Delicious secret of pickled dried salted fish

Dried salted fish, a mouth-watering traditional food, is loved for its salty and rich flavor. If you want to make amazing dried salted fish, you need to master proper pickling skills and wait patiently. Let's take you on the wonderful journey of making delicious dried salted fish step by step from the very beginning!

choose fresh fish

high-quality dried salted fish comes from fresh marine fish. It is very important to choose fish with high freshness. They usually have complete fish bodies, complete scales and clear eyes. Common fish suitable for making dried salted fish include mackerel, hairtail and yellow croaker.

cleaning and eviscerating

after cleaning the fish, cut it open from the abdomen with a sharp knife and carefully remove the viscera and gills. This step is related to the hygiene and taste of dried salted fish, so be sure to operate it carefully.

salting

This is the most critical step in the salting process. Rub coarse salt evenly on the inside and outside of the fish, especially covering the abdomen and head and tail of the fish. According to the weight of fish, the amount of crude salt is generally about 5 grams of crude salt corresponding to 1 kilogram of fish weight. The amount of salt directly affects the salinity of dried salted fish, which can be adjusted according to personal taste.

Let it stand and marinate

After smearing salt, put the fish in a clean container, cover it and put it in a cool and ventilated place. The curing time is usually 5-7 days, depending on the size and temperature of the fish. During the curing process, the fish will be dehydrated continuously, and the salt will gradually penetrate into it, forming a unique salty taste.

Turn over and air dry

After curing, take out the fish, rinse off the salt particles on the surface with clear water, and drain the water. Then, find a ventilated sunny place and hang the fish to dry. The drying time depends on the weather, which usually takes 1-15 days. In the drying process, it is necessary to turn over frequently to ensure that the fish is evenly heated and avoid mildew.

sealed storage

after the fish is completely dried and hardened, it can be sealed and stored. Put the dried salted fish in a fresh-keeping bag or sealed can and put it in a cool and dry place. The preserved dried salted fish can be stored for a long time and is convenient to take at any time.

enjoy cooking

the prepared dried salted fish can be cooked according to personal preference. The simplest way to cook is steaming or frying, and the cooking time should not be too long, so as not to taste old and hard. After steaming, pour in soy sauce or dip in bean paste. After frying, sprinkle with salt and pepper or cumin powder, which is salty, delicious and memorable.

intimate tips

during the pickling process, a little pepper powder or spiced powder can be added to the salt to add flavor.

when drying, avoid direct sunlight, otherwise the fish will turn yellow easily.

during storage, adding a few pepper particles can prevent insects and moth.

if the salting time is too short, the fish will not taste; If it is too long, the fish will be too salty.

Dried salted fish is delicious, but its salt content is high. Pay attention to proper consumption.