This page gives general information on purchasing fresh and frozen seafood and how to store and prepare it.
There are many ways to cook seafood – and almost all are quick and easy. Although seafood may appear expensive when compared with other foods, it should be noted that you do not need as much for a meal as you would with beef or lamb. This is particularly true if the seafood is part of a dish served with rice, noodles or spaghetti. You should buy the type of seafood appropriate to the meal planned. For example, only buy cooked shellfish if you intend to eat them without further cooking, otherwise buy the animals uncooked because double cooking only toughens the flesh.
Seafood requires shorter cooking times than beef, lamb or chicken, and because most species of seafood have a low fat and high water content they can easily be overcooked. Overcooking dries out and toughens seafood and destroys much of the flavour. Extra care must be taken not to overcook non-fatty seafood such as lean fish, scallops and lobsters, particularly if it is being grilled or barbecued. Fish is cooked when the flesh is white and the flakes separate easily when opened with a fork.
Most seafood can be prepared in varied and interesting ways. For instance, it can be steamed whole, poached, baked, barbecued, grilled or fried. It can be eaten raw (usually marinated) or cooked with different spices or sauces according to individual taste.
For maximum Omega oil benefits and full moist flavour, it should still be translucent in the centre when taking away from heat.
To test if fish is cooked, gently push a fork into it. If it flakes easily and has lost its opaque look, it is cooked. On whole fish, flesh should not adhere to backbone when forked backward.
1cm
2cm
3cm
Whole per 500gms
6
11
15
9
4
7
10
10
5
6
9
10
3
5
7
5
3
5
8
5
3
4
5
5
For maximum Omega oil benefits and full moist flavour, it should still be translucent in the centre when taking away from heat.
