The fishy smell of fish is mainly concentrated on fish scales and their attached mucus, followed by fish gills. There are relatively few fishy substances in fish, so the key to deal with raw fish is to remove scales, gills and mucus.

Step 2 add wine and vinegar

Because the fishy smell of fish mainly comes from organic substances with weak polarity, such as trimethylamine, which are soluble in ethanol. Therefore, pickling with cooking wine can remove some fishy smell. In addition, trimethylamine is an alkaline substance and can also be cooked with vinegar.

It should be noted that cooking wine is added first, and then vinegar is added. Cooking wine has high permeability and can penetrate into raw materials. After heating and volatilization, the fishy smell of fish can be removed and the umami taste can be improved. After putting vinegar, it is because vinegar can give off fragrance when heated. If it is put too early, the fragrance may evaporate, making the deodorization effect not obvious.

Step 3 add onion, ginger and garlic

Onion, ginger and garlic are all propylene sulfide compounds, which belong to spicy condiments. They are commonly used deodorizing condiments in families and are called "three treasures in the kitchen". Propylene sulfide compounds have strong volatility, which can give off a strong pungent smell at high temperature, which is helpful to remove the fishy smell.

Step 4 add pepper and fennel

Zanthoxylum bungeanum and aniseed are also fragrant seasonings, which can not only increase the flavor, but also cover up part of the fishy smell. However, because the seasoning itself has fragrance, if the amount of seasoning is not well controlled, the cooked fish will lose its own umami flavor.

Extended data

The source of fishy smell.

The fishy smell is mainly related to the fish itself. The taste of fish is delicious, and this umami mainly comes from trimethylamine oxide contained in fish.

However, this trimethylamine oxide is very unstable, and it is particularly easy to be reduced to trimethylamine with fishy smell. Judging from the physiological changes of fish, after the life activities of fish stop, trimethylamine oxide in the body will be continuously reduced to trimethylamine, making the fish have a fishy smell. As the freshness of fish decreases, the trimethylamine component in the body also increases, and the fishy smell of fish is very prominent.

The reason for the fishy smell is not only its own factors, but also the influence of the environment. For example, freshwater fish generally grow in ponds, rivers and lakes, which are rich in humus and suitable for microbial reproduction and growth.

Bacteria with earthy smell attach to plankton such as diatoms and cyanobacteria and some aquatic plants. Freshwater fish ingest these substances through the food chain, and then enter muscles, blood and tissues, thus producing the earthy smell we smell.

Of course, improper storage is another factor that leads to fishy smell. When we don't store inactive fish properly, the fish will produce fat oxidation and amino acid degradation in the process of spoilage, thus increasing the fishy smell of fish.