Preparation
45 minutes
Cooking
1 hour
Difficulty
Easy
Together with TasteVN let’s cook, check out the delicious grilled mackerel with onion (mackerel stuffed with onion) recipe with just a few very simple steps. Take the time to prepare the ingredients and try your hand at this delicious grilled dish right now!
Ingredients for Grilled Mackerel with Onion For 4 people
Mackerel 2 kg Shallots 2 tablespoons ( minced) Scallions 2 tablespoons ( chopped) Seasoning a little (salt/ pepper/ seasoning powder)
What is mackerel?
- Mackerel, also commonly known as sea mackerel or common mackerel, is a species of fish belonging to the mackerel family that mainly lives in the Pacific Ocean.
- Mackerel lives in coastal waters, has a long body, cylindrical shape, slightly flattened on both sides, and round in the middle of the body. The fish’s head is slightly flattened and long, and mackerel usually has many thin, soft bones.
- The flesh of mackerel is white, fragrant, and has a sweet taste that is easy to eat.
How to choose fresh and delicious mackerel
- Mackerel lives in coastal waters, so if you want to choose the freshest fish, you can look for it in coastal areas, fresh seafood stores, or from fishermen just returning from the catch.
- You can also choose fish of moderate size (about 6 or 7 fish weighing 1kg is ideal).
- The fish must be whole, without wounds or bruises, and the skin should not have strange spots to be selected.
- You can observe the fish’s eyes, which should be clear and slightly sunken, and the gills should be bright red, indicating fresh fish. When you gently squeeze the flesh of the fish, it should be elastic, not too hard or too soft.
- You can also buy pre-filleted mackerel to save time on deboning the fish.
How to prepare Grilled Mullet with Onion
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Prepare the mullet
When purchasing the mullet, use a knife to cut off the head, then slit the belly of the fish along the length of the body. Remove all the internal organs, scrape off the scales, and rinse with diluted salt water, then wash again with clean water.
Use a knife to carefully remove all the spine of the fish and let it drain before cooking.
Note
- You should use a sharp knife to fillet the fish; do not remove the fins and tail to make the paste smoother when grinding.
- When filleting the mullet, be gentle to avoid the fish bones sticking to the flesh.
- Gently chop on the body of the fish to help break down the bones.
How to eliminate the fishy smell
- You can soak the fish in rice water for 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
- Using salt rubbed on the fish or diluted with water and soaking the fish helps effectively remove the fishy smell.
- You can also eliminate the fishy smell by soaking the fish in water mixed with a little vinegar/lemon for about 5 minutes, then rinse with water.
See details: 7 tips to easily and effectively eliminate the fishy smell
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Pound and mix the filling
Take about 2/3 of the cleaned and deboned fish meat and chop it finely, using a knife to chop evenly to make the fish meat smooth and have a certain chewiness.
Marinate the fish meat with 2 tablespoons of minced shallots, 2 tablespoons of chopped green onions, and add a little pepper, salt, and seasoning powder. Use your hands to mix thoroughly, helping the fish absorb the spices evenly.
Tip:
- Depending on your family’s taste, you can season to your liking.
- The fish will be more delicious and chewy if you chop the fish with a knife instead of grinding it; the stronger you mix the filling, the tastier it will be.
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Wrap the fish
Spread a piece of deboned fish evenly on a flat surface, then place a portion of filling along the length of the fish piece, and start to roll it up.
Gently press down with your hands, helping the filling to fit snugly inside without spilling out.
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Grilling Fish
Place each piece of fish roll onto the grill and put it over the charcoal fire, grilling until the fish is evenly golden on both sides. Usually, it takes about 1 hour for the fish to be fully cooked, depending on the thickness of the fish roll, so time it appropriately.
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Final Product
The grilled mullet with onion, when cooked, has an eye-catching golden color and a fragrant aroma from the well-marinated fish, subtly complemented by the smell of onion, making the dish incredibly appealing.
Grilled mullet is best enjoyed with fresh vegetables, dipped in sweet and sour dipping sauce or pepper fish sauce for the best flavor.
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Hope that with the simple way to make grilled mackerel with scallions that TasteVN just shared can help you add flavor to your weekend menu. Wish you success with your own delicious dish!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel: Flavors of Culinary
