Black Sea red mullet belongs to the red mullet family. Its name is translated from Italian as "beard". This unusual name is associated with the appearance of the fish. She has two long mustaches. In Turkey, this species is called a sultanka. The fish is of interest to fishermen, divers and gourmets. Many tourists, having arrived at the Black Sea, go to a restaurant to eat red mullet.

Habitat and description

This species lives in many seas of the Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. In Russia, it can be found on the Black and Azov Seas. The Turks are fishing in the Mediterranean Sea. Schools of fish prefer to be at a depth of 15 to 30 meters. They choose muddy or sandy areas of the bottom, but sometimes they can also be found on rocks.

The fish is not considered very valuable due to its small size. The length of an adult varies from 20 to 30 centimeters. Some lucky fishermen managed to catch specimens 45 centimeters long. The body of the red mullet is oblong and slightly laterally compressed. The caudal fin is considered to be quite long, but the anal and dorsal fin are very short. Individuals have a very large head with high-set eyes... The mouth is at the bottom of the head. It has small bristle teeth. Many fishermen identify a species by having a long whisker. They are needed to stir up sand or silt.

The species can be easily recognized by its characteristic color. The belly of the fish is painted in light yellow tones, but the sides and back are covered with pink scales. A peculiarity of the species can be considered the fact that after catching the fish becomes bright red from all sides. Its color fades only 4 hours after catch.

Lifestyle and spawning

Most often, fishermen meet a sultanka at a depth of 15-30 meters, but there have been cases when schools of fish were detected using an echo sounder 300 meters from the surface. As a rule, the fish goes to such a great depth with the onset of cold weather. She spends most of her time at the bottom. This is due to the need to find food. Individuals feed on small invertebrates. They shake the soil with their antennae and take out food. The average life span of individuals does not exceed 12 years.

Some divers spend a lot of time to attract small fish. They find her on the trail of the mustache at the bottom. The fish does not differ in shyness, therefore it does not swim away from diving enthusiasts. Many of them lure the sultanka with the help of pieces of a worm. She never refuses such a delicacy.

The black red mullet is considered to be very prolific. Individuals are ready for offspring at the age of 2 years. Spawning occurs from March to June. Usually the sultanka chooses sandy areas of the bottom at a depth of 10-40 meters. The female can spawn more than 10 thousand eggs. The males fertilize the entire stock of eggs. After that, the caviar rises to the surface of the water. Larvae begin to appear on the third day after fertilization. After 2 months, the average length of fry is 5 centimeters. Fry often swim to the shore to look for food at the bottom. Their color is the same as that of adults.

The benefits and harms of red mullet

This type of fish is loved for its excellent taste. However, red mullet is considered to be very useful. It contains about 20 grams of protein per 100 grams of weight. But the fat content is low. There are no more than 4 grams of fat per 100 grams of the product. The calorie content of the fish is small, so it can be included in your diet for people planning to lose weight.

The benefits of fish due to the beneficial substances contained in it. The following extractives are found in meat:

Also, meat contains pantothenic acid and minerals. Red mullet has been proven to be a source of magnesium, iron, sulfur, phosphorus, fluoride and sodium. Some doctors recommend that their patients eat fish bones. Of course, they must first be dried and crushed.

This fish is recommended for adults because of the presence of beneficial fatty acids in it. They are needed for correct work of cardio-vascular system... Many athletes will include it in their diet, as it allows them to recuperate after heavy exertion. For the same reason, it is recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers. However, they need to monitor their health, as any fish can cause allergies.

It is believed that only people who suffer from fish intolerance should give up this fish. It won't do them any good. People with diseases of the cardiovascular and genitourinary systems need to pay attention to the preparation method. They are better off eating fish boiled or steamed.

Selection, storage and preparation

You need to choose a fish very carefully, as some sellers often deceive inexperienced tourists. They pass off other varieties of fish for red mullet. The main sign is the presence of a mustache. You need to carefully examine the carcasses and sniff. In the first minutes after the catch, the fish smells like fresh cucumbers. Then he disappears. Buyers should be alerted to too much smell. He says that the sultanka was caught quite a long time ago. And also you need to pay attention to gills... If they are bright brown, then it is better to refuse to buy.

It is best to store fresh fish in ice for no more than two days. Under the influence of freezing, the structure changes. But if necessary, you can store the carcasses in the freezer for about 3 months. They need to be wrapped in several plastic bags so that the meat does not dry out.

Most often, you can find fresh red mullet on sale. It can be fried and salted. When dried, it resembles a vobla. Some people prefer smoked red mullet. It is considered the best beer snack on the Black Sea coast.

Red mullet, red mullet, sultanka (Mullus)

Description

The red mullet is a famous fish that Seneca, Pliny, Cicero and Horace wrote about, admiring its ability to change its color.

The red mullet, or sultanka, is a genus of fish of the red mullet family of the perciformes detachment. It is presented in 4 types. It reaches 45 cm in length. Two long tendrils hang from the chin of the red mullet, with the help of which it stirs up the sea sand and gets food. Lives in the Mediterranean, Black and Azov seas, in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Loves soft sandy or muddy soil, but also found on rocky bottom. By way of life, red mullet is a bottom dweller. Usually found at shallow depths of 15-30 m, although it also occurs at a depth of 100-300 m.

Properties

To taste red mullet is a delicate and delicious fish. Its pulp contains a large amount of high-calorie, easily digestible protein. It also contains a high amount of magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins. 100 g of red mullet contains 0.8 g of fat and 5 g of protein. Experts talk about the high nutritional properties of red mullet. It is believed that having a snack with this fish, you can quickly regain your strength.

Application

The use of red mullet is very wide, because this fish is delicious in any form. It is believed that fresh red mullet cannot be spoiled by any culinary treatment. Fish soup is often boiled from it. Dried red mullet in taste is not inferior to ram. It is also good when fried. In the Mediterranean countries, it is baked in the oven, grilled, fried with spices in a pan. Red mullet has no bile, so gutting it is not at all necessary. The liver of this fish is especially tender.

Small red mullet (up to 20 cm) is highly appreciated in Mediterranean restaurants, its pulp is considered the most delicate and delicious. Among the fish of the Mediterranean Sea, red mullet is one of the most expensive varieties. Red mullet dishes are in the first place in restaurants and cafes in the resorts of Russia and Ukraine. Usually red mullet is cooked and served there gutted, but with the head. Modern gourmets stew red mullet in white wine with spices and grape leaves, fry it in crushed breadcrumbs in ghee and eat it with their heads. In stores you can find red mullet, canned in oil.

Interesting Facts

In Russian, the name red mullet came from Turkish - barbunya, which, in turn, comes from the Italian barbone - "big beard" (Latin barbus - beard). The second name of the fish - sultanka - is associated with a mustache, because only sultans could have such a luxurious mustache.

The sultan was very popular in ancient Rome - large fish were paid with an amount of silver equal to them in weight.

In ancient times, before cooking red mullet, cooks were ordered to bring it in a special vessel to the dining room, where guests could enjoy this spectacle. The original silver-gray color of red mullet turns into carmine. After being caught in the air, the play of colors disappears.

Calorie content of red mullet

Calorie content of red mullet - 31 kcal.

The red mullet is a fish of the goat family (perch-like order). This fish with a funny name can be caught in the southern regions of our country.

You can, for example, come to rest in Vityazevo, the private sector next to the sea. Spend your vacation inexpensively and enjoy catching sea fish, including red mullet or sultanka - another name for this interesting and tasty southern fish.

Where to catch red mullet

You can catch red mullet both from the shore and in the open sea from a boat or yacht. The red mullet prefers areas with clear seawater with rocky or sandy bottoms.

Tackle should be sensitive, it can be float or bottom fishing rods. Local fishermen will gladly tell about all the intricacies of red mullet fishing, who are sincerely glad to any visiting interlocutor.

Interesting sea red mullet fish

Red mullet is caught from the beginning of spring until the end of October, during this period of time red mullet float in clouds near the coast.

Red mullet biting activity depends on weather conditions. The ideal weather is calm and windless, the sea should be calm, without strong currents.

The red mullet is a shy fish, so they are never near the beaches, as noisy vacationers simply scare the sultanka away from the shore.

Bait for red mullet

To fish for red mullet was interesting and ended more successfully, you should use bait. The bait for these fish consists of a base of animal origin with the addition of coastal soil.

For example, you need to crush a kilogram - two mussels, add to them crushed earthworms and a certain amount of coastal sand or soil, in proportions of 1 to 3. The bait balls are thrown at the fishing point, in general, everything is as usual.

Red mullet bait

Sultanka is a predatory fish, therefore it should be caught on a dung or rain worm. Also, local fishermen use sea worms - nereis to catch red mullet. Red mullet also actively bites on local shrimps.

You can enjoy fishing and delicious red mullet dishes on vacation in Vityazevo

How to cook red mullet

Red mullet is a very tasty fish. It can be fried in boiling oil in a flour breadcrumbs or cooked over a fire and skewered.

Black sea red mullet, red mullet or, in another way, Common sultanka- an inhabitant of the deep sea from the order of perchiformes, whose habitat is located in the coastal zones of the Black and Azov Seas.

origin of name

The red mullet fish presumably got its name from the Italian expression "barbone" - which means "big beard". As it is clear from the translation, the name has a lot to do with its appearance. This fish has 2 long antennae hanging from the head end, with the help of which it searches for food for itself, it mainly feeds on small invertebrates. The "antennae" also left a trace in another name - "sultanka", apparently due to the similarity with the long mustaches of the Turkish sultans.

Appearance

The body of the redfish is elongated and flattened from the sides, its length is usually from 20 to 30 cm. The head is large relative to the body, with a steep slope of the snout and high-set eyes. The body is unevenly colored, mainly red, the abdomen is silvery, the fins are light yellow.

Species biology

The Black Sea drum has the following features:

• Mostly off the coast, usually at a depth of about 15-30 meters, although they are found deeper;
• The fish keep in schools at the bottom, do not rise into the water column. The bottom is preferred silty or sandy;
• As indicated above, their long antennae are "helpers" in the search for food - fish
• They move slowly at the bottom and “feel” its surface with antennae, looking for small benthic invertebrates;
• The fish is not particularly shy. A person can approach her if he moves slowly, without sudden movements.

Reproduction

Spawning begins at 2-3 years of age. Spawns from May to August at depths of 10-50 meters. Each female lays several servings of eggs, the number of eggs per season can be up to 80 thousand (from one female). The fertilized one floats into the upper layers of the water and after a couple of days, depending on the temperature of the water, the larvae hatch from it. The fry feed on small organisms that live in the water column.

Approximately one and a half to two months after hatching from the eggs, the fry move to the shores. By that time, they reach a length of about 4-6 cm, sink closer to the bottom. By that time, they acquire the characteristic of adults. appearance and coloring. The lifespan of the Black Sea red mullet is approximately 10 to 15 years.

Catching red drums

Adult red mullets swim to the shore with the onset of spring and swim to deeper places only in the winter. Sometimes they are found even at river mouths. Considering that red mullet almost always swims near the coast, with some fishing skills, it can be caught. As a rule, the fishing season is in the spring-summer.
Reel fishing is good for the following baits:

1. Raw or boiled shrimp;
2. Crab meat;
3. Mussel meat;
4. Earthworm.

The main problem when fishing is to find fresh bait, since this fish almost does not bite on an artificial one.

Tackle for catching redfish

The drum is most often caught either with a float tackle or with a bottom fishing rod, given the depth at which this fish usually lives. Long casting considered most preferred. Bottom fishing rods should be sensitive enough. In general, it is better to choose a shoot for fishing taking into account the experience in fishing.

It is better to choose the weather with a calm sea, in places with a weak current.
For fishing we recommend hook number 10 (5 according to Russian numbering). If fishing with a worm, then it is better to choose a hook with a long forearm.

The line should be used transparent, as it sea ​​fishing... The length of the rod should be at least 2.30-2.70 m. When fishing at sea, the load on the reel is increased, so you should choose it especially carefully, also taking into account that it is negatively affected by the effect of sea water.

Meaning

The meat of this fish is a delicacy. It enjoyed popularity even in the days of Ancient Rome... In addition, due to its special taste properties, red mullet fat is highly valued. Considering the gastronomic value, relative ease of fishing and territorial accessibility (coastal areas of the Black and Azov Seas), the Black Sea red mullet is of interest to both avid fishermen and food lovers. It should also be mentioned that since the red mullet lives at shallow depths, it can be observed while diving.

Video review of sea red mullet fish:

The red mullet, or as it is also called in another way - the sultanka, is one of the representatives of the genus of fish of the family of red mullet of the order Perciformes. She is a schooling sea fish. Its length, in rare cases, can reach 45 cm. Most often, there are specimens whose sizes range from 20-30 cm. Its body is elongated, flattened from the sides and it seems that it is unevenly colored with red paints. The red mullet has a large head with an upright stigma, long antennae that hang down from the chin at the sides, and light yellow fins. This fish is just a lover of soft sandy or silty soil - an inhabitant of the bottom. In most cases, it can be found at a depth of 15-30 meters, and in some cases at a depth of 100-300 meters.

For fishermen, the value of red mullet, first of all, is that it lives near the coast for three seasons - spring, summer, autumn - and is very affordable in terms of catching it. And only in winter the schools of these fish go to great depths. You can only catch her on live bait, very rarely on artificial bait, but for fishing it is better to use bottom gear... Her dainty dishes are: boiled or raw shrimp, mussels, small crabs, sea fleas, sea worms. Whatever bait you choose to catch red mullet, you should not forget that, first of all, it must be fresh and not have a spoiled smell.

How to choose

If fishing is an uninteresting, boring, incomprehensible occupation, and the sultan really wants to try it, then you can easily buy it in stores or on the market.

In this case, you should adhere to the following rules:

• Before buying a red mullet, make sure it has two antennae located on the lower jaw.
• Pay attention to the eyes, they should look forward or up, but never down. And the look should be clear, not dull.
• If the red mullet is really fresh, then smelling it, you should not catch the pronounced smell of fish.
• Before buying, press on the fish with your finger, if the fish is fresh, then the cavity from the finger should quickly disappear.

Calorie content and nutritional value

Red mullet contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. It includes such extractives: glycogen, inositol, choline, creatine, carnosine, lactic acid. All these beneficial substances have a sokogonny effect and stimulate the activity of gastric secretion.

In addition, red mullet boasts the presence in its composition of such minerals as: iron, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, phosphorus. The largest concentration of these substances is found in fish bones. Due to its rich set of minerals, this fish, without a doubt, can be attributed to the category of products that can provide a high-quality metabolism in the human body.

In addition, it should be noted that in caviar, in internal fat and liver fat, a large amount can be found in the content of fat-soluble vitamins: A, B, E. Like any fish, red mullet contains pantothenic acid and vitamins B1 - B12. The calorie content of 100 grams of fried red mullet is 160 kcal, raw meat - 115 kcal.

Useful properties of red mullet

1. Scientists have proven that if young children are regularly fed red mullet meat, they will stop developing eczema and skin diseases. If red mullet is included in the baby's diet from the age of nine months, then such children have a 24% less chance of contracting such unpleasant diseases than their peers who do not eat sultan meat.
2. Many experts unanimously argue that it is very important for one-year-old children to give this fish, since it contains polyunsaturated fatty acid, which are simply indispensable for the full functioning of the body. Such acids are useful for both nervous system and for the cardiovascular.
3. Dishes made from red mullet contribute to the rapid restoration of energy and strength spent during prolonged physical exertion.
4. Substances contained in the meat of the sultanka can increase appetite and increase juice secretion.
5. Macro- and microelements, which are simply stuffed with red mullet, make it a particularly valuable food product for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children of different ages, elderly people.
6. Among other things, the sultanka boasts the presence of useful, easily digestible protein and a considerable amount of iodine (about 155 mg of iodine per 100 g of fish), which is part of the thyroid hormones. It is these hormones that provide human body the necessary energy, and their deficiency will lead to varying degrees of obesity, dry skin, edema, hair loss and a feeling of fatigue and depression. That is why it is very important that this trace element is always available in the body.

Cooking applications

The meat of this fish has a very delicate and delicate taste. Before cooking, red mullet need not be gutted, since it does not contain bile at all. The sultanka is generally very tasty in any form, even a novice hostess cannot spoil it, but provided that the fish was purchased High Quality and freshness. This fish can be dried, dried, fried in a pan or grill, baked in the oven, smoked, preserved. The ear is especially tasty, nourishing and aromatic from red mullet, for the preparation of which only fresh fish must be used.

In cooking, in addition to the meat of the sultanka, it is customary to use healthy and very tasty liver.

In Mediterranean cuisine, small varieties of this fish are most often used, which are considered a delicacy. In many restaurant menus around the world, you can find a variety of dishes made from red mullet.