Sea eel is the main material for making wind-dried eel and wind-dried eel tube. Fresh eel is pickled and often processed into dried products, which has become a traditional delicacy in some areas. Why is it called "wind"? Because after the eel and eel tube are made, they need to be hung in front of or behind the house or in a ventilated place by the window (northwest wind) to dry naturally, and cannot be exposed to the sun.
In terms of material selection, East China Sea eel must be used, so that the wind-dried eel and eel tube made are authentic. Sea eels weighing more than two to three catties are generally used for wind-dried eels, while sea eels weighing less than two catties are mostly made into wind-dried eel tubes. The processing method is as follows:
To make eel, because the eel body is large, it is necessary to cut from the back of the eel and split it along the spine from the tail to the head. The knife work should be smooth and the spine should be completely exposed, so that the eel will look good. Then remove the internal organs, gills and other debris, wipe off the blood with a clean gauze that has been squeezed dry to prevent the meat surface from being contaminated. Do not wash with water to avoid affecting the freshness and shelf life. After drying in the shade, evenly apply an appropriate amount of fine salt inside and outside the eel body, and sprinkle a few drops of white wine at the same time. When applying salt, pay attention to the degree of saltiness. Generally, it is more light. Too salty will affect the taste of the eel. After half an hour, use bamboo strips to prop up the eel body (to prevent deformation, keep the eel in good condition, and also help to speed up air drying), and hang it in the air outlet.
As the eel body is relatively small, it is directly cut open from the abdomen. The matters of cleaning the internal organs and wiping off the blood are the same as above. When applying salt, because the eel's back is not cut open and the meat is thicker, more salt should be applied to the eel's belly, and then the eel is tied up with cotton ropes or cloth strips and hung in the air outlet to dry.
When drying, it should be noted that it is not suitable to air-dry dried eels on south windy days or rainy days, let alone dried eels, because the eel meat is thick and not easy to air-dry, and it is easy to deteriorate. For easy preservation, the dried eels or eels can be cut into several pieces and put into fresh-keeping bags, and then put in the refrigerator for quick freezing, so that they can be preserved for at least half a year. Before eating, just take it out and wash it, add a little cooking wine and a few slices of ginger and steam it. If you are more particular, you can eat it with soy sauce or vinegar, which is really an original taste. It can also be grilled, which has a unique flavor and is widely loved by people.