Contents
General description
The red mullet is a small sea fish, very tasty and has an interesting appearance. First of all It is famous not only for its taste, but also for its beneficial properties for the human body. You will learn all about the species, habitat, appearance and other details of its characteristics further.
Description of species
The red mullet is a type of small fish. It looks like a herring or goby. It is part
family of ray-finned fish, found in the Black, Azov, Mediterranean seas. Popularly, she has a second name, which is associated with how she looks.
It sounds like a “sultan”. Red mullet fish grows on average up to 20 centimeters, maximum length up to 45 centimeters. Due to its special appearance, it cannot be confused with other species of marine life.
Distinctive features of red mullet, how it looks:
- Long, narrow body on the sides;
- large head with a high forehead;
- big eyes set high on the forehead;
- large scales, which have different shades depending on the species;
- small teeth – bristles;
- whiskers, which are located under the lower jaw.
Types of red mullet
There are four main types of this fish. Among them:
- Argentinean;
- golden;
- ordinary;
- striped red mullet.
All species have a characteristic shape for a given type of fish, which was mentioned above. Varieties can be distinguished by body color, scales and fins.
Catching red mullet
Those fishermen who go fishing on the Black Sea and on the Crimean coast have caught such fish more than once. Any novice angler can handle it. Red mullet, as a nutritious and tasty fish, is in great demand. For fishing, they use various tackles and devices, as well as simple fishing rods. You can even catch it from the shore.
The life span of such a fish is from 10 to 15 years. Experienced fishermen know that it is located far or close relative to the coast, depending on the season. Adult fish is near the coast almost all year round, so it is not difficult to catch them. Only in winter they sail into the depths of the sea. While fishing they use the meat of shrimp, crab, mussel, sea and common worm. In addition, the fish is fed beforehand. Mussels are suitable for such purposes.
Red Mullet Benefits and harms
So, red mullet is not only tasty, but also very useful for the whole body. There is no harm from it. In composition, it is very rich in vitamins, minerals and extractives. The mass fraction of these substances is up to 4.5%. The content of nutrients that are irreplaceable in the normal functioning of the body:
- vitamins – A, B, E, B 1, B 12;
- minerals – magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, chlorine, sulfur, etc .;
- extractives – choline, creatine, inositol, lactic acid, glycogen, etc.
Anyone who monitors their health and eats properly is recommended to eat fried fish, or in any other form 2 – 3 times a week. One-time dose should be 100-200 grams. This amount will fill the body’s need for essential vitamins and minerals.
Healing properties
Due to the high content of nutrients, red mullet is an indispensable product for children, pregnant women, and the elderly. It’s beneficial properties help too prevent the appearance of certain diseases and alleviate the course of existing ones.
Medicinal properties:
Sultanka meat helps fighting eczema and other skin diseases. Children whose diet includes red mullet meat is 25% less likely to develop skin diseases than other children. Therefore, this product is suitable for babies from 9 months of age.
Red mullet has a high content of Omega 3 – fatty acids, which are indispensable for the normal growth and development of the child’s body. They also contribute to the work of the cardiovascular and nervous systems and are an irreplaceable product in the diet of the elderly.
Due to the iodine content. It is part of the thyroid hormone. Therefore, red mullet is useful for people suffering from thyroid diseases, overweight, hair loss and general malaise.
Fish also contains an easily digestible protein, so pregnant women should include it in the diet. The high content of extractive substances promotes the production of gastric juice. Therefore, children with reduced appetite should eat this fish more often.
How to eat Red Mullet correctly
Red mullets meat is very tender and has a delicate taste. No matter how you cook the fish, it will appeal to every lover of seafood. It is impossible to spoil it, only if the product was originally not really fresh.
Preparing red mullet for cooking will not take much time. It does not contain bile at all, so it is not necessary to gut it. In some countries, people eat it whole with the head.
The sultanka can be cooked in the following ways:
- dry;
- jerk;
- smoke;
- fry in a pan, grill;
- canning;
- bake in the oven;
- bake.
According to nutritionists, red mullet meat dishes help restore strength and replenish energy. Therefore, it was present on the table in ancient times and was considered a delicacy. In addition to meat, fish liver is also cooked, it is very tasty and healthy for the body.
There are many recipes based on the meat of this fish. They are widespread in restaurants on the fish menu. One of the famous recipes is Red muller stewed in white wine.
In this video you can learn how to make Grilled red mullet:
Sultanka stewed in white wine
Ingredients
- Red mullet (sultanka) 500 gr
- Bulb onion 1 pc
- Salt 1 h / l Pepper 1 h / l
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Bay leaf 2 pcs
- Carrot 1 pc
- White wine 50 ml
- Olive oil 20 ml
- Water 20 ml
Per serving
Calories: 956 kcal
Proteins: 99.9 g
Fat: 37 g
Carbohydrates: 38.5 g
- we clean the fish and get rid of excess moisture with a paper towel, cut the onion into half rings, carrots into strips and garlic into small pieces.
- Salt, pepper, add bay leaves.
- fry vegetables over low heat, dilute wine with water and add to vegetables.
- Simmer for about 2 minutes and add fish to the pan;
- bring to readiness under the lid for 10 minutes.
Judging from the reviews, this recipe is very simple, and the dish turns out to be very tasty.
How to store
Only caught live fish are immersed in ice. So the shelf life will last up to three days. If you plan to store it longer, it is recommended to cut the Red Mullet and place it in the freezer. This way the fish retains its freshness for three months.
How to fillet the Red Mullet
You can seу in the video below:
