Cha Ca Fish with Dill, Hanoi Style

This is a classic style of Vietnamese dish: cooked fish over noodles with oodles of fresh veggies for condiments and Nuoc Cham (Everyday dipping sauce). These dishes are very impressive at dinner parties with all of the color and texture.

From Quick & Easy Vietnamese Cooking.

Cha Ca Fish with Dill, Hanoi Style

I make a variation on this dish all the time. Instead of fish, you can substitute in grilled chicken or steak. Just serve your meat on top of a bowl of noodles, garnish with fresh vegetables and finish it off with Nuoc Cham, and you are set for a delicious, healthy meal.

I like to use Tilapia for this sort of recipe. It is a firm, white fleshed fish that soaks up the flavors easily and doesn't fall apart when you cook it.

Cut 1 pound of firm fish fillets of your choice into 2 inch-3inch square pieces. Toss gently with 2 Tablespoons fish sauce, 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 Tablespoon chopped ginger, 1 teas. ground tumeric (adds color more than anything else), and a pinch of salt. Cover and chill to marinate for at least one hour and up to one day.

ACCOMPANIMENTS:
1/2 pound thin rice noodles or angel hair pasta.
3 cups shredded lettuce (I like to use red leaf)
1 cup fresh mint, cilantro, or basil (or a combo)
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped, roasted peanuts
NUOC CHAM dipping sauce

Cook 1/2 lb. of your preferred noodle and divide between 4 bowls.

Prepare all accompaniments before you cook the fish.

NUOC CHAM: (it is a good idea to double this, it goes fast!)
1 T chopped garlic
2 T sugar
1/2 chile-garlic sauce
3 T fish sauce
3 T water
2-3 T freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well to disolve sugar. If you want to be really hard core, mash garlic, sugar, and chile sauce first in a mortar and pestle.

DO NOT skimp on the fish sauce. It smells strong at first, but will mellow.
Transfer to small bowls to serve to each guest alongside their dish or I usually just put it in one larger bowl and let everyone ladle some for themselves.

To cook fish, heat 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet or casserole. Heat oil until a bit of garlic sizzles when you add it to the pan. Add drained fish to pan and cook about 3 minutes. Gently turn fish and add chopped green onion and fresh chopped dill to pan. I only had dried dill, and it tasted great. Make sure green onions and dill gets lightly tossed with fish.

To serve, place a few pieces of fish on top of noodles and allow guests to add in their own accompaniments and Nuoc Cham.

Enjoy! This dish is easy to make and will give you a nice taste of Vietnamese cooking.