Fish is widely recognized as a healthy food, yet its distinctive fishy smell makes it unappealing to many. How can you remove the fishy odor and enhance the flavor of fish? Let me introduce you to some techniques.
1. If you are making soup with a whole fish, you can first lightly fry both sides of the fish in oil. After frying, add ginger and cooking wine to sizzle in the hot oil. Add cold water, bring it to a boil over high heat, and do not turn the fish over before the water boils. Simmer over low heat until the soup turns milky white, then add a little vinegar. Season with salt and chicken powder before serving, and garnish with chopped green onions. If you don't have ginger at home, you can use cilantro instead. Lightly fry both sides of the fish until slightly golden, add cold water and bring to a boil, then put in a few sprigs of cilantro. After cooking, remove the cilantro.
Black Fish and Tofu Soup
2. If you are making fish soup with fish fillets, first sauté ginger slices in oil until fragrant, add cooking wine, then add cold water. Once the water is boiling, add the fish fillets. Additionally, stir-frying the oil with star anise before adding the fish can not only remove the fishy smell but also enhance the aroma.
3. Add side ingredients, such as king oyster mushrooms. Mushrooms are known for their ability to enhance aroma and umami. King oyster mushrooms have thick, meaty caps and a crisp, tender texture with a light almond-like aroma, making them a perfect match for fish.
4. First, fry the fish head and tail until golden brown. Remove the fish head and split it in half with a knife. Return the split fish head to the pot and cook over high heat to "release" the brain. This method results in a rich, umami broth that is also rich in various nutrients.
Tofu Black Fish Soup