Vietnamese Poached Flounder in Tomato Sauce (Cá Sốt Cà Chua)
Tender flounder fillets gently poached in a bright, savory cherry tomato and fish sauce sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 16 oz flounder fillets Wild Alaska Sole; thawed if frozen
- 24 oz cherry tomatoes
- ½ head garlic minced
- 1 shallot sliced
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil
Seasoning
- 1½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon chicken powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
To garnish
- green onion sliced
- cilantro
- black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
- Thaw the fish: If frozen, submerge the fillets in their vacuum-sealed bags in warm water. They should thaw in 20–30 minutes.
- Prep the fillets: Remove the fillets from the bags, gently clean, pat dry and halve them. Set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat 3 tablespoon cooking oil in a pan and sauté the garlic and shallot until fragrant.
- Build the sauce: Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes. Add the salt, sugar, water, fish sauce and chicken powder. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the tomatoes soften.
- Burst the tomatoes: Once softened, pop about half of the cherry tomatoes to help build the sauce. Leave the other half whole so they keep their shape.
- Poach the fish: Gently add the fillets and make sure they are submerged in the sauce. Cook for 6–7 minutes, or until just cooked through. Don't overcook, or the fillets will turn mushy. You want the pieces to stay intact.
- Garnish and serve: Top with sliced green onion, cilantro and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with rice and vegetables.
Notes
Gentle handling: Flounder is delicate. Move the fillets as little as possible once they're in the sauce so they stay in whole pieces.