How to Make Delicious and Flavorful Spicy Ginger Braised Mackerel

How to prepare Braised Mackerel with Ginger

• 1

  Prepare the mackerel

  If you buy a whole mackerel, you need to remove the fins, gills, and entrails. Use scissors to gently cut along the belly of the fish, then remove all the internal organs so that the fishy smell disappears when braised.

  Use coarse salt or lemon to gently scrub the body of the fish, then rinse it with water to reduce the sliminess and effectively eliminate the fishy smell.

  You can leave the fish whole when preparing or cut it into pieces about the thickness of a finger.

  If it is frozen mackerel, you need to thaw it before cooking. After thawing, scrape off the black membrane on the belly of the mackerel.

  Effective ways to eliminate fishy smell

  • To reduce the fishy smell of mackerel, the simplest method is to use coarse salt or lemon to gently scrub the body and then rinse it clean with water.
  • Alternatively, you can soak the fish in a bowl of water mixed with a little salt, 3 – 4 slices of fresh ginger, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. After that, rinse the fish clean and let it drain; you can use a towel to dry the fish.

  See details: 7 tips to help eliminate fishy smell

  
• 2

  Prepare other ingredients

  Peel the ginger and wash it thoroughly with water. Cut into thin slices.

  Peel and wash the shallots. Then chop them finely.

  

  
• 3

  Fry the fish

  Add 5 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan and heat until golden. When the oil is slightly bubbling, add the fish and fry evenly on both sides.

  Once both sides of the fish are golden, remove the fish to a plate and prepare to make the sauce for stewing the fish.

  Tip: The purpose of frying the fish is so that when stewing, the fish meat will be fragrant, rich, not fall apart, and absorb the seasoning better. After completing the dish, the fish remains whole, looks very appealing, and has a chewy texture.

  

  
• 4

  Fish Stewing

  Place a pan on the stove, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Wait until the oil is hot, then add chopped shallots and ginger, stir well, and sauté until golden and fragrant.

  When the garlic and ginger are fragrant, add the following seasonings to sauté together: 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of coconut caramel, 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1 tablespoon of annatto oil. Then add 50ml of water to simmer with the seasonings.

  Add the fish to simmer with the sauce just made. When the fish sauce starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer the fish for 1 to 1.5 hours for the fish to be firmer and absorb the seasonings better.

  Adjust the seasoning to taste and then turn off the heat.

  The fish after successful stewing will have a golden brown color and a glossy appearance, with a fragrant smell of ginger and pepper.

  Tip

  • When stewing fish, you should not cover the lid but keep it open to let the fishy smell evaporate.
  • Lower the heat to make the fish tender, so the sauce doesn’t dry out and burn the fish.
  • For stewed fish, after cooking, you should not leave too much water, as this will reduce the dish’s deliciousness.

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  Mackerel stew with ginger has a distinctive aroma of ginger and the spicy smell of pepper, with a hint of salty sweetness from the seasonings that will pair well with rice. The fish is not dry but tender and sweet. Go to the kitchen and make it right away!