Anchovy fish

Hamsa is a type of anchovy. This coastal schooling fish lives mainly in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. In addition, it is found in the waters of the Black and Mediterranean Seas, and in the summer months it often enters the Baltic, Azov and even the North Seas.

Appearance

The anchovy's body length does not exceed 15–20 cm. The color of its back can vary from black-gray to blue-green. Its sides are a beautiful white-silver color. Often along the side of the anchovy you can see a narrow longitudinal strip with a metallic sheen.

A little history

Hamsa has been known to mankind since ancient times. Crimean fishermen sold this fish to the ancient Greeks and Romans at the beginning of our era. The ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo wrote that anchovy in those ancient times was valued very highly and was second only to bread in its importance. During archaeological excavations on the Crimean coast, the remains of nets with which fishermen caught anchovy were found, as well as large wooden vats intended for salting it.

The ancient Greeks and Romans valued anchovy meat for its special tenderness and unique, slightly bitter taste. In ancient times, salted anchovy was mainly used as food. Also, a rather sour and spicy sauce called gurum was prepared from this fish.

And today, anchovy is still in great demand among consumers, which is explained not only by its excellent taste, but also by its wide availability. This fish still remains one of the important fisheries. Mostly salted anchovy is on sale, but sometimes fresh frozen is also found. Stew and pates are made from it, and added to various salads. In Italian cuisine, anchovy is used to prepare an aromatic and tasty paste, and they also stuff olives with it.

The benefits of anchovy

Hamsa is considered one of the best fish delicacies. It can be eaten whole without removing small bones from the fillet. Since the skin and bones of fish contain the most calcium and phosphorus, anchovy can safely be called an important source of these elements. In addition, this fish contains molybdenum, nickel, fluorine, chromium and zinc. It is a healthy food product for people of any age. In terms of nutritional value, it is practically in no way inferior to beef, but the protein contained in it is better absorbed by the human body. At the same time, the calorie content of anchovy is quite low and, without fear of gaining extra pounds, it can be included in their diet by those who follow a diet.

Hamsa is also a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower serum cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and improve the lipid profile. In addition, polyunsaturated fatty acids prevent the development of malignant neoplasms, diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys, and in the event of these diseases they can significantly slow down their progression.

It has been proven that anchovy has a beneficial effect on male potency. In this regard, nutritionists advise representatives of the stronger sex to regularly include this fish in their menu.

Calorie content of anchovy and its composition

Anchovy contains 2% fat, 17.5% protein and 0% carbohydrates. In addition, it contains vitamin PP, as well as macro- and microelements (chlorine, sulfur, zinc, chromium, fluorine, molybdenum, nickel, calcium, phosphorus, etc.).

The calorie content of anchovy is quite low and amounts to only 88 kcal per 100.0 g of product.

Salted anchovy

In appearance and taste, salted anchovy is very similar to sprat. It differs from it in having more tender and pinkish meat. Salted anchovy is a favorite dish of many people. It is especially tasty with boiled or baked potatoes.

However, salted anchovy contains too much table salt. Therefore, you should not get too carried away with it, so as not to put a lot of stress on the urinary system. People suffering from kidney and/or cardiovascular diseases should completely eliminate salted anchovy from their diet.

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Hamsa: calorie content, benefits and harms of consumption, recipes for preparing this type of fish

Hamsa is a type of fish that leads a life in schools, lives in the seas and oceans, and is commonly called sprat by common people. Hamsa has always been a very popular commodity; it is second only to bread. In ancient times, the Romans and Greeks bought this fish from ordinary fishermen. This is evidenced by many archaeological finds.

Hamsa: general information

The fish is quite small in length, the average size is 20 centimeters, but smaller ones are also found. It is blackish-gray in color.

This fish is quite peaceful and harmless, feeds on plankton and small algae, however, it is very tenacious. It easily tolerates temperature changes and thrives in seawater with high salinity.

There are many varieties of this fish, but only 3 species are eaten. It is highly valued on the world market, not so much for its taste, but for its affordable price. On store shelves it is most often presented in salted form; if you want to buy fresh and cook it yourself, then go to the market.

The main method of preparing fish is salting, however, this does not mean that it is the only one. Fish is good both boiled and fried. You can use it to make minced fish, which is perfect for making fish cutlets. Fish can be considered a dietary delicacy, since 100 grams of the product contains only 90 kcal.

Useful properties of anchovy

Application of anchovy

As mentioned above, anchovy can be found on sale in salted form, this is the main way of consuming it. It tastes like sprat, but anchovy is fattier, its meat is more pink and tender.

Sandwich with anchovy

However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to just salting. The fish can be boiled or fried, and in this form it goes well with potatoes. This fish, if you purchased it fresh, can be prepared in any way: cook it into soup, bake with vegetables or stew, mince it and make fish cutlets.

And abroad you can see more refined ways of preparing fish. It is used to make sauce, pate, stew, and added to various salads. If desired and with special skill, such fish can even be stuffed.

Harm of anchovy to the human body

There is no harm as such from this fish, however, those who are allergic to fish products should not eat it.

Problems can arise if a person is a lover of salted fish and enjoys anchovy in this form too often:

Osteochondrosis

Very often, unscrupulous sellers salt spoiled or simply low-quality fish, so there is a chance of poisoning from it. However, it is very easy to avoid this; you just need to buy fresh fish and salt it yourself at home.
If you eat salted fish, the salt will accumulate in the bones, and this will lead to osteochondrosis. In order to avoid this, anchovy should be eaten lightly salted, then you will not be afraid of such a disease at all.
Frequent consumption of salted fish can damage the excretory system, so those who have problems with the kidneys and bladder should opt for boiled, fried, baked fish, but not salted.

Anchovy recipes

Hamsa lightly salted. Take 1 kilogram of pre-processed fish, 100 grams of salt, spices to taste. Combine salt and spices in a saucepan with water, put on fire and let the solution boil. After this, wait a while until it cools down completely. Place the fish in a deep bowl in which it will be salted, cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator. After 8-10 hours it will be ready to eat.
Sandwiches with anchovy. This is a wonderful and quick snack for lovers of this fish. Spread a thin layer of butter on black bread, place fish cut lengthwise on top, garnish with sprigs of dill or any other herbs.
Hamsa fried. Clean the fish and remove the heads if desired; in principle, you can fry them along with them. Salt and pepper the fish, roll each one in flour and transfer to a preheated frying pan with vegetable oil. Fry until golden brown. When the fish is ready, transfer it to a napkin and remove excess fat. You can serve it with potatoes and vegetables.

Thus, anchovy is a very valuable product that will suit absolutely anyone’s taste and pocket. You can cook fish the way you like, and if you haven’t tried it yet, be sure to do so.

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Feb 28, 2017Violetta Lekar

Vselekari.com

Anchovy

Medical reference / Food / X

Hamsa is a fish, a type of anchovy. She lives in a flock and is considered a coastal inhabitant. It can be found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and in various seas, most often in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Humanity has discovered this fish for a long time. Then it was considered very valuable, and could be second only to another most important product of all times - bread.

The size of this fish is average. Usually it does not grow more than 17 cm. The back of anchovy can have several colors, from gray-black to blue-green. The sides are always silver in color and can sometimes have longitudinal stripes.

Properties of anchovy

Our ancestors loved to salt this fish in special vats. They liked anchovy for its interesting taste: the fish fillet is quite soft and tender, and has a slightly bitter taste. In addition to salting, this fish was also used to produce gurum sauce, which had a spicy and sour taste.

Today, anchovy is also highly revered by consumers. It deserves its attention not only for its taste, but also for its accessibility. However, it is sometimes difficult to find it in fresh form, since mostly salted anchovy is supplied to stores.

The calorie content of this fish is low - about 90 kcal per 100 g.

The benefits of anchovy

In general, anchovy is considered a wonderful delicacy from the sea. Its seeds are not very frequent, and most importantly, they are small, which does not prevent it from being eaten. Fish can be consumed almost entirely, and this is another plus.

Like other fish edible for humans, anchovy contains a considerable amount of useful substances, including micro- and macroelements such as zinc, phosphorus, calcium, molybdenum, chromium and fluorine. This set of minerals makes this fish useful to almost all people, regardless of their age and diet.

Hamsa is also nutritious, in this regard it can even be compared with beef, but fish protein is absorbed by the human body better than meat protein. There is no need to worry about your figure if you cook fish according to all dietary standards: boil or steam. In this case, its calorie content will be less than 100 kcal per 100 g, which allows you to get enough food.

Anchovy contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help remove excess cholesterol from the body and prevent the formation of blood clots. These same acids also affect the lipid spectrum and, importantly, reduce the risk of oncological tumors, the development of cardiovascular diseases, and kidney diseases. Even if these ailments already exist, eating anchovy helps slow down their development.

Anchovy also has special benefits for men. It has a beneficial effect on their potency, and this is especially noticeable with regular consumption of fish.

Application of anchovy

Since anchovy can most often be found in salted form, this is the main way to consume it. In appearance and even in taste, it resembles sprat, but differs from it in a more pleasant, delicate taste. Its meat color is also more pink. When salted, anchovy is loved by many consumers. Like other fish, it goes well with potatoes, baked or boiled.

Fresh anchovy can be processed in any way as other fish. Steam it, make soup from it, fry or bake it. But the cuisines of other countries use more refined ways of preparing it. For example, you can make a pate or stew out of it, use it as an ingredient in a salad, make a paste out of it, or stuff it.

Harm of anchovy

This fish is not harmful to humans. However, do not forget that salted anchovy may not be very useful for those who have problems with the urinary system. Due to the high salt content, anchovy puts a strain on the internal organs, and if you have cardiovascular or kidney diseases, then in this case it is better not to eat salted anchovy at all.

Individual intolerance to the product is also possible, in which anchovy must be completely excluded from your diet.

European anchovy or anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) Description:
This species forms several separate forms - Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea and Azov. The Black Sea anchovy is the most numerous fish in the sea. It serves as the main food for most of the predators of this reservoir - bonito, mackerel, beluga and other fish, as well as dolphins, gulls and petrels. The Azov anchovy (E. encrasicholus maeoticus) differs from the Black Sea in its light color and smaller size - its usual length is 8-9 cm, and its maximum length is no more than 10-11 cm.

Habitat:
The Black Sea anchovy, or anchovy (E. encrasicholus ponticus), constantly lives in the Black Sea along all shores. In summer, anchovy disperses widely throughout the sea and adheres to the upper layers of water located above the temperature jump layer. This fish is especially abundant in summer in the well-warmed and rich in food plankton northwestern part of the Black Sea. In winter, when the surface water cools greatly and storms reach great strength, anchovy is concentrated in limited coastal areas, leads a sedentary lifestyle, feeds poorly and sinks to a depth of 70-80 m. Here it stays mainly in bottom waters and only in warm, Quiet days rise to the surface. However, in mild winters, anchovy may not sink to depth at all. In the spring, usually in early April, anchovy rises from the depths and begins to actively feed on plankton (mainly small crustaceans). At first it appears off the coast near wintering areas, but soon goes out to sea and quickly disperses over its area. The Azov anchovy spends only the summer in the Sea of Azov. There she actively feeds, spawning (in June - July) and feeding of fry occurs there. In autumn, Azov anchovy of all ages leaves through the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea and, moving along the coast of the Caucasus and Crimea, like the Black Sea anchovy, lies in wintering pits. Overwintering of the Azov anchovy occurs in different areas in different years, but most of it usually remains for the winter in the Novorossiysk region or somewhat to the south.

Biology and behavior:
Reproduction of anchovy occurs everywhere in the Black Sea and continues throughout the warm season - from May to September, and, judging by the eggs found, the most intense spawning occurs in places where plankton is massively developed. The fertility of anchovy is about 20-25 thousand eggs, spawned in two or three (sometimes even four) portions. Hamsa has a very short life cycle - its age limit is only 3-4 years. In the first two years of life, this fish grows quite quickly, reaching 10-11 cm in length by the end of this period, but subsequently its growth rate slows down, and the maximum size does not exceed 13, rarely 15 cm. In the general composition of the spawning population of anchovy, two predominate - and three-year-old fish, and four-year-old fish account for only about 1%.

Distribution area:
It lives off the Atlantic coast of Europe and North Africa, in the Azov-Black Sea basin.

Hamsa is a fish, a type of anchovy, that lives in schools in coastal areas. You can meet it in the Atlantic Ocean or the sea (mainly the Black and Azov seas). Its other known names are sprat or sprat.

It has been known to mankind for a long time, it was known as a very profitable and expensive product and was second only to such an important product as bread. Even in ancient times, the Romans and Greeks bought anchovy from fishermen. Archaeologists even now on the Crimean coast find vats for salting it and sinkers from nets used to catch anchovy.

The main method of preparation is salting, it has a specific taste - slightly bitter, the fillet is tender and soft. In addition to salting, gurum sauce is prepared from anchovy, which tastes sour and spicy.

The fish is of average size, usually no more than 20 cm. There are also even smaller specimens, the color is varied - from blue-green to gray-black. The sides are usually silver in color; at times they may have longitudinal stripes. This is a peaceful fish that feeds on plankton. Can easily withstand temperature changes and high salinity of water.

There are many varieties of anchovy, but 3 types are used for industrial purposes. Today, anchovy is highly valued not only because of its taste, but also for its affordability. Salted fish is common in stores, but you can also find fresh fish. This fish is an excellent seafood delicacy. The calorie content is low - 100 g of the product contains 90 kcal.

Application of anchovy

The main method of consumption is in salted form; it looks and even tastes a little like sprat, but has a richer and more delicate taste. Potatoes are perfect as a side dish.

Freshly frozen anchovy can be prepared in various ways - steamed, added to soup, baked or fried. For the cuisines of other countries, it is typical to prepare fish stew, pate, put it in salads, pasta and for stuffing olives, put it in sauces and pizza. And anchovy prepared in a certain way is an anchovy delicacy, an indispensable attribute for relaxing with beer. A very popular dish is breaded fried anchovy.

At processing plants, it is used to prepare canned food and meat and bone meal, which is the main component for pet food. Also used to feed birds and other animals (dolphins, whales and others).

Beneficial features

The high content of micro and macroelements (zinc, calcium, chromium and others) makes fish useful for almost all people, regardless of age and diet.
Nutritional value - can even be compared with meat (for example, beef), fish is even healthier, since its protein is much better absorbed.
Can be consumed while following a diet - boiled or steamed fish will contain only 100 kcal per 100 g, so its quantity can not be limited.
The presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids helps eliminate cholesterol and prevents the occurrence of blood clots. These acids also reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. If these diseases already exist, then they can slightly restrain their development.
Benefits for the male body - it has a beneficial effect on potency, especially when used systematically.
Benefits for bone tissue - it has frequent but very small seeds, so it can be eaten almost entirely with the seeds.
The presence of protein, vitamins PP.
Normalizes the activity of the thyroid gland.
Has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair. When you notice that your skin is peeling and your hair is dull, you should add this small fish to your diet.
Hamsa has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
The presence of vitamins D promotes phosphorus-calcium metabolism in the body, which is especially useful for children for harmonious growth and development.
B vitamins and amino acids – promote the proper functioning of the nervous and digestive systems.

Harm to fish

Individual intolerance – you need to completely remove it from your diet.
Salted fish is not recommended for those who have problems with the urinary system. A high salt content puts a significant strain on the body. It is better to remove it completely from the diet if you have problems with kidneys and cardiovascular diseases.

Application of fish

Medicine – included in proper nutrition programs, included in the diet of people whose bodies are weakened after illness. Doctors advise including anchovy in the diet of children, diabetics, athletes, the elderly and those who are overweight. When using anchovy for dietary nutrition, you must remember that the fish must be boiled or steamed. Salted or fried anchovy will not be healthy for nutrition. Although it has almost no contraindications, it is still worth consulting with a nutritionist or doctor before introducing it into your diet.

Cosmetology – fish is not used for the production of cosmetics; it is used exclusively in dietary nutrition. It has a positive effect on the male and female body due to its high content of fat, protein and lack of carbohydrates, as well as low calorie content. Hamsa can be used to replace fattier fish or meat, in which case the weight will gradually decrease. This change in diet is not required from a person of enormous willpower, since the fish fillet is tender and tasty, it is nutritious, quickly digested, and there is no feeling of fullness or heaviness in the stomach.

Dish recipes

Salting - rinse, drain in a colander, no need to gut, as when salting the bitterness will disappear and it will not be felt at all. Mix with sea salt in the following proportions: spicy salting 250-300 grams, moderate salting – 100 grams of salt. Sprinkle with spices (cloves, pepper or cumin), add bay leaves, place in an enamel container, and apply pressure. After a few days, you can enjoy the taste of the finished fish.
Quick pickling - allows you to enjoy excellent taste in just a couple of hours. Rinse the fish, for every 10 pieces of fish you need to take 2 tablespoons of coarse salt, add sugar (1.5 tablespoons), juice of half a lemon, mix everything. Place the anchovy in a plastic bag, wait a couple of hours, and wash off excess salt before serving. Store in a sealable food container.
Hot pies - be sure to cut the fish, as it will be very bitter, rinse and leave to drain. Pour corn flour into a large container (1 cup per kilogram of anchovy), add salt, put the fish here and mix gently so that each one is breaded. Pour a little oil into a frying pan (preferably cast iron), heat it well, place the anchovy with their tails towards the center, the fish should be placed tightly to each other. Simmer over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Next, take a flat plate, press the anchovy to the bottom of the frying pan and drain the excess oil from another container. Continue frying the fish until crispy. Serve with lemon, sprinkled with onion half rings (preferably red). You can use potatoes in any form as a side dish.
Baked in the oven - take half a kilogram of fish, defrost, gut and rinse. Pour a little oil onto a baking sheet, cut a small onion into rings, and place on the bottom of the mold. Place anchovy on it, add salt, cover with lemon and tomato slices, sprinkle with thyme and pour water (2-3 tablespoons), put in the oven for 30 minutes. A vegetable salad is suitable as a side dish.
Stewed anchovy - gut the fish, stew the vegetables, cut into not very small cubes, add spices, add water so that the later fish is stewed and not fried. The fish should be added when the onion has softened, cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes. This time will allow the anchovy and vegetables to exchange flavors. You can serve spaghetti as a side dish. To do this, you need to cook them until half cooked, drain the water, and rinse the pasta, then put it in a frying pan with fish and vegetables, mix and heat

Hamsa is considered a very healthy fish and will do virtually no harm, but still, do not forget that everything should be in moderation. Even the healthiest product is not recommended to be consumed too often or too much, so as not to harm your own body.