You need to prepare Fish Maw before you eat !!
Before cooking Fish Maw, it has to be PUFFED. There are few types of Fish Maw available in market, some are raw dried fish maw, some are Roasted/deep fried fish maw, and some are puffed Fish Maw. Here is how they may looks like:
Dried Fish Maw
Fried Fish Maw ( Puffed )
Soaked Fish Maw ( Puffed )
Always ask the Fish Maw seller how to prepare it or read the instructions written on the package. If is a dried fish maw and you do not know how to prepared it, you definitely going to end up eating something that is as hard as rock and very “fishy” as well. That’s why let us look at how experienced people prepare it.
How to prepare Dried Fish Maw?
Method 1:
Deep fried until it is puffed and soften, then it is ready to be served, or further preparation for different kind of recipes. EASY !
Method 2:
Boil the dried fish maw with slices of gingers and shallots to remove the fishy smell. Try to push down the fish maw until it is completely cover in water to evenly soak whole part of it. Add cooking wine if you want to, this will help to further remove the fishy smell.
Let the to water boil and cook the Fish Maw for 30 seconds then left it to cool with the lid closed until it is soften, likely about 8-9 hours.
Finally, rinse the puffed Fish Maw again and it is ready to cook.
Method 3:
Soak the dried fish maw in water, preferably cold water and store it in the fridge. Make sure the water is completely cover up the whole body of fish maw. If the fish maw is too big, you may cut it into half or to the sizes you need.
Check if the Fish maw is soften and easy to bend after storing for about 6-8 hours.
After that, boil the soften fish maw with slices of ginger to remove the fishy smell. Add in cooking wine to further remove the fishy smell. Then boil it for about 1 minute.
Finally, take out the fish maw and soak it in cold water and store in the fridge overnight, about 12 hours. Then it is ready to cook!
Hope this article is useful, feel free to comment for any questions.
Thank you!
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZopP5O15KY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai7lc8AbnY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ca5GsQ79Bo