The humble Kahawai


Kahawai is often maligned - fun to catch - but not often eaten.

Is is a very strong tasting fish - but is also not overly oily (like a mackerel).

You can also not really freeze it - in fact - you really need to cook it - no more than 3 days after being caught.

It is best to start with how you don't cook Kahawai:

  • Do not wrap in tinfoil with butter - the taste is too strong;
  • Do not pan fry a huge filled - it wont go down well.
OK so how do you cook it (apart from smoking it - apart from fish pie).

My recipe is to take two fillets - sliver each fillet into four pieces - flour then (with flour mixed with curry powder, pepper, salt).

Cook them in the pan skin down until the skin is crispy,
Then turn and cook until complete,
Thanks to the curry powder the skin will now be beautiful and golden,
Remove fillets.

On top of the fillets (dab) with a yogurt/fresh mint/cucumber/cinnamon powder mix (dam easy to make)

And eat - its really good.


Comments

Neville said…
I have just been given fresh kawhawai 1 day old and very chilled but not bled or gutted.Have just gutted and beheaded and given good wash.Any suggestions as to edibility as told this should be done on catching
David Wright said…
Should be OK - make sure you remove the dark brown meat - as this is the bitter part.

Yummy as a cheesy fish pie - add potato - chees sauce - parsley
bob_snz said…
hi there,
the way i cook the Kahawai, is a mix between a middle eastern, and Indian styles.
1- 1.5 kg fish scaled and gutted, from the back (as for smokin.
2- 2 medium size onions, finely chopped
3- small bundle of parsley finely choped.
4-2tb spoons mild curry.
5- 2/3 tb spoons of tamirin paste,( a soure, brownish paste, mostly found in indian grocery shops)
cooking time is about 40mnts, at 200c
mix ingredients, in a glass bowl
and leave for 20/30 mnts to marinate.
put fish on its back in a larg oven dish,and grill for about 10mnts, gust to slightly brown the top part.
take fish out,,& pour/spread the onion,& parsley mix on top of it,
put back in oven, and cook, about 20 mnts, on both bake/grill.
until dressing mix is golden brown.
set for 5 mnts,before serving with white, rice.or on its, own
enjoy.
Anonymous said…
I wrap mine in tinfoil from time to time, 180C for 15-20mins. I rub with sweet chilli sauce and salt first. Nice picture btw, I could tell you exactly where that pic was taken and when :-). Good to see the humble highly underrated kahawai getting some kudos.
Anonymous said…
Great picture that! I took it. Worlds best sports fish on fly is the kahawai #kahawaiflyfish