Carp
The carp is a fish that belongs to the carp family of the carp order. It lives in the freshwater basins of the Black, Azov, Aral and Caspian Seas, as well as in Lake Kapchagai and the Amur River. The carp's diet varies depending on the season. So, in spring and early summer, fish prefers young shoots of cattail, reeds, pondweed, egg capsules and other types of aquatic plants; they can also eat frog and fish caviar. In summer, the carp's diet is based on worms, insects, egg capsules, snails, small leeches and crayfish.
Carp is a related form of carp, bred by selection.
This fish has an elongated body covered with large golden-yellow scales with a bluish tint. On the belly of the carp, the color changes to a lighter one, and the back is a darker shade. Each scale is bordered by a black stripe, and the base is covered with dark spots. A feature of the carp is the presence of a dark gray dorsal fin with a characteristic, highly serrated ray.
Despite the fact that the carp can live up to 35 years old, fish growth stops at the age of 7 years. Its average weight is approximately 2-3 kg. There are, however, individuals whose length is more than one meter, and the mass reaches 25 kg.
Carp: calorie content, composition and useful properties
The low calorie content in carp fillet - only about 97 Kcal per 100 g of product - is a reason to classify fish as a food suitable for diet. In addition, carp meat is highly digestible. It is easily digested due to the small amount of connective tissue, which also makes the fish attractive to those whose lifestyle cannot be called active. At the same time, fish contains a large amount of protein, which is useful both during active loads and during the period of active growth of the body.
Carp meat is rich in various vitamins and minerals. Thus, fish has a high content of vitamins A, PP, C, E, as well as B vitamins, in particular, thiamine - B1 and riboflavin - B2. The complex of macro- and microelements contained in fish consists of phosphorus, iron, calcium, chromium, magnesium, fluorine, chlorine, potassium, sodium, nickel and molybdenum. The carp also contains a balanced content of unsaturated fatty acids.
Carp caviar
Dense and small, with a characteristic reddish color, carp caviar belongs to the category of "white caviar". Due to its low cost, it is counterfeited more often than other products in this category.
Real carp caviar is a true delicacy, which is used together with finely chopped onions as a pate, added to creamy and sour cream sauces for fish.
Carp spawns from April to June, near vegetation, in the area of coastal waters. The mature age for fish spawning is considered to be 3 to 5 years old.
The carp caviar gets to the consumer's table after long processing, which includes salting and pasteurization. Duration of storage without loss of useful and taste qualities is high when manufactured in compliance with the necessary rules.
The high content of lecithin, polyunsaturated fatty acids and a number of vitamins, along with dietary properties, makes carp caviar not only tasty, but also an extremely healthy delicacy.
Cooking carp
Carp meat has a delicate, slightly sweetish taste. The rich and bright taste of fish is not easy to change, even with the help of spices and other ingredients, which is why carp always remains the dominant feature in the dish.
The juiciness, appetizing and rich taste of fish is almost impossible to spoil, regardless of the choice of the method of cooking carp. Fish can be baked, fried, dried, stuffed, salted, and even cooked first courses. The carp is especially popular during the fasting period.
Whichever method of cooking carp is chosen, it is important to properly clean the fish. Using only fresh carcasses, the carp should be freed from the scales, after which the insides must be removed through an incision in the back, avoiding damage to the gallbladder.
Carp: contraindications
A huge number of useful properties and features of carp makes fish a desirable dish on any table, but its excessive consumption is undesirable. Due to the fact that the fish in food is extremely picky (the carp can feed on mollusks, worms, insect larvae), and also due to the fact that polluted water bodies often become its habitat, the carp's body accumulates harmful substances in significant quantities.
Also, carp is not recommended for use by individuals with individual intolerance.
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