foto: Instagram/@aneka_masakan_sunda
Brilio.net - Processing fresh fish at home can be a challenge for some people. In addition to the fishy smell, one of the troublesome processes is cleaning the scales. Fish scales that are sharp and stick firmly to the skin require special techniques to remove. If not careful, this process can take a long time, leave stains in the kitchen area, or even cause injury from the tools used.
Not a few complain of injured hands due to being rubbed by sharp scales or slipping when holding slippery fish. This challenge makes many people choose to buy fish that are already clean or ready to cook, even though the price is often more expensive. In fact, if you know how, cleaning fish scales can be a fast, safe, and efficient process.
An Instagram user @aneka_masakan_sunda once revealed an easy trick to clean fish scales without a knife or any tools. Through one of the videos uploaded, he admitted that he only relied on his bare hands to clean the fish scales. However, so that the scales can be easily removed using your hands, there are several steps that need to be done first.
As reported by BrilioFood from Instagram @aneka_masakan_sunda on Monday (6/1), the first thing to do is prepare the fish to be cleaned. Please note that this technique can be done on fish that have thin and soft scales, such as milkfish. In the video, the Instagram user @aneka_masakan_sunda admitted that he wanted to clean the scales of milkfish .
photo: Instagram/@aneka_masakan_sunda
The next step, boil water in a pan until it is hot enough (no need to boil). Then pour this hot water onto the surface of the fish that is to be scaled. Well, the hot water will immediately make the scales softer and easier to clean.
photo: Instagram/@aneka_masakan_sunda
Immediately after pouring hot water, let it sit for a while until the temperature of the fish starts to drop or cool. Then rub the surface of the fish with your hands to lift the scales. Because it is soft, the scales of the fish can be peeled off immediately even if only rubbed with your hands.
photo: Instagram/@aneka_masakan_sunda
Well, do the process until there are no more fish scales attached. After that, rinse the fish with running water until it is completely clean. If so, you can continue cleaning the inside of the fish before it is ready to be processed with various spices.
In addition to hot water, fish scales can also be cleaned in other ways. One effective alternative is to use a tablespoon. Hold the fish firmly so that it does not slip, then rub the scales using the concave side of the spoon with a movement from the tail to the head. This method is quite safe because the spoon does not have sharp edges, thus reducing the risk of injury.
Another alternative is to use the rough side of a clean dishwashing sponge. Rub the sponge over the surface of the fish to gently lift the scales. Alternatively, you can use a plastic bottle cap, by rubbing the serrated part of the fish scales to lift them. These techniques are simple but effective, and are great if you don't have a knife or special tool for cleaning fish scales.
(brl/far)
