Striped tuna can be found all over the world. This large saltwater fish is highly regarded for its resilient meat, small number of bones and the mass of nutrients it contains. Its taste does not give off at all by the ocean, and, in general, is a little like fish. How to cook tuna to preserve all its best qualities? How not to make a mistake with his choice in the store? We have prepared all the information about this fish for you in our article.
Striped Tuna: Description
All tuna belong to the mackerel family, but stand out from its other representatives exclusively in large sizes. Some of them reach up to 3-5 meters, and can weigh up to 600 kilograms.
Striped tuna is usually smaller. They grow only up to 1-1.5 meters in length, and their body weight reaches 30 kg. They prefer warm waters and are not found in the Arctic Ocean. They can inhabit temperate latitudes, but breeding always sail to the shores of tropical countries.
Tuna live in numerous groups that do not stay deep from the surface and quickly move in the water column, developing a speed of up to 70 km / h. Up to 50, 000 fish can be collected in one flock.
As can be seen in the photo, the striped tuna has a spindle-shaped body, round and thick on the sides. The back is painted in a deep dark blue color, and longitudinal stripes are well distinguished on a light silver abdomen. Thanks to them, the fish got its name.
The benefits and harms of striped tuna
Tuna is a low-calorie, but at the same time quite satisfying product. Due to its mobility, its meat contains more protein than any other fish. It is also rich in the most important omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which our body cannot synthesize and can only receive from external sources.
Tuna meat contains iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, which is why it is considered an essential product for the functioning of the brain and the cardiovascular system. It is also rich in vitamin D, B3, A, B1, B12, B4, E. All these components contribute to the restoration of the body, the normal implementation of metabolism and other important processes in our body. Regularly eating tuna can:
- Reduce cholesterol and blood sugar;
- Reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease;
- Normalize blood pressure;
- Strengthen the immune system;
- Reduce depression or stress.
The benefits of striped tuna are obvious, but like any other product, it also has negative aspects. One of the main disadvantages of this fish is its ability to accumulate mercury. In small quantities, tuna is not harmful to the body, but if consumed excessively, it can become a dangerous product. It is worth consuming it no more than twice a week, and when buying in the market or in the store, you should carefully watch where it came from. In some parts of the ocean, the mercury content is very high, and fish from there can cause poisoning.
How to choose?
To cook striped tuna deliciously, it is not necessary to be a professional chef, the main thing is to choose a fresh and high-quality product. To do this, you need to pay attention to several points:
- General form. On the counter, the fish should look like they had just been caught. A painful appearance, wounds, damage to the body or too “wrinkled” torso indicate that the storage technology has been violated.
- Smell. A light aroma of the sea should come from tuna; there can be no pungent fish smell if it is stored correctly.
- Veins. In fresh fish, they are clearly visible and painted white. If the streaks merge with the color of the meat, then, most likely, it was tinted. You cannot trust such a product.
- Fins. They have smooth lines, do not twist and do not stick together. Check for damage and creases.
- Scales. In tuna, it is present only near the pectoral fin, but this is enough to diagnose the freshness of the fish. The scales should be even and shiny, it is bad when there are creases or mucus on it.
- Belly. In live fish, the abdomen is silver, which means in fresh it should be the same. Yellowness indicates the opposite.
Meat
Striped tuna is an active and fast fish, therefore its body is very elastic and muscular. The color and consistency of its meat is more reminiscent of the meat of domestic animals, which is why the fish was even called "sea veal."
The color of tuna is one of the characteristic markers of freshness, but there are many nuances. Unlike salmon or salmon, its meat does not have a uniform even shade, but differs depending on a specific area of the body. So, in the front of the abdomen it will be light pink and more friable, and on the back it will be bright red and more sinewy.
In general, the color of freshly cut tuna has a purplish-red palette. Over time, the color becomes burgundy or brownish. This is exactly what it should be like in fish at the store, if it was not caught right before your arrival.
Too bright raspberry color of tuna suggests that the meat was processed with carbon dioxide. This is a good marketing move to make fish more attractive. Carbon dioxide does not allow it to darken, and it retains its presentation for a long time. However, this is a danger, because it is much more difficult to check such a fish for freshness. In many countries of Europe and America, the processing of CO 2 products is prohibited, but in Asia there is no ban, and “raspberry” tuna often comes to us from there.
Cooking Tuna
Tuna is very versatile in cooking. In the kitchens of some nations, it is often consumed raw, preserving as many useful substances as possible. For example, in Japan they make sushi, sashimi and rolls, and in Italy they make carpaccio. In addition, fish can be fried, boiled, baked, added to salads and soups, used for snacks, sandwiches and pastes. Let's look at some recipes for striped tuna.
Tuna salad
The main feature of this fish is that it does not lose useful properties when canned. That is why tuna in jars is great for any dishes. To make a salad, you need to take:
- canned tuna in its own juice - 200 g;
- tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
- leaf salad - 100 g;
- black olives - 10 pcs. (more is possible);
- sesame seeds -10-20 g;
- lemon juice - 1-2 tbsp. l.;
- soy sauce - 1 tbsp. l.;
- salt to taste;
- ground black pepper to taste.
Cut tomatoes and olives into slices, add pieces of fish to them. If they are too large - mash them with a fork. Cut lettuce, or tear into pieces by hand, pre-fry sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until it begins to brown. Combine all the ingredients, salt and pepper, and then fill with lemon and soy sauce.
Fish steak
Tuna steak is one of the most popular restaurant dishes. To prepare it you will need:
- tuna fillet or pieces already cut into steaks;
- olive oil - 1-2 tbsp. l.;
- salt to taste;
- ground black pepper to taste;
- rosemary.
If you have whole tuna fillet, cut it into steaks, making the pieces not too thin. The ideal thickness is 2-3 centimeters. Before cooking, be sure to dip the meat with a napkin so that it is not wet. Then coat it with oil, salt, pepper, sprinkle with chopped rosemary or other seasonings. Preheat the pan and fry the fish on it from two sides, holding on each of them no longer than two minutes.
The edges of the steak are fried, and the middle should remain moist. Otherwise, the fish will be too stiff and completely miserable. After roasting, let the dish "rest" for about 10 minutes.
