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

ocharves

Lemongrass & Lychee Fish Scale Jelly

Bruised lemongrass simmered into the strained collagen gives a bright, fresh Southeast Asian aroma. Make it plain, or drop lychee into the jars at bottling — pick either add-in, or use both. The method is the same.

Ingredients

Enter your amount — every quantity below rescales automatically.

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

  • Lemongrass5 stalks

    Bruise, then simmer in the strained collagen

  • 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

  • Wolfberries (goji)to taste

    Add after straining

  • Honey rock sugar (or rock sugar)to taste

    Add after straining

Method

Step 1 · Prepare the flavour ingredients

Prepare whichever add-ins you chose

  1. 1Lemongrass: rinse, trim the tough tail end, cut into roughly 5 cm lengths, then bruise each piece with the back of a knife — crushing the fibres is what releases the aroma.
  2. 2Ginger (optional): slice and bruise the same way, then simmer it in the pot together with the fish scales.
  3. 3Candied or red dates (optional): rinse and drop them in whole with the fish scales for a rounded, warm sweetness.
  4. 4Lychee (optional): peel and pit, cut the flesh into small pieces, and put it straight into sterilised jars — lychee never goes in the pot.

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

Can I use lemongrass and lychee together?+
Yes. They never clash — the lemongrass is simmered into the strained collagen for aroma, while the lychee is only added cold at bottling. Use one, the other, or both; the method does not change.
How long do I simmer the lemongrass?+
After straining, add the bruised lemongrass, goji and sugar and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. That is long enough for the aroma to move fully into the liquid.
Should I take the lemongrass out?+
Yes, lift it out before bottling. Left in, the aroma keeps developing and becomes overpowering after a day. The goji can stay in the bottle.
Why can't the lychee be simmered too?+
Heat turns lychee's delicate sweetness astringent and collapses the texture. Chopped into the jar first, with the cooled collagen poured over, it sets neatly suspended in the jelly.

More flavours

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

Bottled butterfly pea and longan fish scale jelly with longan visible at the bottom

Butterfly Pea & Longan 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.