From Trash to Treasure!

Do you buy your fish from the fresh market and leave your fish bones to the fishmonger? Or are you one of those who throw away your fish frame? If the answer is YES, then stop!

Your fish fead and frame can make a delicious cooking stock. All you need to do is to wash and put the bones in a pot of water, add onions, garlic, salt and other seasoning of your choice. Boil for about 20-30 minutes and remove from fire. Strain out the bones and you have your delicious stock to use for soups, stews, noodles etc. One of my favourite dishes to cook with the homemade fish stock is Fish Head Noodle Soup. I would grill my fish head and the skeletons in the oven (most people will deep fry them but I found grilling in the oven is less messy), boil them with whole garlic, smashed ginger and onions. Once done, strain out the bones and boil the fish stock with salted vegetables, ginger, tomatoes, deep fried fish head, soft tofu and season with Chinese wine, salt and pepper. Add some evaporated milk at the end if you like a milky base.

Get fish flakes from the bones – Another way of putting the fish frame to good use is to lightly boil the bones, remove from the water and let them cool down a little. Using your fingers, carefully remove the flesh from the bones. Now you have your fish flakes to add to your porridge, noodle, fried rice and other dishes of your creation.

So, don't throw your fish bones away! Make them into fish stock as they are not only rich in iodine, they are also rich in collagen, which support good gut health.