Removing Fishy Odor

De-gaming is a step in the cooking process.

De-gaming refers to removing the gamey or fishy odor from meats, seafood, and other foods through methods such as adding seasonings, blanching, and more.

The gamey or fishy flavor is a source of taste for certain foods; excessive de-gaming may cause the food to lose its flavor.

There are various methods for de-gaming, and they should be chosen flexibly depending on the specific cooking process.

Means

Add Seasonings

Adding seasonings to ingredients is the simplest way to remove fishy or gamey odors. For example, in most dishes that use beaten egg (such as Steamed Egg Custard and Tomato Scrambled Eggs), you can add seasonings like salt, cooking wine, or vinegar to the egg mixture to eliminate the odor.

When cooking certain meats, you can add spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and chili peppers to the broth to remove the gamey smell.

Ready-made mala hot pot bases have an extremely rich aroma. Adding an appropriate amount during cooking is sufficient to mask the gamey odor of most meats.

Dipping Sauce

Some foods retain a strong fishy or gamey odor even after cooking. A dipping sauce can be prepared to mask this flavor during consumption.

Common ingredients for dipping sauces include: vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, broad bean paste (doubanjiang), sweet bean sauce, sesame paste, peanut butter, fermented tofu, salt, garlic, ginger, and others.

The ideal combination of dipping sauce ingredients is a matter of personal preference, so no specific examples are provided here.

Sautéing

During the stir-frying process, aromatics such as green onions, ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers can be added to the hot oil at the beginning. The aromatic compounds in these ingredients are released under high heat, which helps mask any fishy or gamey odors and enhances the overall flavor of the dish.

Blanching in Cold Water

Some animal-based ingredients contain residual blood, such as chicken, pork trotters, and ribs. If the residual blood is not removed, the finished dish may have a noticeable fishy or metallic odor.

When ingredients are placed in cold water and the heat is gradually increased, the residual blood disperses into the water. As the temperature rises, the proteins in the blood coagulate, causing the dispersed blood to form foam that floats on the surface. At this point, simply skim off the foam with a spoon to remove the odor-causing substances. The remaining clear broth can be used as a base for further cooking, such as in stews or braises.

Notes

• When blanching, it is common to add seasonings to the pot, such as Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cooking wine, and scallions, to further enhance the removal of fishy or gamey odors.
• Star anise has a strong aroma and should be used in moderation.
• Sichuan peppercorns and Sichuan pepper (má jiāo) are small in size but often added in large quantities. They may remain in the pot or even end up in the final dish. To avoid this, you can wrap them in a cheesecloth to create a spice bag, or use a food-grade stainless steel spice container, making it easy to remove them before serving.