Meet the Milkfish - the star of Tainan's fish soup
Oct 12,2024 | Isle Provisions
My first taste of milkfish was from a nameless street stall in Tainan, the heartland of milkfish soup. It’s that kind of no-frills deliciousness – a clear broth with just ginger and slices of milkfish belly. What really got me was the texture of the belly! Imagine something between pork belly and konjac – not as fatty as pork but with that chewy bite like konjac.
It’s a shame it’s not more popular in Singapore. Afterall, this fish is endemic to the tropical subtropical seas in the Indian and western Pacific oceans. Maybe it’s the effort of deboning (did you know it has 222 bones?!). I did buy a whole milkfish one time from Tiong Bahru market…haha, not much left of it after I’ve had a go at it.
Lucky for us in Taiwan, we get them pre-sliced, with just the fillet and belly. The lean meat lends itself to a wide variety of cooking methods, we pan-fried and braised it in this version. Listen to how delicious it sounds!
Would you give milkfish a try?
Recipe Details
- No need to defrost!!!
- Pan-fry over medium heat, belly side down first.
- Turn over after about 5 minutes to pan-fry the skin,
- Pan-fry for another 5 minutes ( if you like a crispy skin),
- add garnishing, sauce and lower heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!