Cá Mòi Hộp (Canned Sardines in Tomato Sauce)

5 from 1 vote

Cá Mòi Hộp is a Vietnamese Canned Sardines in Tomato Sauce dish that's enjoyed for breakfast. Make it as simple or extravagant as you like!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Servings:

Calories: 225kcal

In a pan or pot, heat up the oil on high heat and add 3/4 of the sliced onions in. Turn the heat to low-medium and let them cook for 5 minutes or until just starting to soften.
Note: If you want to keep this recipe simple, skip the next two steps and go straight to the seasoning.
When soft, add the red shallots, garlic and remaining onions in to cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Pour the chopped tomatoes in and let them cook for 5 minutes or until soft. If you like a saucier texture, use chopsticks to press into each piece so they break into the aromatics.
Season everything with the tomato sauce/ketchup, salt, chicken bouillon powder, sugar and Maggi soy sauce. Stir for 1 minute.
Add the canned sardines in and gently stir the sauce through. Once the fish is hot, turn the heat off.
Garnish with pepper and serve immediately as is with sliced cucumber, pickled vegetables, bread or rice!

Use ripe tomatoes. This keeps it naturally sweet without the need for added sugar.
Avoid cooking the sardines for too long. Add them in towards the end so they heat up but don’t overcook as they will break apart.
Taste test as you go. This recipe uses ingredients that will vary from produce to produce and can to can. Make sure to adjust the seasoning to preference.
Making this dish is highly dependent on the brand of canned sardines in tomato sauce you use as well as the produce you add to it. This recipe is a guide, but you might find that you'll need to adjust the quantities according to taste as fresh tomatoes vary in flavor depending on how ripe they are.
We used a Thai canned sardines because that's what Dad found at the supermarkets, but you can use whichever you find available to you.
You can also cook this dish as simple or as complex as you like. If you want a quick and easy meal, you may decide to skip the fresh tomatoes and extra aromatics and simply stick to the fish and onions as the main ingredients.