Crucian carp: photo, description, useful properties and recipes

Crucian carp - a typical representative of the ray-fish family of carps. It differs in its unpretentiousness to the habitat, survives even in those conditions in which any other fish would not last a day.

Crucian carp: what kind of fish, how it looks and where it lives

The main place of life of crucian carp are reservoirs with fresh water. It is found throughout the Russian Federation, including the Far Eastern and Siberian regions. In addition to the Russian Federation, the fish is found in America, Asia and European countries, feeling fine not only in natural water reservoirs such as reedy estuaries, river backwaters, shallow lakes, but also in artificial water basins. The most ideal place for crucian carp is a water body with a muddy bottom, slow-moving current and plenty of aquatic vegetation, but in mountain rivers the fish is extremely rare. In harsh climatic conditions, it hibernates, is very sensitive to emergencies and can burrow half a meter into the silt at the slightest danger.

Carp has a wide body with flattened flanks and a rounded back with a large fin. The most important function is performed by the sides of the fish, because there are pores that are directly connected with the subcutaneous receptors. With their help, the crucian carp easily picks up any, even the most insignificant movements at quite a long distance, which significantly helps when hunting and approaching a dangerous predator. The upper part is represented by a small head with small but expressive dark eyes, the raised mouth is filled with one row of teeth.

The scales are dense, large in size, smooth in texture, and very pleasing in appearance. Depending on habitat and food, the length of an adult is from 40 to 60 cm, the average weight is 1.5-3 kg, but there are representatives weighing 7-8 kg. Scale coloration - from silver to color resembling old gold. Most often there are golden-colored crucian carp with a grayish-yellow or greenish tint. On average, the life span varies from 10 to 12 years.

The onset of sexual maturity usually occurs at the age of 3-4 years. The spawning period occurs in mid-spring and early summer, when the water temperature reaches 15 degrees. The process of spawning takes place in two stages with an interval of 10-14 days. The eggs have a sticky structure, which allows them to be easily attached to shoreline vegetation. After about a week, the larvae emerge from the eggs, from which the fry hatch and immediately begin to feed on plankton, gradually switching to plant food. The process of group spawning takes place rapidly over several days. The number of males involved in spawning is many times less than that of females. One female is capable of hatching about 300,000 eggs at a time.

The crucian's diet includes plankton, water plants, small invertebrates, crustaceans, worms, and insects. Such a menu allows slow carp to grow and gain weight quickly. During the winter, being in a dormant state, they easily do without any food.

Types

Ichthyologists distinguish five main species of crucian carp: goldfish, silverfish, goldfish, whitefish, mabuna. The first three species are the most popular.

1. Golden crucian carp. The most common and all familiar species. It has a characteristic golden color. It lives in overgrown reservoirs, ponds, and lakes. It is most common in the Eurasian part of the country and in Siberian lakes. It is distinguished by its larger size and poor mobility. Most often, representatives of this species are kept in flocks.
2. Silver crucian carp. The size is smaller than the goldfish. Most of the individuals by sex are females with silver scales. A characteristic feature is the presence of a large number of stamens in the gills, unlike other species. Can be found in any Eurasian bodies of water, although the original habitat was considered the rivers of Siberia.
3. Goldfish. This species does not occur in the wild, as it has been artificially bred by breeders and is considered decorative. Such a crucian carp can be recognized by its bright orange coloring. It looks great in a home aquarium, unpretentious.
4. Mabun and white crucian carp. Low-distributed species, the main habitat - reservoirs of Japan. It is extremely rare to find representatives of these species in Far Eastern rivers.

Enemies of the crucian carp

Crucian carp, like most fish and animals, have their own enemies. In the natural environment the main danger for crucian carp are all kinds of predatory fish. A pike likes to eat crucian carp more than all, there is a proverb "here and pike, that crucian carp doesn't doze". Frogs and newts can easily compete with predators on destruction of crucian carp fry, because they consider crucian eggs and fry a real delicacy. Birds, such as gulls and herons, are also happy to eat this leisurely fish. Predatory animals (foxes, otters, muskrats) also successfully catch crucian carp. Well, the most dangerous and serious enemy of crucian carp is, of course, the fisherman.

And it is not surprising, because crucian carp has a great commercial value for a long time. Due to their ever-increasing numbers and the expansion of their habitat, the crucian carasses have taken a leading role in the commercial fishery. Many private fish farms raise crucian carp for sale.

What is the difference between crucian carp and carp

Despite the fact that crucian carp belongs to the carp family, there are a number of characteristic features that allow to distinguish these two fish species:

1. The presence of whiskers in Carp Outwardly immediately distinguishes it from the toothless crucian carp.
2. The carp head has a slightly curved shape with a distinctive hump at the bottom of the forehead.
3. The lips of the crucian carp are thinner and not as fleshy.
4. The body of crucian representatives differs in height, elasticity and compactness, scales are much smaller and lighter than those of carp.
5. The meat of carp has a pink-red hue in contrast to the white hue of the carp meat. The former is less bony.
6. The average maximum weight of karas - up to 3 kg, and in carps - up to 20 kg, the length can be up to 1 m.

Composition and calories

The meat of crucian carp not only tastes good, but also has a lot of useful properties. It contains mineral elements, saturated fatty acids, calcium, fluorine, phosphorus, magnesium, chrome, iron, molybdenum, nickel, sodium, vitamins A, E and D. The energetic value of the edible part of crucian carp is very low- only 87 kcal per 100 g, fat content- 1,8 g, protein- 17,7 g, all of them being easily digestible. That's why it belongs to the dietary products.

How is the crucian carp useful?

General benefits

Since crucian meat includes a huge number of micro- and macroelements, as well as vitamins, the use of its food has a positive effect on the entire body as a whole. If you regularly include crucian carp in your diet, you can improve your immunity, improve your mood. Also, crucian meat helps to fight infectious and cancerous diseases, improves eyesight, has a favorable effect on the cardiovascular system, normalizes blood pressure and heart rhythms.

Medical experts strongly recommend eating crucian meat at least 2-3 times a week.

For women

For every representative of the fair sex are very important issues of appearance. Consumption of crucian carp can improve condition of hair, skin and nails, slow down aging processes, maintain ideal body shape. Crucian meat has a beneficial effect on the state of the teeth, gets rid of thyroid problems.

For men

The benefits of eating crucian carp for men lies in the saturation of the body with polyunsaturated fats, complete protein, vitamins and useful substances. In today's rhythm of life, men work very hard and they simply need to increase their mental performance. Including crucian carp in the menu will help to solve this problem, as well as reduce the risk of heart attack. Speaking about the male body, it is worth noting that regular eating of fish has the most favorable effect on male potency and has a preventive effect against prostate cancer.

When pregnant

Women who are expecting a baby, can and should eat fish. Its constituent substances have an effect on a number of processes:

• brain cells mature faster, which has a positive effect on the psychomotor development of the baby;
• the immune system increases;
• Thick blood is liquefied;
• the correct formation of cell membranes occurs;
• the risk of hypertension is reduced.

Scientists have proved that eating fish during pregnancy improves the mood of the future mother, and this contributes to the birth of active and intelligent children. But along with the consumption of crucian carp you need to add to your diet and more fatty varieties of fish (chum, catfish, mackerel, herring, flounder).

When breastfeeding

Carp is considered one of the most useful fish during breastfeeding. Due to the high protein content, the product should be a must in the menu of breastfeeding women. Unlike sea fish, river fish will not cause an allergic reaction, and the nutrients that the young mother needs so much will enter the body no less. When consuming crucian carp, the body of the recently born woman recovers faster. Zinc in the composition of crucian carp meat has a positive effect on memory and concentration. Crucian carp is also necessary for breastfeeding women because of its lactogenic action.

Doctors recommend that young mothers cook fish in any way, except frying. Fried foods put a serious strain on the digestive system, and this is undesirable in the period of postpartum recovery of the female body.

For children

It is definitely worth including this freshwater fish in children's menus. Studies have shown that children who regularly eat fish dishes, improve the immune system, normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, increase appetite, in time occurs mental and physical development. Besides, calcium, fluorine and phosphorus contained in carp have a significant impact on tooth enamel formation, which is extremely important during the period of milk teeth loss.

When losing weight

When losing weight, crucian carp should undoubtedly be included in the diet as often as possible. In addition to its low calorie content, fish meat, thanks to its composition, will not only help to normalize metabolic processes, but also to dissolve fat.

For pancreatitis

Thanks to its low fat content, crucian carp can be eaten by people suffering from pancreatitis, but not during the period of chronic exacerbation. At this time, it is better to refuse any fish at all.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the huge number of useful properties, when eating crucian carp, there are also some contraindications:

• Allergic reaction to fish products;
• Individual intolerance of fish smell;
• gout.

You should not eat stale fish, because spoiled product can cause a serious departure.

You should not cook fish caught in polluted waters. Such products can contain a lot of heavy metals, which can harm the body. In addition, the individual can be infected with helminths.

Is the caviar of the crucian carp useful?

In addition to fish meat, many people eat crucian caviar. Despite its unassuming appearance, it has many useful properties that are as important as the caviar of noble breeds of fish. Crucian caviar contains:

• vitamins A, B, D, E, PP;
• Minerals such as fluorine, calcium and zinc;
• healthy fats, including omega-3;
• pure protein.

Caviar can be fried or baked, but the best way is to salt it so that its useful properties are preserved.

How to salt

Let's consider the easiest and fastest way to prepare salted crucian caviar.

Step 1: Preparing the caviar
We take fresh fish. We incise the abdomen and carefully remove the sac with roe from each individual, trying not to damage the gallbladder. Otherwise the roe will be spoiled by bile and acquire a bitter taste. Send all the extracted sacs to a clean bowl. You can use a mixer on low speed or a sieve to remove the film, but it's better to do everything the old-fashioned way. We take gauze, put the caviar in a gauze bag and send it to the strongly salted water, preheated to 70 degrees. Remove the foil and put the eggs aside.

Step 2: Preparing the brine
Nothing complicated in the preparation of the brine. We need water in the ratio of 1 to 3, where the quantity of eggs is 1, and water - 3. Bring the liquid to a boil, add regular salt at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water. After boiling, remove from the fire.

Step 3: Salting the game
In the prepared hot brine we dip the crucian caviar eggs, leave for 10 minutes. At the end of the specified time, take out, strain with a gauze or sieve, add a little vegetable oil and stir. The product is ready to eat.

Harm and contraindications of crucian caviar

Because of the high protein content, which has a high allergenicity, people suffering from allergies are not recommended to consume crucian caviar. Also, this fish delicacy should be abandoned in the period of weight loss, because the composition is high in fat, which makes this product a high-calorie.

How to choose and store

In order to prepare not only tasty, but also useful dishes from crucian carp, it is necessary to check many parameters when buying:

• The eyes should not be dull;
• The normal color of the gills is considered dark red, no green;
• The abdomen is firm, without obvious depressions.

It is better to buy fish in supermarkets or specialized fish stores, not at the flea market. If possible, it is better to buy live fish, its freshness will not cause any doubts.

Depending on the condition of the purchased fish there are certain requirements for its storage.

Fresh fish
It is better to cook it immediately, but if for some reason it cannot be done, it can be left in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. The obligatory condition before sending it to the refrigerator is to clean the carp, gut it, wash it well, remove excess moisture with a cloth or towel, salt or splash with lemon juice, cover it and only after all these manipulations should it be sent for short-term storage.

If the storage period is delayed, it is better to move the fish into the freezer, having previously sent it in a plastic bag.

Frozen fish.
It can be stored in the freezer for several months. Defrost it gradually, without the help of hot water or other heated items. Do not re-freeze, such a product will lose not only appearance but also quality.

Before you start cooking dishes from crucian carp, it should be cleaned from scales and gutted.

How to clean a crucian carp properly

This is not the most pleasant process for every housewife, but if you take some advice from experts in fish cooking, you can perform this task not only quickly, but also qualitatively. The main nuances:

1. Fresh fish of medium and large size lends itself best to cleaning.
2. You can use special devices. Carp should be placed on a cutting board, it is better if it is equipped with a clamp, which will fix the carcass by the tail, which will help to quickly and safely remove scales. To remove scales, take a sharp knife or a special device (fish cleaner, four-sided grater), which can be purchased in stores. If none of the above is at hand, you can use the old fisherman's way: take a spoon and a fork. Use a fork to hold the fish and a spoon to remove scales against growth, that is from the tail to the head.
3. In the process of cleaning the scales will fly in different directions. To prevent this, you can clean the fish in a basin of water. The resistance of the water will not allow the scales to leave the basin.
4. After removing the scales, you need to clean the inside of the fish, simply gut it. To do this, cut the abdomen along its entire length and carefully remove the contents of the crucian carp, without touching the gallbladder, because if it is damaged, the fish will acquire a bitter taste. If suddenly it is still not possible to leave the bladder intact and unharmed, it is advised to immediately sprinkle the place of rupture with salt, it will neutralize the unpleasant smell and taste. Be sure to remove the black film on the inner walls.
5. The main thing is not to forget to remove the gills. To do this, cut the connecting link between the head and the body. Using a knife, pick up the gills and remove them, holding them with your thumb.
6. Completing the cleaning of crucian carp is a thorough rinsing with cold water of the internal and external parts of the fish carcass.

Now the crucian carp is ready for further cooking.

How to cook crucian carp: recipes

Crucian carp can be cooked in different ways, below are the most popular.

In the oven

To bake crucian carp in the oven, it is better to use heat-resistant cookware made of glass, cast iron, ceramic with enamel coating. It is such a container is able to convey the magnificent aroma and proper taste of the fish. Aluminum and metal cookware should be abandoned.

Before sending the fish into the oven, it is necessary to marinate it. To do this, it is enough to soak the fish in a vinegar or lemon solution for 30 minutes and add spices. It is better to make incisions on the sides, this will help to reduce the number of bones. Cooking time depends on the recipe and the size of the fish. You should not use too high a temperature, this will dry out the tender meat.

Below is one of the most popular and loved by many recipes for crucian carp cooked in the oven.

Baked crucian carp in sour cream with onions
You will need:

• 2 medium-sized crucian carp;
• 1 onion;
• 2 tbsp. sour cream;
• 100 ml of vegetable oil;
• 50 ml of lemon juice;
• Salt and spices - to taste.

Pre-cleaned fish is rubbed on both sides with spices and sprinkle with lemon juice, after a while cover with sour cream. To obtain a homogeneous flavor, we send the crucian carp in the onion chopped in half rings for 30 minutes. At this time, from foil we make boat molds. On the bottom of the resulting form, lay a part of the onion slices, put the crucian carp on top, fill it with the rest of the onion, add vegetable oil. With the second crucian carp, the same manipulations are done. We put both fish on a baking pan, pour water on its bottom in order to prevent it from burning and drying out. Bake in the oven for half an hour at 180 degrees. The crucians are ready.

In a pan

The most popular and fastest way to cook crucian carp is pan-frying. Fish cooked in this way turns out very tasty and flavorful. It is ideal to use fresh crucians.

Classic pan fried crucians
To treat yourself and your loved ones with a healthy fried dinner, you will need:

• 1 kg of fresh crucians;
• 1 medium onion;
• 6 tablespoons of flour;
• salt, spices, lemon - to taste and desire.

In previously cleaned and gutted fish make deep vertical cuts from head to tail at a distance of 10 mm from each other on both sides of the carcass. This will help to reduce the number of small bones considerably. Sprinkle with salt and spices and set aside. At this time, add vegetable oil to a well heated frying pan. Batter each crucian in flour and send it to the hot oil. The frying time is 5-7 minutes on each side at moderate heat. The time depends on the size of the fish. To achieve a golden and crispy crust, it is not necessary to cover the pan with a lid. To remove excess fat, put the cooked fish on a dish, previously covered with a paper towel. You can garnish the fried crucians with fried golden onions and a splash of lemon juice. Our delicious and, most importantly, healthy dinner is ready.

On the grill

This method of cooking is ideal for people who watch the figure. It is on the barbecue that the crucian carp turns out not only tasty and healthy, but also dietary. After all, it does not require high-calorie products, such as vegetable oil, for its cooking.

Recipe for crucian carp on the grill
The first thing to do is to marinate the prepared fish. You can use any marinade, to your taste. But the most popular and delicious are considered the following:

1. Soy sauce. To the soy sauce, add 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar and your favorite spices.
2. Dry marinade. You can make it yourself, giving preference to your gastronomic preferences, or buy a ready-made mix in the store. For better uniform distribution of the marinade on all the inside and outside parts of the fish, add a little olive oil to the dry mixture. Wrap the grated carasses in clingfilm and put in the refrigerator for an hour.
3. Sour cream and mayonnaise. Mix 3 tbsp of sour cream and mayonnaise, add 1 tsp salt, half a lemon, chopped onion, spices. Pour this marinade over the catfish and let it stand for 3 hours.

The marinating process when cooking fish on the grill is a must. It will give the fish a juicy taste and prevent the crusts from drying out. The more and more diverse the composition of spices in the marinade, the more delicious and fragrant the crucian carp will turn out.

Important nuances:

1. To ensure that the fish roasts evenly and does not burn, it is better to fry on coals, not on an open fire.
2. To avoid the fish sticking to the grate, it is necessary to first slightly grease the latter with vegetable oil.
3. Minimum frying time is 15 minutes on each side.

On the grill

This method of cooking is not much different from the grill. The main difference is that the frying takes place on an open grill or grill pan. Such a dish can be attributed to the dietary.

The following ingredients will be needed:

• 3 medium-sized crucian carp;
• 50 ml of soy sauce and sunflower oil;
• 0.5 tsp. seasoning;
• half a lemon.

Mix in a bowl soy sauce, oil, seasonings, lemon juice. Mix everything thoroughly. We rub the already cleaned carcass both on the inside and outside, pour the rest of the marinade on the fish and leave for half an hour. Grill the fish for 7-10 minutes on each side, without adding oil. Grilled carp are ready.

In a multicooker

Modern housewives when cooking their culinary masterpieces more and more often use the novelty of kitchen equipment - the multicooker. There are many recipes for it. And, of course, such a popular fish is no exception.

Ingredients:

• 3 small crucian carp;
• a large onion;
• 1.5 tbsp. sour cream;
• 40 g of butter;
• spices - to taste;
• flour and vegetable oil - as additional ingredients.

Peeled crucian carp cut in medium slices. Turn on the "Fry" mode, add a little vegetable oil to the bowl. Pre-grilled pieces of fish in flour we send to the bowl of the multicooker. Fry for 5-7 minutes on each side and put on a plate.

In a bowl fry half-circle sliced onion, add sour cream and spices. Then put the roasted carasses in the sour cream sauce. The important point is that the fish should be completely immersed in the liquid. If the sauce is not enough, dilute it with water.

From the mode "Frying" switch to "Stew". Set time for cooking 30 minutes. In half an hour the crucians stewed in sour cream are ready, serve them hot.

What can be cooked from crucian carp: recipes

In addition to the above-mentioned ways of cooking crucian carp, you can use them as the main ingredient in both first and second dishes.

Fish soup

Crucian carp soup turns out excellent. The cost is very affordable, and the taste of the first dish is not worse than when using expensive fish.

The following products will be needed:

• crucian carp - 4 pcs;
• Onion and carrot of medium size - 1 pc;
• potatoes - 3 pcs;
• salt, pepper, bay leaf and herbs - to taste.

Pour water over the cleaned fish and put it on the fire. While the water boils, finely chop the onion and grate the carrot. Peel and dice the potatoes. After boiling, put all the prepared vegetables into a saucepan. Add salt, pepper, bayroot, and cook for an average of 20 minutes. You can determine the readiness of ukha by the potatoes. After the end of cooking, pour greens into the fish soup and let it stand for 5-7 minutes on the stove. Tasty and cheap fish soup is ready.

Cutlets

Often, carp are used to prepare second dishes. One of the most popular, of course, are fish cutlets.

Since crucian carp is a bony fish, it is necessary to observe some conditions when preparing the minced meat for our cutlets. To make mincemeat of high quality and homogeneous, as much as possible remove bones from the flesh of the crucian carp. To do this, the cleaned fish is lowered in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then the backbone is carefully extracted, large ribs are removed and small bones are cleaned as much as possible. The resulting fillet is ground through a fine grid several times. Add onions in the ratio of 2-3 heads per 2 kg of fish, a couple of garlic cloves, salt and spices to taste. Adding a few spoons of sour cream or cream will give juiciness. If the resulting minced meat is whipped with a blender, the cutlets will be puffy. Fry the cutlets in hot oil, pre-stuffed with breadcrumbs, flour or semolina of your choice.

An ideal side dish for fish cutlets would be fresh or stewed vegetables, buckwheat porridge or mashed potatoes.

Interesting facts

In conclusion of the article we would like to give some interesting facts about crucian carp.

1. Despite its unpretentious attitude to the habitat, the crucian carp is very capricious in the choice of food. Many fishermen note this fact. Today he enjoys bread, tomorrow - worms, and on the third day he even prefers foam plastic. So his gastronomic tastes and preferences are not given to understand. That is why the common crucian carp is considered one of the most capricious fish in terms of food.
2. The crucian carp has the best sense of smell. He catches and distinguishes thousands of different smells that are emitted by various living organisms and substances in his body of water.
3. It is rumored that the crucian carp is the most intelligent representative of the entire family of carps. It is he who can easily bypass fishing nets and outwit poachers. At the sight of an angler's net, this cunning fish is capable of lying on the bottom of a body of water right on its side. After the danger of being caught has passed, it will calmly swim on its way.
4. The crucian carp has a reputation as the most cautious fish. It has a panic fear of large hooks and large weights. To make a successful catch, it is necessary to use a few small pellets and cling them as far from the hook as possible.
5. Carp loves all new and unusual smells, which in no way relate to its usual diet. For example, he will definitely be interested in garlic scent, the smell of the drug Corvalol, valerian, gasoline. Fishermen who are aware of this reliable fact, successfully take advantage of this weakness of karas when fishing. And fans and defenders of the fish have nicknamed it the "fish toxicomaniac".
6. It is a very unpredictable fish. Even the most avid fishermen, going to catch crucian carp, can not say with certainty - will the fishing be successful or not. Crucian behavior is impossible to calculate. And no suitable weather conditions, favorable wind, phases of the moon can affect the unpredictable temper of the crucian. As for fishing, everything depends solely on luck.
7. Curiosity often plays a cruel joke with the crucian carp. Cunning fishermen purposely raise silt from the bottom with the help of a stick and thus muddy the water in the reservoir. Undoubtedly, this attracts small crucian carp in the hope of easy prey, and they go straight to the deliberately created by the fisherman fishing spot. Larger individuals do not ignore such behavior and soon go after them.

Photo of a crucian carp