Sazan fish: photo, description, useful properties and recipes

Carp is a beautiful fish from the carp family, which has a second name - common carp. It likes freshwater reservoirs and prefers to live in one place. Compared to other fish, carp can live up to 38 years, which is rare for other freshwater representatives. The common carp's growth lasts until it is seven years old, then it stops.

Carp: What kind of fish are they, what does they look like, and where do they live?

The carp is considered a freshwater representative of the carp family of fish, although it can also be found in seas such as the Black, Azov, Caspian and others. Its main habitat is rivers, ponds, reservoirs and lakes. It can be found in the Far East, Central Asia, and Kamchatka. It does not like fast currents and prefers to live in one place, where there is a lot of plant food, but will not refuse the eggs of other fish or amphibians.

It is not difficult to recognize the carp by its memorable appearance. It has beautiful "golden" scales with a bluish cast. The scales are lighter on the belly and darker on the back. Features of the common carp:

1. The scales have a specific ornament, and each has its own: at the base there is a dark spot, and the edge is edged with a dark stripe. Thus, on the body of carp there is a peculiar pattern of rhombics.
2. The fin of the fish is long and well developed. It runs along the entire back.
3. The head of the carp is large with a retractable mouth and small eyes. It has tendrils located on both sides of the upper lip.

Worth knowing! The fins of the carp have spines (they are popularly called "saws"). They are prickly with jagged edges, so you have to be careful when cleaning the fish.

On average the fish reaches 30 cm in length, but sometimes it grows to a meter. This happens rarely, but it also happens.

The maximum parameters of fish:

• length - 100 cm;
• weight - 40 kg.

If we talk about the familiar fish, they weigh no more than 3 kg, and their length does not exceed 40 cm.

Types

There are two main subspecies of carp:

• Amur;
• European.

The first species is found in bodies of water in the Far East and southern Asia, the second - lives in the basins of the seas, such as the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea.

What is the difference between carp and carp

There are some features of domestic carp. They can be both scaly and completely "naked," that is, without scales. There may be species that are half covered with scales.

1. Scaly carps are completely covered with scales.
2. Naked fish do not have scales. These carps are called leathery carps because their body is only covered with skin.
3. There are mirror fish that have large scales. Carps get this name because the scales resemble small mirrors.

Composition and calories

The meat of carp is classified as a dietary product, since its caloric value per 100 g does not exceed 100 kcal. To be more precise, it is only 97 kcal. There are no carbohydrates in the fish, but there are:

• fats;
• proteins;
• ash;
• water.

If we talk about vitamins, carp is rich in group vitamins:

• А;
• В;
• С;
• Е;
• Д;
• PP.

There are retinol, lecithin and niacin in meat.

Of the micro- and macronutrients should be highlighted:

• calcium;
• sulfur;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• iodine;
• iron;
• chlorine;
• sodium;
• zinc;
• chromium;
• fluorine, etc.

As we can see, carp has a sufficient number of valuable substances necessary for full human life. In the fish there are useful acids that are also important for the human body. Of these, omega-3 is worth mentioning. For example, some fatty acids are good for vision. They can suspend the development of degenerative changes in the eyes, particularly in the eyeballs.

Some people think that carp meat tastes better than carp. But this is not true. Even a gourmand will not be able to determine the difference between these two representatives of the family. The meat of the varieties has exactly the same taste. It is boneless, very juicy, appetizing and tender. The fillet is spicy, slightly sweet.

Useful properties of carp

General benefits

The fish is equally useful for young children and the elderly. It will not only saturate the body with missing valuable and important substances, but it can charge a person with energy, improve cerebral circulation, make it possible to normalize metabolic processes in the body.

Especially useful will be carp for patients suffering from ulcers or gastritis. The fish has no carbohydrates at all, so it is recommended to include it in the patients' diet.

For people who are prescribed special diets, the meat of common carp is of particular benefit. In addition to its general properties, the acids contained in the fish fight inflammatory processes, which is especially important for people on medical diets or leading an active lifestyle.

Especially want to note that contained in carp valuable micro-and macronutrients and unsaturated fatty acids prevent the development and formation of cholesterol plaques that can cause cardiovascular diseases. This is especially important for the elderly. Thanks to the omega-3 contained in the fish meat, the blood supply improves, blood pressure normalizes, and the heart muscle and vascular system begins to function properly. This reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.

For women

There is a sufficient amount of fatty acids, vitamin E, lecithin and retinol in carp meat, which have a beneficial effect on the skin and improve its color. They have a positive effect on the growth and condition of hair and nails, which is especially important for women. Thanks to its composition, carp meat is not only able to regenerate cells, but also to regenerate them.

The meat is considered a delicacy and dietary. It has few calories, but a lot of useful substances for a woman's body. For ladies who watch their figure, the use of fillet of fish will be ideal for weight loss and maintaining their shape.

Fillet of carp is advised to take when there are problems with veins and metabolic processes in the body, the gastrointestinal tract is not working properly.

For men

The minerals and vitamins contained in the meat, such as potassium and calcium, support muscle tissue and affect the musculoskeletal structure of the body. Especially for those who like active lifestyles, it is useful to include carp in their diet.

Carp has a sufficient amount of protein that will support the musculature. Fish meat normalizes blood pressure, recommended for heart and vascular problems.

In pregnancy.

Meat of carp is advised to take pregnant women. Its composition will have a beneficial effect on the general state of the mother, raise her mood, which will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the development of the fetus. The fillet will saturate the body with necessary substances not only the expectant mother, but also the baby.

When breastfeeding

During the lactation period, the use of meat of common carp will be appropriate. It is proved that the fillet has a positive effect on the production and quality of breast milk. It has a sufficient amount of iron, which is necessary for the baby's development. The meat is easily digested by the body, so there can be no problems with it.

For kids

For children, the meat of common carp should be given gradually. You need to see if they have an intolerance to the fillet. If all is well, it can be included in children's menus. Thanks to the useful elements it contains, regular consumption of meat will have a beneficial effect on the overall condition of the child: immunity will rise, eyesight will be strengthened, health will improve, and the gastrointestinal tract will normalize. The child will be able to replenish energy, normalize mental performance, improve memory.

When losing weight

As we have already said, meat is low-calorie. To take it during days of unloading and during diets will be the best option. Fillet will be suitable when carrying out salt or protein diets.

The caloric value of carp fillet does not exceed 100 kcal per 100 g, so it is used in diets. It has a sufficient amount of connective tissue, through which the meat is easily digested in the body. This is especially important for people leading sedentary lifestyles. It contains a lot of protein compounds, which is important in a proper and rational diet.

What is the usefulness of carp caviar?

Carp caviar is rich in lecithin. This substance stimulates the development and growth of cells in the body. The main positive properties of caviar:

1. Prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases, an excellent tool for the prevention of heart and vascular diseases.
2. Reduces cholesterol levels.
3. Strengthens and normalizes nervous activity, helps in stressful situations.
4. Increases brain activity.

Is carp useful for pancreatitis and gastritis

The meat of common carp is recommended for patients with pancreatitis and gastritis. It has no carbohydrates, so you can safely include it in your diet. But other useful substances in carp are enough. They can replenish the patient's body with missing minerals, macro-and micronutrients, vitamins, improve metabolic processes.

Harms and contraindications

Sazan has almost no contraindications. The only exception is an allergic reaction to fish products or individual intolerance. It is important to follow the measure and not to abuse the product. Fish, in addition to useful substances, may contain elements that are harmful to health. This is due to the diet of the fish. She can take not only plant food, but also contaminated from water bodies. Therefore, it is not advised to catch it in questionable in terms of ecology. For example, in areas of industrial plants, where there may be waste. Toxins that may be in the fish, get into the human body. And this is already poisoning. It will not be so easy to remove harmful substances from the body, and on the human condition such substances can have a negative impact.

How to choose and store

When choosing fish in the store, first of all, you should pay attention to its storage time. Even once the frozen fish will not be as useful as the fresh one, so if you have the opportunity, it is better to buy it only in a fresh or chilled form. What you should pay attention to first of all:

1. Eyes. It is necessary to pay attention to the eyes of carp. They should be light, not cloudy. The cloudy eyes indicate that the fish is not the first freshness and probably has already gone bad. It is better to avoid such goods.
2. Scales. If there are scales covered with slime, then the carp was stale for a long time in the store, or during its storage there were violated the rules. That is, the fish was stored incorrectly, and it could become unfit for consumption. One more thing about scales: fresh carp have wet scales.
3. Gills. Fresh common carp have no mucus on their gills, they have a rich red coloring. Clean and bright gills are proof of the freshness of the product. This is evidence that the fish was recently caught and is quite suitable for cooking.
4. Meat. Often caught carp is large in size, so in the store it is sold in pieces. In order not to make a mistake in choosing a fish, you need to smell it. Recently caught fish smells of the river and natural freshness. If there is no opportunity to do this, you need to press the meat with your finger. In a fresh common carp, the flesh will immediately recover, leaving no indentations. This will serve as proof that the fish is edible, you can safely buy it and cook your favorite dishes with it.

Storing .
Store in the refrigerator. If immediately after buying or catching it was not possible to prepare the fish, it should be placed in the refrigerator. But it is necessary to take into account a few points and observe the temperature regime.

To begin with carp should be prepared, regardless of whether you will freeze it or put it in the refrigerator for a while. For this purpose, wash the fish, dry it and gut its insides. This will allow you not to spoil the carp when freezing it and will extend its shelf life.

If the fish was purchased chilled, it should be stored at -2 degrees. There may be a margin of error, but not more than +2 or -2 degrees. In the refrigerator the temperature will be higher, so longer than one day the fish should not be stored.

It is better to use a storage container or any other container, put ice in it and put the fish in it.

In the freezer. The process of storage in the freezer will be the same as in the refrigerator. The fish should be washed, dried and gutted. It is better to put the carp in a vacuum pack or a container. If it is necessary to send the carp for a long time, the most ideal option is to sprinkle it with salt or treat with lemon juice.

Important! To ensure that the fish in the freezer does not lose its useful qualities, do not remove the skin from it. So it does not dry out, and meat after defrosting remains fresh and useful.

Fish can be stored in the freezer for up to 7 months.

How to clean carp fast

Cleaning a common carp is not a particularly difficult process, as it may seem. It is divided into stages:

1. Cover the table with thick paper. You can use newspapers or do everything in the sink. But it is worth remembering that the fish has a lot of scales, and they can get into the drain, thereby clogging it.
2. It is better to cut the fish with rubber gloves. First, cut off the fins of the fish, using scissors or a sharp knife. You need to take a scraper and start scraping the scales off the tail. You can do it with a knife, but a scraper is more convenient. Pull the scraper to the head of the fish. You may not be able to remove all the scales at the first time, but that's okay. The process can be repeated or cooked with them. A couple of scales on the skin of the fish will not do any harm.
3. After removing the skin, cut the belly and get rid of the insides. One should be very careful while gutting fish. No way to touch the gallbladder so the bile inside does not end up on the carp. Otherwise, the fish will be bitter. If it happens, it is advised to rub the place where the bile got into it with salt, let it soak for a while and wash it off with running water.
4. The head of common carp can not be removed. Many people find it especially tasty. But the eyes and gills must be gotten rid of.

How to cook carp deliciously: recipes

Carp has juicy, tasty and tender meat. It can be used as a separate dish or served as a side dish. The fish makes excellent cutlets, soups, roasts, pies, etc. There are many recipes for cooking with carp, which will be discussed below.

In the oven

This is a recipe for cooking whole fish. For this we will need:

• carp - 2.5 kg (you can slightly more or slightly less);
• butter - 80 gr;
• onions - 2 pieces of medium size;
• dill - 1 bunch;
• sweet pepper - 1 pc;
• salt, pepper, paprika - at the discretion of the hostess.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the fish: wash it, dry it and get rid of the insides.
2. Rub the fish with salt, pepper and paprika.
3. Finely chop onion, shred greens.
4. Prepared greens, oil and onions put inside the carp.
5. Spread the fish on foil and decorate it with chopped bell bell pepper rings on top. Wrap so that it is completely covered with foil.
6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and send the fish to cook.
7. Bake the carp for about 40 minutes.

Pan fried

Pan-fried carp is a very tasty and simple dish. To cook it, we need:

• carp - 1,5 kg;
• milk - 120 ml;
• lemon - 1 pc;
• egg - 2 pcs;
• sour cream - 60 grams;
• vegetable oil (for frying) - 80 ml;
• salt and pepper - to taste;
• flour - 200 gr.

Preparation:

1. Wash and dry fish, gut its entrails and peel its scales. Cut into large pieces.
2. Sprinkle or pour lemon juice on fish, rub it so that all juice can be absorbed and give a little time for the meat to marinade.
3. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, add sour cream and milk, salt and pepper if necessary. Thoroughly stir everything so that there are no lumps.
4. Dip the prepared pieces in the prepared batter and fry on a griddle on both sides. Cooking time is 5 minutes for frying on each side.

Fish in this recipe always turns out successful, tasty and tender. Eat it to your health!

In the multicooker

We will need:

• carp - 1,5 kg;
• Onions - 1 onion of medium size;
• Carrot - 1 medium sized piece;
• Hard cheese - 70 gr;
• cream (not less than 11% fat) - 250 ml;
• salt - 1 teaspoon without a hill;
• vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons;
• pepper - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Remove scales from the fish, gut the insides, wash, then dry. Let's cut it in small pieces. Sprinkle them with pepper, if you wish, and salt. You can use additional seasoning to taste.
2. Grate carrots on a grater with large cloves. Onion finely chop.
3. Multicooker put on baking mode. Pour the oil at the bottom of the bowl, add there chopped onion and fry a couple of minutes.
4. Then add the carrots to the onions and turn on the multicooker again for a couple of minutes.
5. Put the fish pieces into the multicooker dish, put the roasted carrots and onions on top of them. Pour the cream over everything.
6. Grate the cheese on a grater with coarse cloves and sprinkle it on the fish.
7. Close the lid and turn on the multicooker again for 40 minutes. Leave the mode the same.

Fish in the multicooker turns out not only tasty, but also useful. It retains all its valuable qualities, as all the useful substances during cooking do not evaporate, and remain in the fish.

On the grill

Shashlik turns out especially savory and appetizing. The main secret to successful cooking is a properly prepared marinade. For cooking we will need:

• fish steaks - 1,5 kg;
• lemon juice - 40 ml;
• oil - 50 ml;
• pepper and salt - to taste.

Preparation:

1. First, we marinate the steaks. We will do it in a very simple way - with lemon juice. We are going to pour it on fish pieces and leave for half an hour. We will cook the kebab on the grill.
2. Salt and pepper the marinated pieces.
3. Put them on the prepared grill.
4. Fry each side for about 7 minutes.

It's pretty easy and economical. No other marinade products were needed. Pieces do not fall apart and get especially fragrant and tender.

On the grill

We will need:

• carp - a whole carcass;
• lemon juice - 1 tablespoon;
• onions - 2 bulbs;
• soy sauce - 50 ml;
• lemon - 1 pc;
• sunflower oil - 50 ml;
• dill greens - 1 bunch;
• parsley - 1 bunch;
• pepper - to taste.

We do not use salt in this recipe, since we have soy sauce in the ingredients, and it itself is quite salty.

Preparation:

1. We remove the scales from the fish, cut off the fins, remove the insides. Wash and dry the carcass.
2. Make cuts on the body of the fish on both sides, so they are located across the body.
3. Squeeze the juice out of the onions. You can do it in different ways. Add soy sauce. Pepper everything and mix thoroughly. Add the juice squeezed from the lemon and chopped herbs.
4. With the prepared marinade smear the carcass, not forgetting the inside of the fish. In this recipe you can not use soy sauce, and serve it separately to the table. Then it will be necessary to add salt to the marinade.
5. Cut the onion in half rings, the lemon in rings.
6. Let's mix the onion rings with lemon ones, salt them a little and put everything inside the carp.
7. On top of the fish spread butter and put the carcass on the grill.
8. Fry the fish on each side for at least 7-10 minutes.

How to salt carp caviar at home

Tips for salting:

1. Gut the fish and open the belly with care. It is inadmissible to touch the sac with the caviar, so that the insides of the fish could not get to the eggs.
2. If the caviar is fresh, it will be necessary to remove the film from it.
3. To easily remove the caviar from the bag, make a small incision on the foil and pour boiling water and salt in it. With the help of a fork, wrap the film around it and remove it from the caviar.
4. Caviar should be thoroughly treated to kill harmful bacteria and possible parasites.
5. Do not salt the product in a metal container. Enamel or glassware without chips and cracks is suitable.
6. The container must be sterilized before salting.

Method 1

We need:

• The fish roe - 600 gr;
• salt - 80 gr;
• water - 1,2 l;
• Melted butter - 90 gr.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the solution: mix salt with water, put on the fire and bring the liquid to a boil. Salt must be completely dissolved.
2. Remove the eggs from the film. We put the eggs in a colander, then gently dip everything into boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes. You can hold it longer to allow the eggs to salt and undergo heat treatment.
3. Sterilize the jars and put the caviar on the bottom of the container.
4. Put pieces of melted butter on top of the eggs.
5. Close the jars tightly with lids and leave them in the cold for 24 hours. In 24 hours the caviar is ready to eat.

Method 2

We need:

• Caviar - 600 g;
• salt - 110 grams;
• water - 1,4 l;
• vegetable oil - 80 gr;
• bay-leaf - 2 leaves;
• pepper - 4 pcs.

Preparation:

1. We will need a salt solution. To do this, add 20 grams of salt to 250 ml of water and bring the liquid to a boil.
2. In a separate bowl, put the caviar in the film and pour the solution, which boiled on the stove.
3. Then we rub the eggs in a colander to remove the film.
4. Prepare the next solution. For this salt, which was left, we mix with water and put on the fire. Bring the brine to a boil. We add bay leafs and peppercorns. We boil about 10 minutes.
5. Turn off the gas and let the solution cool.
6. Take out the bowl with caviar and pour the eggs in the brine.
7. Sterilize the jars and put there caviar with brine.
8. Cover with lids and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
9. Take out the container and drain the liquid from the jars, leaving only the caviar.
10. On top of the eggs lay the butter (better to use melted), close the lids and store the caviar in the refrigerator.

What can be cooked from carp: Recipes

Fish soup .

To prepare this recipe, we will need almost all parts of the fish:

• Head of carp, fins and tails - 500 g;
• carrot - 1 pc of medium size;
• potatoes - 3 pcs;
• bay-leaf - 1 leaf;
• celery - 1 bundle;
• tomatoes - 2 pcs;
• vodka - 50 ml;
• salt, herbs and pepper - at hostess' discretion.

Preparation:

1. Boil the fish head and other parts (fin and tail) for about 15 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaf to the broth, salt and pepper if necessary.
3. In the same place we send chopped greens. In addition to celery, you can use parsley and dill.
4. Cut the vegetables into arbitrary pieces and send them to the pot.
5. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes. A couple of minutes before cooking, pour vodka into the broth.

Enjoy the appetizing and healthy soup!

Cutlets

Cutlets of carp are always juicy, rich and soft.

We need:

• carp - 3 kg;
• Potatoes - 2 medium sized pieces;
• Onion - 2 pieces of medium size:
• bayroot - 1 leaf;
• oil - 60 g;
• green onions - 5 arrows;
• salt, herbs and pepper - to taste;
• flour - 80 g.

Preparation:

1. Separate the fish. Separate the meat fillet from the bones and put it in a separate bowl.
2. Chop fish, potatoes and onions through a mincer.
3. Mix everything, salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Add to the minced meat finely chopped onion (green) and chopped bay leaves.
5. Shape cutlets, pile them in flour and fry in a frying pan, preheat oil in it.

Balak

This method makes the meat rich and preserves in it all the valuable substances that are important for humans. We will need for cooking the balik:

• carp - 5 kg;
• sugar - 80 g;
• salt - 300 gr.

Preparation:

1. Remove from the fish all the insides, spine, bones and film.
2. Cut the fillet into pieces, not less than 3 cm.
3. Slit the belly of the carp. Make the cut along the body. Roll up the fish.
4. Before curing, lay the fish meat in layers, pour sugar and salt on each layer. We place the prepared pieces in the cold under the press and leave there for three days.
5. Take sirloin chunks and wash them.
6. Thread a thread through slices (it is better to use a kapron thread) and hang to dry.
7. Dry in the fresh air for at least 2 days.

Interesting facts

1. Carp are sensitive to the weather, especially to its changes. When weather conditions worsen, the fish goes down to the bottom of the reservoir and there waits for better weather.
2. Salas, like bears, go to sleep at the bottom in the pits in the fall. They wake up in early spring when the sun starts to warm up.
3. The carp have an excellent hearing. It recognizes loud sounds, hears a squeak or rattle. Hearing incomprehensible voices or other sources of sound, the fish quickly leaves the habitat and goes to the depths.

Photo of carp