Halal · MeSTI Certified · 100% Natural Deep-Sea Collagen

ocharves

Chrysanthemum & Lemongrass Fish Scale Jelly

This one is cooked in a cooking bag. You pack the rinsed fish scales into the bag, tie it tight, and drop the whole bag into the pot — when it is done you just lift the bag out, with no straining at all. It is the cleanest, least fussy way to do it. Chrysanthemum and lemongrass simmer together with a little rock sugar, and the result is light and lightly floral, exactly what you want in hot weather. Eat it chilled as jelly, or warm it up and drink it as a collagen drink.

Ingredients

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g

De-fishing ingredient (pick one)

These two are the only de-fishing ingredients we recommend. Choose whichever you have.

Flavour add-ins (mix and match)

Tap what you want to add — one of them, or both together. The amounts rescale with everything else.

  • ocharves fish scales300 g

    Large or medium — the method is identical

  • Water1.8 L

    Fixed ratio: 100 g scales : 600 ml water

  • Pandan leaves75 g

    Weight = 25% of the fish scale weight

  • Salt (for soaking)to taste

    Used only in the soak — it does not go in the pot

  • White vinegar (for soaking)to taste

    Any food-grade white vinegar is applicable

  • Dried chrysanthemumTo taste

    The star of this one. Rinse and simmer with the lemongrass to draw out the fragrance

  • Rock sugar (or honey rock sugar)To taste

    Goes in with the flavourings and dissolves as it cooks. Honey rock sugar is free to redeem with points in the member Gifts section (Chek Hup Honey Rock Sugar 250 g)

  • LemongrassTo taste

    Bruised and simmered with the fish scales for a fresh Southeast Asian aroma

Method

Step 1 · Prepare the flavour ingredients

Prepare the flavourings you are using

  1. 1Cooking bag (the point of this one): pack the rinsed, drained fish scales into the cooking bag and tie the mouth tightly, knotting it firmly so nothing works loose or leaks while it cooks. When it is done you simply lift the bag out — no straining step.
  2. 2Lemongrass: rinse, trim off the tough tail end, cut into roughly 5 cm lengths and bruise with the back of a knife — breaking up the fibres is what releases the aroma.
  3. 3Chrysanthemum: give it a quick rinse under clean water and add it to the pot with the lemongrass (outside the bag) to draw out the fragrance.
  4. 4Rock sugar: goes into the pot with the flavourings and dissolves as it cooks. Honey rock sugar or winter melon sugar work just as well.
  5. 5Goji berries (optional): add only after straining — drop a few into each jar if you like.

Step 2 · Clean the fish scales

  1. 1Put the scales in a basin, cover with water, add salt and white vinegar to taste, stir and leave to soak.
  2. 2Pour away the dirty soaking water, then rub the scales between your hands under running water.
  3. 3Change the water and repeat until it runs completely clear — clear water is the only thing you need to look for.
  4. 4Drain the cleaned scales.
Black dots on the scales are fish skin. They are perfectly normal and do not need to be picked out. The only test that matters is that the water runs clear.

Step 3 · Simmer

All three work — use whichever you have at home.

  1. 1Line the base of the pot with the pandan (or dried lemon), add the cleaned scales, then the measured water.
  2. 2Bring to a rolling boil and keep boiling for 15 minutes.
  3. 3Turn the heat down low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Measure all the water in before you start. Never top up water once cooking has begun — it will stop the jelly from setting.

If you have a cooking bag

Put the scales and the de-fishing ingredient into the cooking bag, then tie the opening repeatedly and firmly so it cannot leak or come loose while cooking. At the end you simply lift the bag out — no straining needed.

Let it cool a little — you will see the scales have curled up, which means the collagen has been fully released. Strain and keep only the collagen liquid; the scales and leaves are no longer needed.

Step 4 · Bottle and store

  1. 1Pour the collagen liquid into clean glass bottles (glass chills more evenly than plastic).
  2. 2Let it cool, then close the lids.
  3. 3Refrigerate overnight until set.
  4. 4Keeps refrigerated for roughly 2 to 3 weeks.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cooking bag and where do I get one?+
A cooking bag is a food-grade fine-mesh bag. You pack the fish scales into it, tie it shut and cook them inside it, so when it is done you just lift the whole bag out instead of straining, and no scales scatter loose in the pot. It is the least fussy way to do it. ocharves sells this cooking bag and you can add it to an order with your fish scales; any other food-grade fine-mesh bag (a nut-milk or soup bag, for example) works too — what matters is that the mesh is fine and the mouth ties shut without leaking.
What can I use instead of rock sugar?+
Honey rock sugar or winter melon sugar, both of which are free to redeem with your points in the ocharves member Gifts section — Chek Hup Honey Rock Sugar (250 g) and Chek Hup Candied Melon (250 g). Sign in and open the Gifts page from the top menu; anything you redeem ships free inside your order. Quantity is to taste — taste as you go.
Can I drink it warm instead?+
Yes. This one is made for both: chill it and it sets into a jelly you eat with a spoon; or skip the fridge, warm it gently, and it is a hot collagen drink. Have it as jelly when it is hot out, warm when it is cool.
Do chrysanthemum and lemongrass clash?+
No — the pairing is the whole point of this one. Lemongrass is fresh, chrysanthemum is lightly floral, and a little rock sugar rounds it off; the result is clean and refreshing without being cloying or overpowering. If you prefer a single note, you can switch the lemongrass off and keep just the chrysanthemum.

More flavours

Bottled lemongrass and lychee fish scale jelly

Lemongrass & Lychee Fish Scale Jelly

Bottled red date and longan fish scale jelly, red dates and goji visible in the amber jelly

Red Date & Longan Fish Scale Jelly

Bottled winter melon sugar and rose fish scale jelly with rose petals and goji

Winter Melon Sugar & Rose Fish Scale Jelly

This recipe uses ocharves deep-sea dried fish scales (large or medium).

ocharves (Ocean Harvester Ventures Sdn Bhd) is a Malaysian brand from Penang specialising in halal-certified, lab-tested deep-sea dried fish scale collagen. For the full method see How to cook fish scale jelly.