Brilio.net - Eels are known as a food ingredient that is rich in nutrients and tastes delicious. However, when it is about to be consumed, the processing process tends to be complicated . Not without reason, eels have thick mucus on the surface of their bodies, not only making them difficult to hold, but also contributing to the strong fishy smell.
Basically, there are various ways that can be done to remove the mucus and fishy smell of eels. One way that is often done is by using scouring ash. So, the mucus to be cleaned is simply rubbed using ash for a few minutes. After investigating, scouring ash can dissolve the mucus on the mucus.
However, if you have difficulty getting scouring powder, you can also use simpler ingredients. A YouTube user Dapur MakPitry once revealed the ingredients through one of the videos uploaded. He admitted to using simple ingredients found in the kitchen.
As reported by BrilioFood from YouTube Dapur MakPitry on Friday (20/9), the kitchen ingredients in question are salt and lime juice. Well, these two ingredients have special substances that can dissolve mucus maximally. That way, the fishy smell of the eel can disappear.
photo: YouTube/Dapur MakPitry
But before mixing with salt and lime, it is better to clean the eel first. Then remove the stomach contents and cut into several parts. After that, rinse thoroughly and place in a container.
photo: YouTube/Dapur MakPitry
Next, add salt and lime juice to taste. Then stir and squeeze until the slime is gone. If necessary, rub the eel pieces one by one. Finally, rinse thoroughly under running water.
"This way, the eel will immediately no longer smell fishy and the slime will disappear," said YouTube Dapur MakPitry.
photo: YouTube/Dapur MakPitry
Basically, the use of salt and lime juice to remove mucus and fishy smell from eels is an effective traditional technique due to the chemical properties of both ingredients. Salt has coarse grains that act as an abrasive agent. When rubbed on the surface of the eel, the salt grains lift and scrape the mucus from the eel's skin, making it easier to remove by rinsing.
On the other hand, salt draws water through the process of osmosis. When the eel is rubbed with salt, the water from the mucus is drawn out, making the consistency of the mucus thinner and easier to clean. Osmosis also helps reduce the amount of mucus that sticks to the eel.
photo: YouTube/Dapur MakPitry
Meanwhile, lime contains high citric acid which acts as a natural deodorizer. Citric acid helps break down organic components in mucus and reduces the fishy odor produced by volatile compounds in eels.
The acid in lime juice can also cause protein denaturation in the mucus and on the surface of the eel. This denaturation causes the protein to lose its original structure and become easier to remove. This also helps eliminate the fishy smell that is often caused by protein decomposition.