Method One
Tools: A long plate, scissors, small pieces of snake skin belt, or a metal scouring pad.
I find frozen fish easier to clean. Since it's usually frozen when purchased, simply chip off the thin layer of ice on the surface.
Washing frozen hairtail produces a lot of dirty water mixed with scales. If done on the countertop, this dirty water will spill everywhere, making a mess in the kitchen. Placing the frozen fish on a long tray prevents the dirty water from spreading.
Then scrub the fish body with a small piece of nylon scrubber or a pot scrubber (metal wire). Don't press too hard, or you'll tear the flesh.
After scrubbing, use scissors to trim off the fins.Never trim fins after washing the body, as the cut edges become razor-sharp and can injure you. Also, be extremely cautious of the fish's teeth during cleaning—they are extremely sharp.
Finally, address the belly, head, and tail sections.
It's actually quite simple: if any part looks unsightly, just trim it off.
The belly has a small black opening that's easy to spot. Starting there, use scissors to cut cleanly toward the head, removing both the belly and head in one swift motion. Next, thoroughly clean the abdominal cavity—remove any remaining innards and the black membrane lining. Also, near the backbone along the belly, there's a thick vein. Simply run your fingers along it from head to tail to remove it.It runs the entire length of the fish, so just remove the section in the belly area.
By now, you've finished cleaning a quarter of the fish. Your hands are probably numb from the cold by this point,heh...
(You can wear rubber gloves while cleaning, though they make the task a bit awkward.)
Finally, the finishing touches: place the cleaned fish in a clean basin, add warm water, and let it soak for a while...
While it soaks, you can tidy up by tossing the trimmed parts into a trash bag.
Next comes cleaning up. The used scissors, plate, scouring pad, and your hands will be greasy. Just wash them with warm water and dish soap. Plunging your cold hands into the warm water feels wonderfully warm and soothing...
Put the tools back where they belong, then rinse the cleaned hairtail again. Once it feels clean, you're good to go!
Method Two
The scales cling tightly to the fish body, making them hard to remove by hand and time-consuming to scrape with a knife. Place the fish in water around 80°C (176°F) for 10 seconds, then immediately plunge it into cold water. Scrub with a brush or wipe with a cloth, and the scales will come off easily.However, it's recommended to add salt and ginger during cleaning. This prevents foreign substances from affecting the fish's freshness during washing.
The fishy odor and oiliness on hairtail are difficult to remove with plain water. Soaking the hairtail in alkaline water first, then rinsing with clean water, makes it easy to wash thoroughly and eliminates the fishy smell.