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Preparation
45 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Sardines are often used for braising or making tomato sauce, but sardines prepared as grilled dishes are also incredibly appealing! Let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to make the delicious grilled sardines with basil leaves that are very tasty and simple.
Ingredients for Grilled Sardines with Basil Leaves using an Air Fryer Serves 5 people
Fresh sardines 500 gr Basil leaves 1 bunch (about 10gr) Ground dried chili 1 teaspoon Common seasoning a little (seasoning powder/MSG/ground pepper/salt)
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to choose fresh sardines
- The freshest and best sardines are still alive; you should choose ones that swim vigorously, have clear eyes, pink gills, and skin without any unusual color.
- If you cannot buy fresh live sardines, you can also purchase fresh sardines that have been chilled. You should pay attention to choose sardines with clear, bright eyes, not cloudy, and slightly bulging, with a flexible cornea.
- Additionally, you should choose sardines that have tightly closed mouths, and when you press the body of the sardine with your finger, it should have some elasticity.
How to choose fresh and fragrant basil leaves
- To buy fresh and delicious basil leaves, you should avoid choosing leaves that are too dark in color as these are usually old leaves.
- You should opt for basil plants with vibrant green leaves, shiny surfaces, wide leaves, and no signs of any abnormalities.
- However, you should also avoid buying basil plants with leaves that are overly vibrant green as they may contain high levels of pesticides.
Tools needed
Air fryer, knife, cutting board, bowl, spoon,…
How to prepare Grilled Sardines with Basil Leaves using an Air Fryer
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Prepare the fish
After purchasing, clean the sardines, remove the intestines, and rinse them with clean water to remove any blood.
Then, rub the outside of the fish with coarse salt and soak the fish in a diluted saltwater solution with a little vinegar for about 15 minutes to eliminate the fishy smell.
After 15 minutes, take the fish out into a basket, make a few cuts on the body of the fish to allow it to absorb the seasoning better and let it drain.
Tips to eliminate the fishy smell- Method 1: To eliminate the fishy smell, you can rub coarse salt on the body of the fish and soak it in diluted saltwater for about 5 – 10 minutes. This method not only helps to remove the fishy smell but also cleans the slime on the fish’s body.
- Method 2: You can also eliminate the fishy smell by using white wine or vinegar. After cleaning the fish, simply soak it in water mixed with a little wine or vinegar for about 5 minutes, then rinse it clean with water.
- Method 3: Additionally, you can use crushed fresh ginger to soak with the fish to remove the fishy smell. Ginger not only reduces the fishy smell but also enhances the flavor of your dish!
See details: 7 tips to easily and effectively eliminate fishy smells
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Marinate the fish
First, you crush 10 grams of fresh basil leaves and mix them with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon of ground dried chili.
Next, spread the mixed seasoning evenly over the fish and let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
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Grill the fish
While waiting for the fish to marinate, you preheat the air fryer to 200 degrees Celsius and set the timer for about 10 minutes to heat the oven.
Once the fish has absorbed the seasoning, arrange the fish evenly in the fryer basket and grill it for about 15 – 17 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.
Depending on the power of each device, you will need to adjust the time and temperature accordingly. After 15 minutes, flip the fish and grill for an additional 5 minutes to achieve an even golden color.
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Final Product
Sardines have tender, fragrant flesh with a slightly rich taste. When grilled with the characteristic aroma of basil leaves and other spices, it creates an incredibly attractive dish.
Grilled sardines with basil leaves are delicious when served with hot white rice, or you can also wrap the fish with rice paper and fresh vegetables.
So, TasteVN has introduced to you how to make grilled sardines with basil leaves that is incredibly delicious, very appetizing, and extremely easy to make. What are you waiting for? Get into the kitchen and treat your loved ones right away! TasteVN wishes you success!
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