How to Get Rid of Fishy Smells
One way to get rid of the fishy smell is to gut, clean, and scale the fish as soon as you buy it. Remove the gills, fins, and most importantly, scrape off the dark membrane inside the belly, as this part has a strong fishy odor.
For fish like snakehead, carp, or mackerel, use scissors to cut off the white tendon along both sides of the spine. This tendon contributes to a stronger fishy smell after cooking.
Additionally, you can use a mixture of ginger and rice wine. Crush the ginger, mix it with wine, and apply it all over the inside and outside of the fish to remove the slime and neutralize the fishy smell. Then, rinse the fish with clean water and pat it dry.
Another secret to removing the fishy smell is to rub the fish with salt grains or soak it in a salt and water solution for a few minutes before rinsing. You can also combine salt and vinegar, applying it evenly to the fish to remove slime and neutralize odors. Rinse the fish with clean water before cooking.
Don’t Use the Marination to Cook the Soup
After cleaning the fish, let it air dry to minimize water release during marination. Then, season the fish with salt, pepper, MSG, and sliced shallots. Mix well and marinate for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
When making fish soup, use chopsticks to pick up the marinated fish pieces and fry them in a pan, or drop them directly into a boiling pot of soup. Do not add the marination liquid to the soup, as it contains blood and slime, which has a strong fishy smell and will make the soup cloudy, affecting the aesthetics of the dish.
Use Hot Water to Cook Fish Soup
An age-old trick to reducing the fishy smell when making fish soup is to pan-fry the fish first. This step helps firm up the flesh and minimizes any fishy odor.
If you prefer a less oily dish and want to retain the natural flavor of the fish, you can cook it directly in the soup. However, make sure to only add the fish to boiling water, never to cold water. Hot water will cook the fish skin quickly, preventing amino acids from dissolving into the water and reducing the fishy smell. This method also helps intensify the flavor and retain more nutrients in the fish.
Use Ingredients That Neutralize Fishy Smells
– Sour ingredients: When cooking fish soup, use sour ingredients like green plum, tamarind, tomato, rice vinegar, fermented rice paste, green mango, or pineapple. The organic acids in these ingredients can neutralize trimethylamine in the fish, reducing the fishy smell and enhancing the flavor.
– Astringent ingredients: Banana flowers and unripe bananas contain tannin, which helps reduce the fishy smell and balance the flavors, resulting in a more delicious dish.