Five ways to cook fish
1. Clean
It is cleaned mainly by removing the innards and gills. Then, wash the fish quickly in running water to remove any residual dirt and blood. Observe the bile when removing bawar or other freshwater fish. Make sure these parts don't break, so the liquid doesn't contaminate the taste of the fish. To do this, be careful not to let the bawal fish smell like dirt or fish.
2. Tendril with Javanese Acid
120 Fish and Other Seafood Receptions, published by the PT Gramedia Main Library, tells how to cook fish to get rid of the earthen flavor. One way is to wrap it with tamarind water. To reduce the smell, the fish should only be soaked in acid for 10-15 minutes. At the same time, to reduce the odour of the soil, the fish should be soaked within 30 minutes. In addition to using Javanese acid, you can also use lime or vinegar.
3. It is best to soak the bawar in seasonings before frying or grilling.
You can season it with spices such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and lemongrass. The use of spices can be adapted to the recipe.
4. Fry in hot oil until dry
Salted fish need to be treated immediately to avoid odour. You can either fry it or bake it. While frying, make sure the oil is hot so that the texture of the fish is dry and crisp. The recommended frying time is about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Also, make sure you have a frying pan big enough to cover the whole fish. This way, the fish will be evenly cooked and the smell of earth will be minimized.
5. How to deal with the smell of fish
On the diet page, Chef Dalton also shares how to cook fish to avoid smells. The simple trick is to steam or grill the fish in a spiced bag. The seasoning is simple. Just olive oil, salt and pepper. If you wish, you can also add vinegar to reduce the acidity or earthy taste. In addition, he also boils the fish to reduce the stench of the fish or the smell of the soil. Some of these simple tips can also be applied to Bawal's recipe for treated fish. That way, the smell of the soil doesn't contaminate the meat.