Spanish Mackerel

Name: Spanish mackerel — fast-swimming, silver fish of the genus Scomberomorus, including the Atlantic Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) of the Atlantic coast of the Americas, and the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) of the Indo-Pacific. They are larger and firmer than ordinary mackerel.

Description

Spanish mackerels are important food fish in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia, where the narrow-barred species is called tenggiri in Malay and Indonesian, and is made into fish cakes, curries, and the Singaporean and Malaysian otak-otak. In India it is called surmai or seer fish, and is a prized fish for frying and curries.

The flesh is firm, oily, and less strong-flavoured than Atlantic mackerel, with a rich, meaty taste that holds up to spices. Spanish mackerel is a medium mercury fish, higher than small mackerel, but lower than king mackerel, which is a different, larger species.

Main nutrition value

Spanish mackerel is an oily fish, and a rich source of the long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and protein.

How best to be consumed

Spanish mackerel is firm, and holds up to strong flavours.

1. Cut into steaks or fillets, and marinate with turmeric, chilli, garlic and lime, then pan-fry or grill.
2. Cook in curries with coconut milk and spices, as in Indian seer fish curry.
3. Grind into fish paste for fish cakes and otak-otak, as in Southeast Asia.
4. Smoke or grill it, and serve with rice, pickles and herbs.
5. Buy very fresh, and keep cold.

Overconsumption could cause…

Spanish mackerel is healthy in food amounts, with mercury and freshness points.

1. Mercury, a metal that builds up in fish and can affect the developing nervous system, so pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children should follow local advice on how much and which fish to eat. Spanish mackerel is a medium-mercury fish, so limit it for pregnant women and children, while king mackerel is high and best avoided.
2. Scombroid (histamine) poisoning, causing flushing, headache, rash and stomach upset within minutes to hours, from fish that were stored too warm, so buy very fresh fish and keep it cold.
3. Fish allergy, which can be severe and is usually lifelong, so anyone allergic must avoid fish and check labels, including fish in sauces and dressings.
4. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since fish and shellfish are moderately high in purines.

GroupsOily FishFinfishHigh proteinLow sodiumRich in omega-3Rich in seleniumRich in vitamin B12Rich in vitamin DFresh

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Wikipedia — Spanish mackerel, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_mackerel