Salt cod (Bacalhau)

Salt cod (Bacalhau)

　　The most famous of authentic Portuguese cuisine is salt cod (Bacalhau), a type of codfish that is the Portuguese people’s favorite salted fish. It can be baked, grilled, stewed, or boiled. A standout dish at New Port Portuguese Restaurant is stir-fried salt cod with shredded potatoes — made by stir-frying fresh potatoes together with salt cod, Portuguese-style sausages, and other ingredients over high heat. The resulting crispy, flavorful potato shreds are said to be a classic in Portuguese cuisine. It can be cooked using various methods such as pan-frying, baking, grilling, or boiling. No matter how it’s prepared, the result is always a deliciously fragrant dish that lingers on the palate and leaves a lasting impression.

In Portugal, salt cod can be used in thousands of different recipes. In fact, salt cod is just salted cod, and the more traditional the Portuguese restaurant, the saltier the flavor tends to be. Common salt cod dishes found in Macau restaurants include salt cod balls, stir-fried salt cod with shredded potatoes, and grilled salt cod. The salt cod imported from Portugal must be soaked in water that is changed twice a day for three days to remove excess salt before cooking.