Cha Ca La Vong
Turmeric-dill marinated fish, scallions, peanuts and vermicelli and nuoc cham.
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Cha ca is all about that turmeric-dill combo finished hot in the pan - the dill goes in for just 30 seconds. Any longer and it goes army-green and grassy.
Ingredients
Everything below makes 4 servings.
- 1½ lbfirm white fish (cod, halibut, or snapper)cut into 2-inch chunks
- ⅓ cupplain greek yogurt
- 1½ tbspground turmeric
- 1 inchfresh gingergrated
- 2 mediumshallotminced
- 3garlic clovesminced
- 3 tbspfish sauce
- 8 ozrice vermicelli noodles
- 3 tbspneutral oil
- 8scallionscut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 bunchfresh dillfronds picked into 2-inch pieces
- ½ bunchfresh mintleaves picked
- ½ bunchfresh cilantroleaves and tender stems
- 1 headbutter lettuceleaves separated
- 2 tbsprice vinegar
- 2limejuiced
- 2 tbspgranulated sugar
- 1Thai chiliminced
- ⅓ cuproasted peanutsroughly chopped
- ½ tspkosher salt
In the app these rescale to however many people you're feeding.
Nutrition
Per serving, as written.
- 480calories
- 32gprotein
- 48gcarbs
- 16gfat
Swaps move these numbers. A different protein or base changes them.
Instructions
Knife work first, then the stove. Nothing below asks you to chop while something burns.
- Cut fish into 2-inch chunks; pat dry.
- Grate ginger, mince shallot, garlic, Thai chili.
- Pick dill in 2-inch pieces, separate lettuce, pick mint and cilantro, juice limes.
- Cut scallions into 2-inch lengths; chop peanuts.
Marinate fish
Whisk plain greek yogurt, turmeric, ginger, half the minced shallot, half the garlic, fish sauce, and salt in a bowl. Add fish, toss gently to coat. Marinate 30 min (room temp) or up to 4 hr (fridge).
30 min · hands offCook vermicelli
Bring water to a boil; cook vermicelli 3-4 min, drain, rinse cold, divide into 4 bowls.
4 min · hands onMake nuoc cham
Whisk rice vinegar, lime juice, remaining fish sauce (2 tbsp), sugar, remaining shallot and garlic, Thai chili, and 1/4 cup water until sugar dissolves.
2 min · hands onSear fish
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add fish in a single layer (let excess marinade fall off), sear 3 min undisturbed for golden crust, flip gently 2 min more - fish should flake. Push to one side.
5 min · hands onWilt herbs
Add scallions and dill to the empty side of the skillet; toss 30 sec until just wilted but still bright green. Pull off heat immediately.
1 min · hands onBuild bowls
Top vermicelli with the seared fish and wilted scallion-dill, plus a few lettuce leaves, mint, and cilantro. Shower with peanuts. Pour nuoc cham over before eating.
3 min · hands onMake it yours
Every swap here is one Maui already knows how to make, including what it does to the timing.
Cut catfish into 2-inch chunks; same marinade and sear time.
Press tofu 10 min, cube, marinate 20 min (less than fish), sear 4 min per side.
Cook 1.5 cups jasmine rice instead of boiling vermicelli. Adds about 5 minutes.
Sub 1:1 unsweetened coconut yogurt - same marinade behavior.
What keeps
Marinated fish keeps 1 day raw (don't go longer - turmeric breaks fish texture). Cooked fish is best within 1 hour.
Make nuoc cham and prep herbs ahead; cook fish per service.
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