"The autumn wind rises, and the fish are fat". After the beginning of autumn, the fish in the sea gradually become fatter. At this time, it is a good season to eat fish. In particular, hairtail, as one of the common seafood dishes on the table in autumn and winter, is not only delicious and nutritious, but also can perfectly present its unique flavor in a variety of cooking methods. However, many people are often confused when they buy hairtail fish in the market. Today, we will explore the difference between these two types of hairtail fish and take you to figure out how to choose.
Hairtail fish is not only smooth and tender, but also rich in many nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. It has delicate flesh and moderate fat content, making it a high-quality marine fish. In particular, the unsaturated fatty acids in hairtail fish are very beneficial to the cardiovascular health of the human body, which can effectively reduce cholesterol and prevent arteriosclerosis. In addition, hairtail fish is rich in vitamin A, which helps protect eyesight and promotes skin health. A variety of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron in hairtail fish also help to enhance bone health and prevent anemia. Therefore, hairtail is not only a delicious home-cooked dish, but also a healthy and nutritious food.
1. The difference between black-eyed hairtail and yellow-eyed hairtail
1. Black-eyed hairtail: Black-eyed hairtail usually lives in deep-sea areas with cooler water temperatures. Their eyes are dark due to their long acclimatization to darker environments. This hairtail is smaller, has firm flesh, and has a relatively high fat content, making the fish more tender. Because of its richer fat content, black-eyed hairtail can maintain a better taste when cooking, and it is smooth in the mouth, which is suitable for frying, frying, braising and other cooking methods.
2. Yellow-eyed hairtail: Compared with black-eyed hairtail, yellow-eyed hairtail mostly lives in shallow waters, with relatively high water temperatures and slightly yellow eyes. Yellow-eyed hairtail is usually larger, with slightly looser flesh, low fat content, and relatively dry taste, and the flesh is not as delicate as that of black-eyed hairtail. Due to its lower fat content, the meat quality of yellow-eyed hairtail is not as tender as that of black-eyed hairtail, and it tends to appear dry when cooking.
On the whole, the black-eyed hairtail is better than the yellow-eyed hairtail in terms of nutritional value and taste. Especially when you are looking for a fresh and tender taste, black-eyed hairtail is more suitable. The meat of the black-eyed hairtail is fine in fiber and rich in oil, and when fried, the skin is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, making it ideal for home cooking.
2. Tips for choosing hairtails
1. Look at the eyes: The eyes of fresh black-eyed hairtail fish are clear and bright, showing a deep black color with a slightly moist feeling. The eyes of stale hairtail fish will become cloudy and lose their luster.
2. Smell: Fresh hairtail has a faint marine smell, while fresh hairtail will emit a distinct fishy odor.
3. Touch the scales: The surface of the fresh hairtail has a layer of silvery-white scales, which is smooth and bright. If the scales are dull, dry, or fall off severely, the hairtail is not fresh.
4. Press the body of the fish: Gently press the body of the hairtail with your hands, if the meat of the fish is elastic, it can rebound quickly after pressing, indicating that the hairtail is very fresh. If there is a significant depression in the body of the fish after pressing, it means that the hairtail may not be fresh enough.
3. Recommended recipe: pan-fried hairtail
Ingredients: 500g black-eyed hairtail, 5 slices of ginger, 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, appropriate amount of salt, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, appropriate amount of white pepper, appropriate amount of flour, appropriate amount of cooking oil.
Here's how:
1. Clean the hairtail, cut off the fins and head, cut it into sections, and use kitchen paper to absorb the moisture on the surface; Put the hairtail pieces into a bowl, add ginger slices, cooking wine, salt, light soy sauce, white pepper, stir well and marinate for 15-20 minutes to help the hairtail absorb the flavor.
2. Evenly coat the surface of the hairtail with a thin layer of flour and then a layer of egg wash, not too thick, so that the fried hairtail will taste better.
3. Heat the pan, pour in the appropriate amount of oil, when the oil temperature reaches 70% hot, gently put the hairtail into the pan, fry slowly over medium-low heat, fry one side until golden brown and crispy, and then turn over and fry the other side. Fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides, then serve.
Autumn and winter are the fattest times for hairtails. Whether it's for taste or nutrition, choosing black-eyed hairtail is even better. With the help of picking and simple cooking methods, you can easily make a delicious hairtail dish that will give your family a taste full of autumn flavors.
[Personal opinion, for reference only!] This article is original by "Show Chef Niang", the article and pictures are copyrighted, please do not plagiarize, delete, or misappropriate without permission, and infringement must be investigated! 】