Reckoned as the king mackerel, the kingfish is a valuable species for both leisure and commercial fishers. As sought-after seafood, this game fish is sold as steaks, fillets or as a whole. Farmed and wild-caught kingfish are best prepared by baking, frying, smoking, and grilling. The best part is that many non-seafood lovers also prefer kingfish thanks to its sweet, tender, and amazingly flaky texture, which does not taste too fishy.
The kingfish is certainly a very versatile fish. It features thick white fillets and merely a few bones, which make it a great option for various incredible recipes such as pan-fried kingfish, kingfish roasted in butter, and Caribbean-style kingfish. Continue reading to learn more about kingfish benefits, taste, and cooking methods.
King Mackerel Fish: Taste, Texture, and Where Is it Found?
The kingfish is a migratory species belonging to the larger mackerel family. Some varieties of this fish are found in the Gulf of Mexico, the western Atlantic Ocean, offshore reefs and islands or near the coast in the warm temperate waters of the Tasmanian coast, Queensland, south to Shark Bay (WA), and many more places. In India, this fish is found in the Bay of Bengal on the Eastern coast of India, on the Western coast of India and in the Indian Ocean.
As mentioned before, kingfish are firm in texture and have slightly oily flesh that tastes pleasant with a deep umami flavour. The firm fish tends to become softer when cooked and can give a melt-in-mouth, juicy sensation if cooked properly.
When it comes to the taste of kingfish, many people compare it with that of common mackerel, which is not surprising since they’re of the same species. Kingfish tastes best when cooked and seared on medium heat. Some cooking methods can mess with the taste of this fish, such as deep fat-frying since the fish is already fatty.
Experts suggest that once filleted, it is important to soak every fillet in ice water until you begin to prepare the fish to avoid any loss of taste and texture. Kingfish has a reputation for losing taste and texture faster than other fish, even when refrigerated.
That said, here’s some great news for you. At Licious, kingfish are sourced from the day’s catch of approved local boats. The fish are then professionally scaled and cleaned in RO water, and are cut by experts before being hygienically vacuum packed. Please note that kingfish at Licious is always fresh and never frozen. Moreover, our kingfish are free from added chemicals, and you get to choose from a variety of cuts depending on your recipe.
Kingfish Benefits
Kingfish is low in calories, high in nutrients, and has many health benefits. Some of them are:
- It is enriched with Omega-3, which helps maintain a healthy heart besides supporting the function of cells.
- Kingfish are rich in protein, selenium, and many essential nutrients.
- Kingfish contains all three B vitamins in substantial quantities.
Kingfish Indian Recipe You Can Try
Kingfish is adaptable to a variety of cooking methods, and all of them taste delicious. We can simply pan-fry kingfish, grill it, or bake it.
Since king fish cooks pretty fast, we can relish it for lunch or dinner in no time. Here are the top three ways to cook kingfish:
Pan-fried Kingfish
Pan-fried kingfish tastes crispy and succulent. It is prepared by rubbing a mixture of ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper, turmeric, and lemon juice on the fish.
Once marinated, all you need to do to relish pan-fried kingfish is simply heat the oil in a pan and fry the marinated kingfish for a minute or two on each side until the fish is cooked and tender. It goes well with tomato sauce or caramelised onions.
Grilled Kingfish
Nothing beats the wholesomeness of grilled kingfish that is first coated in olive oil and sprinkled with pepper and salt to taste. The cooking process is simple: grill the fish for about a minute or two on each side over medium heat till it flakes easily. Slice it and spread fennel salad on top of it, and you are all set. And yes, never forget slices of lemon. You’ll thank us later.
Baked Kingfish
To savour the goodness of baked kingfish, you need to follow a simple cooking process. Start by coating the kingfish with a mixture of multi-grain breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.
Then, sprinkle pepper and salt over the fish. Set the kingfish in a lightly oiled pan and coat it in oil. Bake the kingfish for 15 minutes at 180°C. Serve immediately with lemon slices.Already starving to make these kingfish recipes? This is why, at Licious, we home deliver fresh kingfish straight off the coast. So, visit our website to order this delectable fish and get cooking!