons asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
1 tablespoon red curry powder or 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 cloves garlic, peeled,minced
6 (6 ounce) boned catfish fillets or 6 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons oil
4 cups iceberg lettuce, in bite-size pieces (8 oz)
3 cups bean sprouts, rinsed (6-8 oz)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
6 cups cooled cooked rice noodles (about 1/8 in. wide, mai fun, rice sticks, or rice vermicelli)
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted salted peanut
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion (including tops)
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup fried shallot (see below)
1/2 cup asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 -1 1/2 teaspoon minced hot red chile, such as thai,serrano,fresno,or asian red chili paste

Steps:

  • Mix minced shallots, fish sauce, curry powder, ginger, turmeric, cayenne and garlic.
  • Rinse fish and pat dry.
  • Place fillets and shallot mixture in a large plastic bag, turn to coat.
  • Refrigerate and marinade at least 30 min.
  • up to 24 hours.
  • Lightly coat fillets with oil and place on foil.
  • Grill on high heat, turning once, until barely opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part, 4-8 min.
  • total.
  • Divide lettuce, bean sprouts, cilantro between 6 deep wide bowls.
  • Mound noodles over vegetables.
  • Lay a fish fillet on each mound of noodles.
  • Sprinkle peanuts, green onions, dill and fried shallots over the top.
  • Drizzle with dipping sauce and pass remaining sauce in bowl.
  • Fried shallots-Saute 1 c.
  • thinly sliced shallots in 2 tbsp.
  • salad oil in a 10 inch skillet until golden, 6-10 min.
  • Vietnamese Dipping Sauce-Mix 1/2 cup water, fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic.
  • Add chili to taste.

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