Smoked fish is perfect for Nigeria okra soup,concoction rice and Abacha (African salad).It can also be used for many more traditional Nigeria soups and even for drinking garri.
Smoked fish can be prepared by first harvesting the fish as a fish farmer or buying from the fish farmer. Then clean the fish by removing the gills and intestines to prevent it from having a bitter taste when it is done. Rinse the fish thoroughly to clean the blood and add salt to taste. Bend the fish and put the tail fin across the mouth. use a toothpick or broomstick to pin across the upper and lower jaw of the fish.
To smoke the fish: place some foil on the oven rack place the bent and pinned fish on the foil lined oven rack and cover with another sheet of aluminium foil. Set your oven to 250°c/480f and top and down heating(bake). The bake settings cook the fish before the drying starts. Bake for at least 15mins or more depending on the size of the fish. Remove all the foil sheets and change your oven settings to grill/broil and grill for another 10 more minutes or till the Fish browns. The fish is ready to be used in all Nigerian recipes that demands for it..
Avoid smoking the fish with sawdust and firewood.This is because these too generates a lot of smoke which contains high PAH that is very toxic to human health.
However, the advantages of smoking fish is numerous and can not be over emphasized..
- It prolongs the"shelf life" of the fish.
- To a very large extent,it enhances the flavour of meals when used in sauce and soups.
- It is a great source of omega-3 fatty acid which helps to prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes
- It can be a very good source of income since it's a very lucrative business.
- A smoked fish can be stored in the freezer for sixty days and still maintain its freshness
Smoked fish is enjoyed by most Nigerians both at home and in diaspora.