I have collected a couple of easy fish soup recipes here.
Fish is one of the healthiest foods in the modern diet. It is high in protein and important vitamins, AND it is low in fat.
There are basically 2 types of fish: saltwater and freshwater fish.
Saltwater fish are fish from the ocean. They have relatively firmer flesh and large bones. They are easy to fillet and debone. Freshwater fish come mainly from rivers, lakes and streams. They tend to have tender flesh with tiny bones especially along their backs.
I am more familiar with saltwater or ocean fish found in tropical waters although there are a couple of common freshwater fish. One such fish is the snakehead which is most often used to make soups for recovering patients. The snakehead caused quite a big stir in the United States a couple of years ago as they bred so fast and started to take over some waterways.
It is advisable if you are new to using fish in chinese soups to use saltwater fish. They are more straightforward to prepare.
Freshwater fish tend to have a muddy taste unless they have been placed in fresh flowing water for a few days to clear their systems. Seasoning with ginger juice or parboiled with ginger is a must. Many of them like perch will have numerous small bones which need to be picked out unless you want to look for them while you eat.
In recent years, concerns about pollution in rivers and lakes have also cast a rather bad light on freshwater fish. Some freshwater fishes have also been marketed as if they are ocean catch by giving them names closely associated with saltwater fish.
Making chinese soups with fish is great but the fish must be very fresh. When buying fish, look for the following:
- White fish fillets should have a pearly appearance and the flesh should be firm and moist
- Whole fish should have bright eyes, red sticky gills and the skin should have a glossy sheen
Time to cook
Try these fish soup recipes
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