Food & Receipts

Soak Fish in This Water Before Cooking: Eliminate Odor, Enhance Nutrients

With the following tips on how to remove the fishy smell from fish, you will find that your fish dishes are delicious, firm, and perfect for any culinary creation.

Administrator

23 April, 2024

Ways to Remove Fishy Smell from Fish Before Cooking

Tea Water

If you want to remove the fishy smell from your fish, prepare a bowl of tea water. Soak the cleaned fish in it for around 7-10 minutes, then take it out. The fish soaked in tea water will almost have no fishy smell and will be more delicious after cooking. In addition, tea leaves and green tea also effectively remove the fishy smell from fish. You can use a little green tea water or a few green tea leaves to braise mackerel. Using this method, the fish will be both fragrant and firm, making it very delicious.

Diluted Salt Water

Ocean fish, such as mackerel, pomfret, and herring, have a fishy smell because they are typically frozen and are not available fresh. Moreover, during the freezing process, the fish may not be stored properly, causing amino acids to break down and increasing the fishy smell.

When preparing the fish, all of the blood (especially the blood collected at the spine) and the black membrane in the stomach should be removed, as these are the main culprits behind the strong fishy smell. Remove the gills, scales, and fins as well.

Then, dilute some salt in water. After soaking the fish in this water for 5 minutes, all the fishy smell will be removed. You just need to drain it before cooking.

Ways to Remove Fishy Smell from Fish to Make It Delicious and Appealing

Rice Washing Water

When you want to remove the fishy smell from your fish, use rice washing water to clean it. Washing the fish with rice washing water is a method of removing the fishy smell that has been used for a long time. Afterward, when washing the fish with rice washing water, rinse it multiple times under running water until it is completely clean. In addition, the rice washing water will increase the nutritional value of the fish, making it much more delicious.

Use Wine and Ginger

Crush and finely chop ginger to release as much essential oil as possible. Soak the ginger in white wine, or you can also use a little cooking wine to remove the fishy smell from the fish. Then, dilute the ginger wine mixture in a large bowl and wash the fish, both inside and out. Ginger and wine both have fragrant smells that remove the fishy smell and help wash away the slime on the fish’s body.

Soak the Fish in Milk

One way to remove the fishy smell from your fish and make it more nutritious is to soak it in unsweetened milk for 15-20 minutes. Foreign chefs often use this method. Milk contains casein, which bonds with trimethylamine in fish and effectively removes the fishy smell. In addition, milk increases the nutritional value of the fish, making your dish much more delicious and appealing.

Frequently asked questions

For best results, soak the fish in tea water for around 7-10 minutes. This will help to eliminate any unwanted odors and enhance the flavor of the fish.

Ocean fish like mackerel, pomfret, and herring are often frozen and not available fresh. Improper storage during freezing can cause amino acids to break down, increasing the fishy smell.

To minimize the fishy odor, remove all blood (especially around the spine), the black membrane in the stomach, gills, scales, and fins. These parts can contribute to a stronger fishy smell if left intact.

Milk contains casein, which bonds with trimethylamine in fish, effectively neutralizing and removing the fishy odor. It also adds nutritional value, making your dish more appealing and tasty.