Yesterday we caught 3 huge kahawai fish, and now I'm not sure what to do with them. They've been filleted to the best of my partners limited abilities, but still have the skin on and no doubt there will be bones. Last night I tried baking some of the fillets in tin foil, with just a little butter on the foil and a sprinkling of mixed herbs. It was ok, but only just ok. The fish was very firm and 'meaty', not flaky like the blue cod I'm used to eating. It also didnt have much flavour. I'm not the biggest fish eater, having grown up on freshly caught blue cod, I dont know anything about other fish and have no idea how to cook it. I pretty much only really eat fish either crumbed, pan fried or grilled. Can anyone please give me some tips on what to do with the kahawai, preferably easy, simple dishes. I'm very basic in what I like to eat, I like quite plain food, not spicy or with lots of different flavours mixed together. Some call me fussy, but I think I'm the opposite, I just like simple food that tastes like what it is, not drowned in seasonings and sauces. Is this a fish that would be nice in a simple breadcrumb? Or can you recommend other simple ideas, with just a few other ingredients? Thanks :o)
cgvl,
Jan 29, 7:36am
I roll it in seasoned flour and just pan fry it. Yes it is nice just done in bread crumbs too. Its a fish that needs IMO to be eaten fresh. If its been frozen I use it for fish cakes, steam it first though.
datoofairy,
Jan 29, 7:47am
Theres far too much of it for us to get through even half of it fresh, so it will need to be frozen. I do like the sound of fish cakes though, I'll definitely try those. Thanks for the tip about steaming the fish first. I am about to bag and freeze it, but will keep out enough to pan fry tomorrow night. Thanks :o)
wasgonna,
Jan 29, 8:11am
It seems to be smoked more than anything. Very strong flavour so ideal for smoked fish pies.
I would only cut it up and use as bait to catch better fish.
fxx99,
Jan 29, 11:04am
Thai fish cakes are good with Kahawai.
blueviking,
Jan 29, 6:02pm
Smoked or used in raw fish are the only ways to really eat Kahawai. Feed the heads to your dog.
lythande1,
Jan 29, 7:13pm
Smoke them!
davidt4,
Jan 29, 7:19pm
I agree. Smoked Kahawai is delicious. Cure the whole fillets in salt and brown sugar for 8 - 12 hours, rinse very quickly, pat dry and smoke for minutes until barely cooked.
cleggyboy,
Jan 29, 8:44pm
Secret is to bleed the fish as soon as caught. But as others said delicious smoked or fish cakes. I used to catch many when I lived North Auckland.
geeceejay,
Jan 29, 8:55pm
cut it up to fish fingers egg n breadcrumbs and fry them or smoke it gonna do one soon
pickles7,
Jan 30, 12:46am
Yes, that is the only way for us too, we used to brine them over night, smoke the next day. We would cut the tail to let them bleed out as soon as they are landed. Within 4 to 6 hours, cut what you will need into steaks dust with seasoned flour and fried in butter, smoke the rest.
punkinthefirst,
Jan 30, 4:51am
Yep, Bleed them out, but its a good idea to cut the brown bits off that run up the centre of the fillets, and under the skin. Eaten fresh, kahawai is delicious cooked any way you normally cook your fish. and yummy smoked, as well.
cgvl,
Jan 30, 6:41am
I forgot about smoking but its a few years since I had Kahawai fresh. I used to go out with a friend fishing and we tended to get a fair bit of Kahawai. Spoilt me for fish shop fish and the supermarket stuff. Thankfully here we can get fresh Gurnard which I really like too.
beaker59,
Jan 30, 7:16am
Its like Bubba said about prawns,
You can bake it you can steam it fry in batter fry in breadcrumbs etc etc
My favourites though freshest its makes the best ceviche's and island style raw fish,
then fried
then thai fish cakes
then fish cakes with potato etc like nanna made still a fav
then smoked fish pie
then Prahok but that's an acquired taste and I wouldn't expect many here to be into that, I struggled at first.
I have 2 smoked ones in the fridge right now though I will probably gift those. Although I may keep one and gift the smoked snapper as they make better fish pie that smoked snapper in my opinion.
My neighbour sometimes catches them and they are lovely smoked. I have a recipe given to me where the fish is cooked in cream and that is nice too.
cleggyboy,
Feb 1, 9:25pm
I've had flounder cooked in cream, but it needs to be just a treat as it is a pan of heart attacks if consumed to often.
awoftam,
Oct 29, 2:53am
Did you bleed them when they were caught? This takes away some of the really really strong flavour. Then smoke em and eat em on bread or in pies, or fish cakes. Delicious.
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