Most people cannot imagine the upcoming Christmas Eve without this dish. Carp in different ways reigns supreme on holiday tables. Although some people think that this is an old Polish tradition, it is not true – karp has been popular since the 1950s. It was then that the post-war minister Hilary Minc promoted the Christmas slogan: Carp on every Christmas Eve table in Poland.
As we know, Poles did not have many options at that time, so they were happy to buy such fish and serve it during the Christmas Eve supper.
The tradition has definitely caught on and today in most Polish homes, despite a wide selection of products in stores, carp is called the king of the Christmas table.
However, many people do not like this dish, and the reason is usually specific muddy aromathat you feel when eating carp.
You wonder why does carp feel muddy?? This is related to the conditions in which this species of fish lives. Carp live near the bottom and this is believed to be the reason for their unpleasant taste and smell.
It should also be added that the unpleasant odor most often affects those specimens that live in crowded water bodies. This is when there is a lack of oxygen and this directly translates into the unappetizing properties of the fish.
Despite the smell of mud, it is difficult to imagine holidays without traditional fish, so experienced housewives are happy to share tips on how to get rid of the muddy smell of carp.
One of the proven ways is covering the fish with grated carrot and celery. Other people cover it with onion cut into half-slices. When the carp remains like this for several hours, the unpleasant muddy taste will only be an unpleasant memory.
You will achieve a similar effect if you soak the carp in milk for a few hours. One more option is a mixture of water, vinegar and lemon juice.
The most popular Christmas Eve option is fried carp:
Ingredients:
- 2 kg of carp,
- 2 large onions,
- 4 lemons,
- 5 tablespoons of breadcrumbs,
- 5 tablespoons of wheat flour,
- 1 teaspoon of salt,
- 1 teaspoon of pepper,
- oil for frying.
Squeeze the juice of 3 lemons. Pour it into the container with the fish and mix. Cut the last lemon into slices and set aside. Leave the fish covered to marinate for about 30 minutes. When this time has passed, the bells should be dried using paper towels.
Pour flour and breadcrumbs into a plastic bag. Shake it to mix the contents. Pour the mixture into a deeper plate. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan. Coat each bell in the bread and flour mixture.
Place in the pan and fry until golden – about 5-6 minutes on each side. The frying time depends on the thickness of the bells.
Serve the fried carp immediately after preparation, use lemon slices for decoration. The dish tastes equally good cold.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl
