The mackerel has a slightly fatty, sweet, and very tender taste, making it a very suitable ingredient for making braised dishes. Today, let TasteVN guide you on not just one but two delicious, flavorful, and attractive ways to cook mackerel with pepper! Let’s get cooking.
1. Braised Mackerel with Pepper
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Preparation
25 minutes
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Cooking
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Mackerel with Pepper Serves 5
Mackerel 800 gr (about 6 fish) Pork belly 200 gr Galangal 1 root Lemongrass 5 stalks Chili 2 fruits Pepper 2 tablespoons Seasoning powder 1.5 tablespoons Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Salt 1 teaspoon Coarse salt 3 tablespoons Caramel sauce 1/2 cup Vinegar 2 tablespoons
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Pork
- It is advisable to choose pork belly for braising fish, as the fat layer will help keep the fish from drying out and make it look more appealing after cooking.
- The meat should be pink, with white fat tightly attached to the meat, not greasy.
- Press on the meat; it should have good elasticity and should not have any unusual odor.
Required tools
Clay pot, knife, cutting board, stove, spoon,…
How to cook Mackerel braised with pepper
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Prepare the fish
You can ask the seller to remove the intestines and gills of the fish. At home, just cut off the fins and rub with coarse salt to remove all the remaining blood, then rinse with clean water and let it drain.
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Preparing pork
You can use vinegar or lemon to wash the pork and rinse it with clean water, then let it drain.
After that, you use a knife to cut the meat into slices about 1/2 finger thickness or thinner, thicker depending on your preference.
How to eliminate the smell of pork:- Method 1: Use salt to rub on the meat, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 2: Wash with white wine, vinegar, or lemon juice, then rinse with water.
- Method 3: Soak in rice washing water for about 3 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 4: After washing with salt and clean water, blanch the meat in boiling water briefly.
See details: Effective ways to eliminate the smell of various meats
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Preparing other ingredients
Wash the lemongrass with water, then cut the lemongrass into pieces about 3 finger lengths and proceed to slice it thinly.
As for galangal, you can peel the skin or leave it as is (but remember to wash it thoroughly with water), then cut it into thin slices.
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Arrange the ingredients
You sequentially arrange the ingredients into the clay pot as follows: lemongrass (sliced), galangal (sliced), mackerel, and pork belly (cut into small pieces).
Next, add the seasonings: 2 tablespoons of pepper, 1.5 tablespoons of seasoning powder, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 cup of caramel sauce. If you like it spicy, add 2 chili peppers. Let the fish marinate for about 15 – 20 minutes.
Note: Avoid overcrowding the pot with fish; you can use a pot that is just the right size for braising fish, which helps prevent the fish from breaking apart during cooking and allows the seasonings to soak in evenly.
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Cook the fish
Place the pot of fish on the stove, cover it, and adjust the heat to medium. Wait for the fish to boil, then reduce the heat to low, season to taste, and cook until the sauce thickens and the color looks appetizing.
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Finished Product
Braised mackerel has a very attractive honey brown color. The fish meat is tender, well-absorbed with spices, and not dry thanks to the fat from the pork belly. You can eat the braised fish with hot rice or fresh noodles.
2. Braised Mackerel (recipe shared by a user)
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Processing
30 minutes
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Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Mackerel (recipe shared by a user) Serves 4
Mackerel 3 fish Shallots 4 bulbs Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Common spices a little (salt/ sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ seasoning powder/ ground pepper)
Ingredient Image
How to cook mackerel with pepper (recipe shared by users)
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Prepare the ingredients
After buying, clean the mackerel, gut it, remove all the intestines, gills, fins, and tail. Then rinse it several times with water and drain. Peel the shallots, rinse with clean water, and chop finely.
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Marinate the fish
Marinate the fish with a mixture of ingredients including: 1 spoon of ground pepper, all the chopped shallots, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate. Then mix the spices evenly into the fish and marinate for 30 minutes.
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Finished dish
Transfer the braised mackerel to a plate, sprinkle a little ground pepper on the fish. The dish of braised mackerel with pepper is hot, fragrant, and appetizing. The fish meat is firm and absorbs the seasoning evenly, eating it with hot rice will be very delightful! Let’s get into the kitchen and try it right away, wish you success.
How to choose fresh and delicious mackerel
- You can identify good mackerel by observing the gills; they should be bright red, with no dark spots and no unusual fishy smell.
- Additionally, you should choose fish that have firm flesh; when pressed, they should feel elastic and have no unusual fishy smell.
- Avoid buying fish with sunken eyes, gills that are slightly gray, and open mouths, as these are signs of fish that have gone bad, which will not taste good and could affect your health.
How to eliminate the fishy smell of mackerel
- Method 1: After cleaning the mackerel, cut it into bite-sized pieces and soak it in rice water for about 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse it with clean water.
- Method 2: Additionally, when washing the fish, you can mix a few tablespoons of white wine or vinegar into the water, then soak the fish for about 5 minutes and rinse it again with water.
- Method 3: Soak the fish in water along with a few smashed slices of ginger for about 10 minutes, then rinse it again with water.
See more:
With the 2 recipes shared above, I hope you now know how to make pepper mackerel dish delicious, rich, and appealing! Wish you success.
