Kahawai Recipes

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    Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 2:04pm
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I am sure there have been plenty of recipes through this thread relating to kahawai but here my two cents worth.
 

Kahawai is such an underrated fish by many, generally because they have either never tried it or have never looked after and respected it properly once caught. Of critical importance once caught, is to bleed and place straight into a cold slurry (preferably salt ice and seawater). I prefer to run a knife from just inside the gills and then straight through under the throat, and I also make a small cut at the tail end. When cared for this way you cannot go past them as an eating fish.

 

My 3 favourite methods of preparing kahawai are as follows:

 

Cajun

 

If you like something a little spicing then kahawai cooked this way is mouth-wateringly delightful.

 

I use Masterfoods Cajun seasoning, but any will be fine as long as it has some coarseness to it rather than a fine powder.

 

Once you have filleted the kahawai coat liberally with the Cajun seasoning on both sides of the fillet and let sit for 5 mins prior to placing into a hot pan with a combination of your favourite oil and butter. Ensure your non-stick pan has a good coating of oil and at least a generous tablespoon or more of butter.

 

Cooking time here is critical as you can very quickly dry out the fish turning a great meal into a good one.

 

I cook mine (depending on fillet thickness) about 45 secs to 1min on each side. The Cajun should go quite dark but certainly not burn.

 

I would serve this up with a salad and accompany the fish with Unsweetened Plain Yoghurt as sauce, which compliments the Cajun seasoning well. Or alteratively place the hot kahawai between two slices of fresh buttered white bread.........

 

 

 

Smoked

 

Cold Smoking and Warm Smoking a great if you have the right equipment but I smoke all my fish with a Kilwell stainless steel smoker (DO NOT buy a cheap smoker) because it is quick and easy and I am eating it hot between slices of fresh white bread and complimented with an ice-cold corona within about 20 mins. I use manuka wood chips as the flavour is fantastic.

 

Preparation

 

I head, gill and gut my kahawai then split the fish down the middle running a knife the full length down one side of the backbone, then a 90 degree cut at the tail so the whole fish is butterflied open.

 

Ensure the fillet is clean and then rub in Non-Iodised salt (this is important) do NOT use table salt. Follow the salt with plenty of brown sugar. Let the fish sit whilst the juices get going and I then hang the fish for about 5 mins before placing into the smoker.

 

An alternate for the more adventurous is to get a small bowl of brown sugar and add Bourbon until you have a nice paste consistency. Rub this into the flesh after you have salted. This variation is a truly delicious combination of smoking and the natural smokey flavour of bourbon.

 

 

 

Sashimi

 

This method is pretty simple really. Using a very sharp knife fillet the fish and cut off any dark red flesh that you may see along some parts of the fillet.

 

Then cut into pieces of your preference. I prefer to have strips around 5cm long and keep the nice and thin approx 5mm.

 

Dipping Sauce

 

My favourite is soy with fresh lemon juice added. You also can’t go past soy with fresh wasabi.

 

I would also advise using chopsticks as for some reason it just tastes better when using them…

 

I have served it up this way to many that have questioned my honesty when I have told them that it is kahawai.

 

 

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Anyway that’s my bit on what I do with Kahawai. Let me know what you think.

 

Cheers

 

Mark
 
"DRY YOUR EYES PRINCESS THE PAIN YOU FEEL IS ONLY WEAKNESS LEAVING YOUR BODY"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote LEVCAT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 6:06pm
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aaahhh yes very nice but you forgot     straightup pan fried with butter, salt, pepper... then put on vogels toast with avocado and egg, drizzled with lemon juice.
 
i've done it all and i still can't go by this...
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I will be trying that for SURE !! Cheers Lev
"DRY YOUR EYES PRINCESS THE PAIN YOU FEEL IS ONLY WEAKNESS LEAVING YOUR BODY"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Barbary B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 3:47pm
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I was wondering whether anyone had done KWs Kododa style - that is marinated in lemon juice with chilli and coconut cream?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote LEVCAT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 4:14pm
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2extreme, the toast has to be vogels original...    nothing else will suffice

and yeha BarbaryB they taste great done island styles like that....   pretty much any firm fleshed fish does, once t
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The Humble Kahawai is great in Thai fish curries too... Its got a bit more flavour which is great in Curries - would assume Kingfish is the same...
 
I dry marinate overnight in Garam Marsala, Curry Powder and Ground Cumin seed.  By the next morning the dry marinade has absrobed the moisture from the fillets and is quite sticky.  Cut into large chunks, sear on a hot plate and then into the curry to finish cooking...  beaut!
 
Nice recipe Lev - gonna have to try that next time I get a few...  Reckon that might be quite nice with hotsmoked fish...
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Fillet and cut away the red meat. slice the white meat into thin slices.
Marinate in juice of lemon,  orange and lime (or any citrus), + 1tsb salt for 30 mins in the fridge.
Lay three or four slices on a small plate, sprinkle grated fresh coconut, thinly sliced ginger and red chilli, coriander leaves. Sliced cherry tomatoes if you like.

Nice impressive and delicious ceviche.

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Fantastic done this way, marinade in lime and lemon juice over night, then add chopped skinned de-seeded cucumber, chopped tomato, chopped fresh chilli, coconut milk, salt pepper to taste, fresh corriander on top,  great on freshly toasted bread.
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last night I tried something different, i diced Kahawai and placed in Ramekins with parsley and capsicum (can also put onion).
I don't have a steamer so put water in the wok and heated it up so boiling them place Ramekins in (as 4 in family did 1 each, this way added what each wanted as my girls don't eat capsicum) put the lid on and let to cook through didn't take long.
when done put white sauce over fish leaving enought room to put mash potato on top then cheese.
place under the grill to make the top crusty.
served on plate with steamed broc and colly on 1 side and carrots (again in wok while fish pie under grill ) on other broc and colly have cheese sauce on to.
Family loved it so i be doing again.

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Now that sounds pretty darned tasty Bellboy - may just be tempted to give that a try myself Thumbs Up
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to be honest Saturday was 1st time since college been fishing little brother took me out and we got 3 Kahawai, there was no recipe nor didn't know if wok would work(trill and errorErmm) but it paid off Clap.
Grandfather given me a rod so i be going out alot more (brother giving more tips), next thing is get a hot stone so can put in fire where we fished heat up and fillet the 1st fish with a pre made butter chop garlic and parsley over cook on stone )did in frying pan be love try on hot stone
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Oh and of course welcome to the site BellboyBig smile.
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Thank you
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Of critical importance once caught, is to bleed and place straight into a cold slurry (preferably salt ice and seawater). I prefer to run a knife from just inside the gills and then straight through under the throat, and I also make a small cut at the tail end. When cared for this way you cannot go past them as an eating fish.
 
Mark
Thanks for the info - but just to bring you up on something - your killing method above is well - crap.
I was also told that method and its total bull****.
An old fishing person I knew took me to task over this and he was right
 
There is absolutely NO need to bleed them - if you handle them right
 
AND right is:
Iki the buggers fast and true.
Once dead take a 5mm rope and wind it through the gill to the mouth so you have them on a bite in the rope - even the rope up the - THROW them back over the side and leave them in the salt water till your ready to go home - hopefully a long time
 
The fish will then marinate in sea water and the result when you get home is the best fish you have tasted - far better than any snapper.
 
If you don’t like the blood line down the back cut it out but it’s been my experience that once treated like this the meat maybe red but the taste is all the same..
Give it a go and you will NEVER bleed a fish again.
 
Enjoy!
 
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Interesting stuff there Moggy I must try it out.
 
Isn't it amazing how some of the 'ole methods are being disputed.
 
In truth I myself have not noticed any difference between Kahawai that has been bled and those that haven't, sooo...
 
That is what I love about fishing and that is you never stop learning and new ways to approach old methods...
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Originally posted by Barbary B Barbary B wrote:

I was wondering whether anyone had done KWs Kododa style - that is marinated in lemon juice with chilli and coconut cream?
 
Yeah mate, I do it all the time its absolute mint!
Another variation is to use cream instead of coconut. What we do is grate onion on the very fine side of the grater so that you are getting onion pulp and juice, add lemon and lime juice, marinade in that for few hours, add cream and salt and the longer it is left the better, even 24 hrs in the fridge before eating and the fish will be melt in your mouth soft - Premo!
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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Try deep frying in a nice beer batter, has to be within 24hrs of swimming though, my kids grumble if I come home with a bin of snapper and no kahawai. Not that I have seen a bin of snapper since moving down to tauranga, had to slink into the fish shop and buy some tarakihi last week, first time I have bought fish for 10 years. A sad day indeed. 
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try puting flour over them then dipping in egg them bread crumbs, fry or grill 
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Have a look at my recipe entry for the Bradley smoker at top of page really nice way to do Kahawai
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Kahawai, fresh is key. Dusting of flour with S&P in the mix, pan fry in oil and butter, squeeze of lemon once flipped - serve with homemade tartae and fresh bread. Simple- can't beat it. I rekon blows snapper out of the water, just gotta be fresh. Those people who invented the saying kaka-wai are far to hung up on snapper.

Try Kedgiree, good ol' english smoked fish indian fusion rice dish. Go hard on the Tumeric, fresh tumeric even better, and instead of lemon use squeezed orange. Might have to google a recipe - cause I can't be arsed writing one.

Here is a family favourite. Pan fry kahawai fillets -underdone. Fried rice with tumeric, grated carrot, spring onions, peas and a smidgen of lemon zest s&p and a bit of butter. Few cashews are always good to. Fry onion in a pan add standard curry powder, cook for a bit to get essential oils going, add coconut cream add fried fillets, cook for a bit - serve over tumeric rice. fillets stay nice and firm and choice kahawai flavour. Also pretty good with trevally.

Did you know - kahawai is 3rd to salmon in it's level of omega 3's - gotta be good for ya. We didn't discover art as a species until we found omega 3's.
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