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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
3 hours
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Difficulty
Easy
Mackerel is a nutritious food commonly used in family meals. Today, TasteVN will share with you the recipe to sun-dry mackerel – a specialty of Da Nang as a gift that is both delicious and chewy, with a simple preparation method. Let’s go to the kitchen to make this snack!
Ingredients for Sun-Dried Mackerel For 5 people
Mackerel 1.2 kg Coarse salt 300 gr White wine 1/2 tablespoon Sugar 1 tablespoon Monosodium glutamate 1 teaspoon
How to choose good mackerel
- You should choose mackerel when the gills are intact and tightly attached to the body; red gills indicate that the fish is still fresh.
- When you hold the fish and shake it gently, if the gills sway and have a dark color, it means the fish has been stored for too long.
- If you press your finger gently on the fish’s body and it feels firm and the flesh is elastic, the fish is still fresh.
- Do not buy if the fish flesh is too soft, as it indicates the fish has been stored for too many days and will not taste good anymore.
How to prepare Sun-dried Mackerel
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Prepare the mackerel
After purchasing the mackerel, cut it into slices about 1 finger thick, remove the guts and clean the fish slices, then rinse thoroughly several times with water and let them dry completely.
Tip: To eliminate the fishy smell of mackerel, add 1/2 tablespoon of diluted white wine to wash the fish!
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Prepare the marinade spices
You put 500g of salt into a pan and roast it over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the salt is dry.
In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, mix well to make the marinade mixture.
Tip: Roasting the salt will help the fish dry faster and preserve it longer.
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Marinate the fish
You spread the mixture of sugar and monosodium glutamate evenly on both sides of the mackerel slice.
You lay a layer of paper on the tray or plate, then evenly sprinkle a layer of roasted salt, next you place the mackerel on top, and finally, cover the surface of the mackerel with another layer of roasted salt!
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Dry the fish and complete
You take the fish out to sun for about 2 – 3 hours for the fish to absorb the salt and firm up.
Tip: If you do not sun dry, you can dry the fish in the oven at 60 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes! Remember to keep the oven slightly open by wedging a pair of chopsticks in the door.
Next, you wash the mackerel with water to remove all the salt, then arrange the mackerel on a tray or plate and continue to sun dry for about 2 – 3 hours.
Tip for you:
- When drying mackerel, you should turn over both sides every 30 minutes for even drying.
- If you like your fish drier, you can dry it longer according to your preference!
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Final product
The sun-dried mackerel has firm flesh while still retaining the tenderness of the fish, with glistening pink fat. The sun-dried mackerel will taste even better if fried or cooked with tomato sauce and served with rice, which will be extremely delicious!
Tips for preserving sun-dried mackerel
- If you do not use all the sun-dried fish, you can preserve it by placing it in an airtight container and putting it in the refrigerator in the cool compartment for about 5 – 7 days, and in the freezer for about 1 month.
- You can fry or make tomato sauce with sun-dried mackerel, it will be very delicious.
See more:
Recently, here is how to dry sun-dried mackerel deliciously at home that TasteVN shares with you. With the above method, you will have delicious, safe sun-dried mackerel that is even cheaper than buying at the store. So give it a try and see how it goes, good luck!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel: Natha Food
