Cá tai tượng chiên xù — crispy whole giant gourami from Bến Tre

Combine the fish sauce, water, rice vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the ginger, garlic, lime juice and optional chili.

Wash and dry the lettuce, cucumber, basil, mint and Vietnamese coriander. Prepare the rice vermicelli according to its package directions, drain and cool. Arrange the vegetables, herbs, noodles and rice paper on a clean platter.

Keep the fish refrigerated until you are ready to fry. Pat it completely dry, leaving the scales on. Trim sharp fin tips if needed. Make three shallow cuts on each side near the thickest flesh, without cutting to the backbone. Rub the salt over the fish and into the cuts; chill uncovered for 10 minutes so the surface dries.

Set a heavy, stable 32 cm wok or deep fryer on a level heat-safe surface, away from the edge. Add the measured oil, ensuring the vessel is no more than half full. Keep children away, fit a splatter screen, and have a metal lid nearby. Heat the oil to 175°C / 350°F, monitoring with a frying thermometer; do not leave it unattended or let it smoke.

Using long-handled tools and heat-resistant gloves, lower the dry fish slowly into the oil, moving it away from your body. Do not drop or splash it. Fry for about 14–20 minutes, maintaining the oil near 175°C; carefully turn once if needed and baste the exposed upper surface with hot oil using a long-handled ladle. The scales should puff and the surface turn crisp and golden, but time and appearance alone do not establish doneness.

Lift the fish onto a wire rack over a tray and let excess oil drain for 5 minutes. With a clean instant-read thermometer, check the thickest flesh in two places by inserting from the side near the backbone, avoiding bone. The fish must reach at least 62.8°C / 145°F. If either point is below target, return it carefully to the oil and cook longer; check again after lifting it out.

Transfer the cooked fish to a clean serving platter. Serve at once with ginger-fish-sauce nước chấm, rice paper, noodles, lettuce, cucumber and herbs so diners can make fresh wraps. Keep cooked fish away from the raw-fish plate.

Turn off the heat and let the oil cool completely before handling or storing it. Refrigerate leftover fish within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), use within 2 days and reheat to 73.9°C / 165°F. Never pour water on hot oil or an oil fire.