How to fry fish without the lingering kitchen odour
Everyone is familiar with this issue. Fish is very tasty, but during frying, it inevitably emits an unpleasant smell that's difficult to eliminate in the kitchen. Fortunately, there are methods to prevent this.
How to deal with the unpleasant smell?
First, it's important to understand where this specific smell comes from. It originates from the slime, proteins, and fat that burn during the frying process. The fresher the fish, the less intense its smell will be. Fish stored for a few days will smell worse.
One well-known trick to tackle this problem is soaking the fish in milk before frying. This requires some time, as lean fish need at least a few hours of soaking, and fatty ones need to be soaked for up to 12 hours. This process also makes the flesh tender and flaky.
There are other ways to deal with the unpleasant smell of fried fish
If you don't have enough time to soak the fish in milk, don't worry, as lemon can help neutralise unpleasant odours. Drizzle the fish with a few drops of lemon juice. It will neutralise the alkaline amines, hydrocarbon derivatives that give fish an unpleasant smell. During frying, also place 2-3 slices of lemon in the pan, as they will additionally absorb odours. Don't forget to add plenty of herbs to the fat. Thyme, dill, parsley, and garlic will give the fish a unique flavour and aroma. The most important thing is not to burn the fat, so it's worth frying the fish on a low heat, especially if it's breaded.
