Snakehead Fish Soup with Mustard Greens – A Simple Yet Comforting Vietnamese Dish

Snakehead fish soup cooked with mustard greens is a rustic, home-style dish loved by many Vietnamese families. The natural sweetness of the fish combined with the slight bitterness and aroma of mustard greens creates a refreshing, flavorful soup that is perfect for everyday meals. Below is a detailed and enhanced guide to help you prepare this delicious dish at home.

How to Cook Snakehead Fish Soup with Mustard Greens

1. Preparing the Ingredients

Clean the snakehead fish by removing the scales, trimming the fins, and gutting the belly. Rinse the fish thoroughly, then rub it gently with a bit of salt. This helps remove any fishy odor and firms up the flesh. When washing the fish, massaging the surface with salt is especially effective for deodorizing.

Peel the ginger, rinse it, and lightly crush it to release its aroma. You can also prepare some chopped shallots to use later when sautéing.

2. Boiling the Fish

Place the fish into a pot of water and bring it to a gentle boil. Add a few slices of crushed ginger and some minced shallots. Season the broth with a spoonful of fish sauce. Once the water reaches a boil and the fish is just cooked through, carefully remove it from the pot.

Keep the fish-boiling broth—you will need it later to extract flavor from the fish bones.

3. Deboning the Fish

Separate the fish meat from the bones. This step requires patience and attention, especially for families with young children, as snakehead fish can have small, sharp bones. Make sure to pick out every bone carefully to avoid choking hazards.

4. Crushing the Bones and Head

Place the remaining bones and fish head into a mortar and pound them well to release all their natural sweetness. Pour the reserved broth from step 2 through the mortar to wash out the essence, then strain everything through a fine sieve. This strained liquid becomes a rich, flavorful stock for your soup.

5. Cooking the Soup

Heat 1–2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Add minced shallots and sauté until fragrant. Then, add the boneless fish meat and gently stir. Season with fish sauce and a bit of MSG or sugar to enhance the natural flavor. Mix lightly and set aside.

Next, bring the strained broth to a boil in a clean pot. Add a few slices of crushed ginger for extra aroma. Once the broth is boiling, add the cooked fish meat and the mustard greens.

Continue cooking for 3–4 minutes, or until the greens are tender but still vibrant. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference, then turn off the heat.

6. Final Dish

Serve the snakehead fish and mustard greens soup while it’s hot. The broth should be clear, sweet, and fragrant with ginger, while the mustard greens contribute a refreshing and slightly peppery aroma.

For an even more complete Vietnamese meal, enjoy this soup with pickled baby eggplants. The combination enhances the flavors and makes the meal incredibly satisfying.