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Cháo cá hồi bí đỏ (salmon and pumpkin congee)
9m+ · Soft rice congee cooked with pumpkin and finished with gently poached, flaked salmon
Cháo cá hồi bí đỏ, salmon and pumpkin congee, is one of the most-shared ăn dặm (weaning) recipes among young parents in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a sunny orange bowl full of omega-3 fats. Rice simmers soft with diced pumpkin, then fresh salmon is poached in the pot at the end, so it stays moist. There is no fish sauce, salt or sugar, just the natural sweetness of the pumpkin. It contains fish and is free of milk, egg, gluten, nuts, soya and sesame. Chef's tip: run your fingers along the salmon fillet before cooking and pull out the pin bones with tweezers; they are much easier to find raw.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 9 months+.
- Allergens: contains fish. Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Texture and choking: purée or mash smoothly for 6–9 months, then soft, finger-sized pieces that squash between your fingers. Cut round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters lengthways, never give whole nuts, and always stay with your child while they eat.
- Under 1: no honey, no added salt or stock cubes, and no added sugar.
Every child is different. If you are unsure, especially about allergies, check with your health visitor or paediatrician.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅜ oz jasmine ricerinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 ⅞ oz pumpkinpeeled and cut into 1 cm dice
- 2 ⅛ oz skinless salmon filletpin bones removed
- ½ tsp neutral oil (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅜ oz jasmine rice, 2 cups water and 2 ⅞ oz pumpkin in a heavy pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered over a low heat for 25 minutes, stirring often, until the rice has burst and the pumpkin is soft.
25 minStep 2: Mash the pumpkin into the congee with the back of a spoon.
1 minStep 3: Lay 2 ⅛ oz skinless salmon fillet in the congee and poach gently for 5–6 minutes, until it is opaque all the way through and flakes easily. Common mistake: adding the salmon at the start; it turns dry and chalky. Put it in at the end.
6 minStep 4: Flake the salmon into the congee, feeling for any missed bones, stir in the ½ tsp neutral oil if using, and mash to soft lumps. Cool until just warm.
2 minStep 5: Cool leftovers quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze in small pots for up to 1 month. Reheat only once, until piping hot all the way through, then cool before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cháo cá hồi bí đỏ (salmon and pumpkin congee) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of jasmine rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of skinless salmon fillet?
- Trout or any firm white fish, same weight (check white fish a little sooner).
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