Can any fish make good clay pot fish?
No.
The red snapper at Anh Hong Berkeley is thoroughly coated with caramelized sugar and fish sauce, but its flaky flesh stays dry like terracotta tiles. The seawater has rooted too deeply in each fiber to blend with the sweetness. Salmon would be even worse.
Experience says bitter lá lốt can be tamed, but only fresh water fish, like catfish, can make a clay pot sing.
It’s gotta be catfish. With lots of bones. + M.S.G. Otherwise no go. One of the more overpriced dishes at most Vietnamese restaurants in the states.
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