Seafood A Speciality.

Seafood A Speciality.

t feels awesomely great when pople finger licking love the food you make. It feels content! Isn’t it? For all the fans who love sea food and who love to cook sea food, the solvemyproblemm food expert has few secret recipes to share. The deep dark oceans and seas, the swift, cool flowing river waters and the calm, still lakes, all hold a treasure within them. The treasure of colorful, vibrant and living sea life. Fishes the most important part of the sea kingdom. Fish have been an important part of a man’s food cycle, the Paleolithic, the Neanderthals, the Tianyuan man and the modern Homo sapiens who lived near the River Nile, [which provided an ample supply of a variety of fishes to the ancient Egyptians], all have been fish lovers and all ate different varieties of fish in one form or another.

 In fact fishes are not only the edible things in the vast oceans and seas, but different types of shellfish, seaweeds, micro algae and you won't believe it, but it is true, that red algae, green algae and brown algae have been termed as sea vegetables.

Which are the different types of edible fishes?

There is a wide variety of edible fishes, about 32,000 edible species, so let us have a look at the ones which are a culinary favorite-

1.      Bass   

2.      Trout   

3.      Crab   

4.      Clam  

5.      Cuttlefish   

6.      Oyster  

7.      Bombay duck   

8.      Catfish

9.      Cod   

10.  Eel   

11.  Haddock   

12.  Herring   

13.  Mackerel   

14.  Pomfret   

15.  Sardine   

16.  Salmon   

17.  Sea bass   

18.  Trout   

19.  Tuna  

20.  Octopus

The list is endless but we have got the main edible fishes on our menu. So what are we waiting for, let us start cooking-

Which are the basic points to be followed while cooking fish?

The Dietician from Solvemyproblemm.com supports the ‘Sea Food movement’. There are some kinds of sea food that have no or less fat. Since fish provides the human body with Omega-3, an important fact, necessary for the heart, reproductive system and the development of the brain, we should make sure that while cooking food we preserve all the important nutrients found in the fish.

Before we start cooking we have to buy a good fish and a good fish is a fish which is fresh. The freshness of the fish plays an important part in how it tastes after being cooked. Fish is more delicate than meat and does not stay fresh for a long time and loses its softness soon. Therefore the fish has to be fresh and it must be cooked quickly over high heat to retain its crispiness.

The different cooking methods used for fish are grilling, boiling, sautéing and poaching in liquid. Whichever method one uses, one must make sure that while cooking the sodium, fat and nutritional values of the fish are not lost.

Fish should be thoroughly cleaned and washed before cooking and should be divided into equal portions, preferably four.

Let us learn the cooking methods now from the Sea Food Expert-

1] Steaming- is the best method of preserving the nutritional values of a fish. This method of cooking also retains the actual flavor and taste of the fish. This method of cooking first requires the fish to be rubbed gently with spices, herbs, ginger- garlic paste, chili peppers to infuse flavor in it while it cooks. Use a Chinese bamboo steamer or a folding steamer basket and make sure that each fish piece is kept flat at the bottom.  Then fill 11\2 inches of water in the pot, then place the steamer over water, cover the pot, bring water to boil and then check to see if the fish is done after10 minutes.

2] Grilling- is another easy method of cooking fish tastily and quickly. Grilled fish takes only a few minutes to cook, but it should be kept away from the center of the grill, more towards the edge of the grill. The fish should be turned only when the fish turns brown in color and slight grill marks are formed on its side, using a plastic fish spatula or any other heat proof spatula. Both the sides should be equally browned.

3] Poached fish-is a healthy way of cooking fish as healthier the stock the more healthier the fish. Poached fish requires vegetable or chicken stock. Poached fish is moist and retains its own flavor. A big pot is required and each fish piece should be laid at the bottom of the pan and enough stock to cover the fish pieces should be added. The stock should be simmered gently not boiled; otherwise the fish will break into pieces. The stock, if it starts boiling, the heat should be adjusted so that it only simmers, the temperature should be 165 to 180 degrees F.

4] Broiled fish-is a hassle free and an easy method of cooking fish. The fish is cooked under controlled temperature and gets a nice brown look. To give the fish a crispy flavor, dredge both the sides of the fish with seasoned flour, corn flour or cornmeal.

5] Baking- is also a simple method of cooking fish. The fish should be painted lightly with cooking oil or butter and after cooking it gives a taste of fried fish.

What is the important thing to remember before starting to cook fish?

For a better dish, here are few tips from the Sea Food Expert that are ought to be remembered before keeping the pan on the stove!  

1] The fish has to be fresh,

2] The fish should be thawed one day prior before it has to be cooked,

3] The fish should be patted dry well before cooking it.

So, be it a salmon, cod or an oyster, baked, grilled or steamed, fried fish is the tastiest of all, battered and deep fried, crispy and hot, mouth watering thought isn’t it. Talk to the Food Experts at www.solvemyproblemm.com for more tips and suggestions. You can make a delicious and mouth watering dishes with these secret tips! Happy eating.