Catfish is a type of freshwater fish that is known to have a lot of mucus on its body. This mucus functions as a natural protection from infections and parasites that can attack its body. This mucus is also an indicator of water quality in the pond where catfish are cultivated. If the pond water is kept clean, mucus production in catfish tends to be less. Conversely, poor water quality can trigger more catfish mucus production.
Although the mucus on catfish plays an important role in maintaining the health of the fish , it is often a challenge when the fish is going to be processed. The mucus on catfish tends to be difficult to remove. Even when scrubbed hard or rinsed repeatedly, the mucus still sticks to the fish's skin. This condition can make the cooking preparation process more complicated and requires extra time to ensure the fish is completely clean before cooking.
Because the slime on catfish is difficult to remove, many people try various ways to clean it. Some traditional methods commonly used include rubbing the fish with scouring powder or lime. These methods can indeed help reduce the amount of slime, but do not always guarantee the complete removal of the slime. Therefore, choosing the right cleaning technique and patience in the process are very necessary so that catfish can be processed properly without being disturbed by stubborn slime.
On the other hand, the mucus on catfish can also cause an excessive fishy smell when processed, so it is important to remove it perfectly before cooking. This process does require a special trick, because the mucus on catfish is not easily removed by just regular rinsing.
A YouTube user Dapur Mama Karin once showed the method in one of her video uploads. It appears in her video upload that this netizen only relies on two food ingredients. Curious about how to do it?
YouTube/Dapur Mama Karin
As reported by BrilioFood from YouTube Dapur Mama Karin on Tuesday (3/9), the two ingredients used are salt and vinegar. Without needing to rinse first, immediately put the catfish into the basin.
YouTube/Dapur Mama Karin
Once done, pour enough water into a basin. Add 1 tbsp of salt and 1 tbsp of vinegar to the basin. Then squeeze the catfish with your hands so that the salt and vinegar mixture covers all sides of the catfish. Next, let the catfish soak in the salt solution for 10-15 minutes.
YouTube/Dapur Mama Karin
Because it has been squeezed and marinated using salt solution, the mucus in the catfish is gone without a trace. Next, rinse the catfish immediately with running water. To clean it maximally, you can rub it with your hands.
YouTube/Dapur Mama Karin
The result is a catfish that is maximally clean without any slime residue. If it is like this, the catfish can be marinated directly using spices according to taste. Easy to imitate, right?