Aromatic fish is a very common fish ingredient in Chinese and Japanese cuisine.
Xiangyu is mainly distributed in China, Korea and Japan, and is an endemic fish species in Asia. It is rumored that the Xiangyu native to Taiwan was introduced and bred by Zheng Chenggong, so it is also known as the "National Fish"; however, pollution and other problems led to the extinction of the Xiangyu native to Taiwan in 1968, and the current species was introduced and bred in Japan in the 1990s, and is known as the catfish (Ayu), a long fish. Ayu, the largest fish can reach about 30 centimeters in length and is commonly known as the "one-foot fragrant", which is used to make sashimi if it is of good quality.
Ayu, an algae-based fish, is a popular seafood ingredient because its meat is delicate and flavorful with a special aroma, and it is also known as the "Queen of the Water". Because of the fish on the water quality, temperature and other growing conditions demanding, is regarded as one of the ecological indicators, want to breed fragrant fish must have a good environment; known as "early summer messenger" fragrant fish in the summer of each year in May or so began to market, in August and September near the mid-autumn is when it is pregnant with eggs, the most fertile.
How to choose fresh fish
Fish with yellow spots on the horizontal side of the body, smooth and transparent body, shiny back is good!
Look at the fish eyes: pick any fresh fish is the same, pay attention to the eyes should be bright, if the eyes are gray cloudy, on behalf of the already not too fresh.
Look at the fish belly: pay attention to the belly is not ruptured, if there is damage to the internal may have been corrupted. In addition, the fish belly is particularly round, full of people on behalf of the inner fish eggs, eat fish eggs can pay special attention to people, but the price of fish with eggs will be higher.
Touching the skin: the fresher the fish, the more protein on the surface of the skin, suggesting that you can gently touch the body of the fish, the more slippery mucus on behalf of the fresher. If the skin is rough to the touch and looks dull, it may not be fresh anymore!
Pressing the fish body: Use your fingertips to gently press the fish flesh, if there is a subsidence of the internal fish tissue may be injured, easy to rot, not recommended to buy.
The way to preserve the fish
The fish is very delicate, as long as it is out of the water for 10 seconds, it may die, in order to maintain the freshness of the fish will usually be caught and quickly frozen, buy home in a clean plastic bag, put into the freezer can be stored for about half a year to a year or so.
Be careful not to freeze and thaw repeatedly, as this can lead to loss of nutrients and loss of freshness, and once thawed, you need to cook and eat as soon as possible.
The fish is often sold frozen.
The way to handle the fish
Before cooking the fish, there is no need to remove the scales, and there is no need to open the belly to get rid of the viscera; as long as the thawing, de-icing, rinsing the mucus on the skin of the fish, and then drying the excess water can be cooked. Its slightly bitter internal organs and tender fish meat together in the mouth, with just the right combination! Even the tiny spines of the fish can be eaten straight away if it is deep-fried or stewed.
Spiced fish can be eaten whole and is very popular with children and adults, and salt-grilled is the most common way to cook it.