Anglerfish are grotesque-lookalike sea devils that dwell in the murky depths of the Antarctic and Atlantic oceans. These bioluminescent ocean parasites are served as a tasty winter delicacy in Japan and Korea. Each part of the anglerfish has a unique and delicate taste with a hint of tanginess that one can find in seafood.
This premium fish is said to be entirely edible leaving no waste. Each part of an anglerfish has an intricate taste that can be cooked into delicious meals. The meat of an anglerfish is super soft and melts right away. The fish itself is bursting with the sweet and piquant flavor of your typical seafood.
What does Anglerfish taste like?
Every part of the anglerfish has a distinctive taste making it a diverse and interesting meal. The white flesh of this fish is squashy and melts right away in your mouth whereas the bones and the skin are more chewy and juicy. Some people even prefer to eat the entrails and eggs but that just totally depends on your palate. The tail is the meatiest part and is heavily consumed by the Korean and Japanese communities.
Whether it is cooked in a stew or grilled with some figs for that aromatic experience, anglerfish has a delicate taste with hints of saltiness and tanginess that one can only get from seafood. Furthermore, the fish itself is jam-packed with collagens and vitamins. It has a low-calorie count making it supreme produce for health fanatics.
The anglerfish aka ‘anko’ is considered a high-grade fish in Japan. Each of its ‘Seven Tools’ has a unique taste that is quite delicate to one’s palate. It has a pungent strong fish flavor. The meat of anglerfish has fluffy flakes that bring a party to your mouth. Its liver is a different story altogether. With a medium-firm creamy texture, it has a neutral taste and is not considered fishy at all.
The skin and bones of anglerfish have high-fat content with a chewy texture. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acid and is considered heart-healthy. Although each part of the anglerfish has a different taste, however it takes on the sweeter flavor profile.
The succulent taste of the anglerfish is an evil-spirited fish that eats just about everything and anything. These horrible-looking sea devils have a slimy texture and taste oh so juicy! By the looks of it, one might hesitate to eat an anglerfish but trust me when I say this all parts of the anglerfish are edible except for the head and bones leaving no waste.
One similar tasty food as angler fish is the lobster. When an anglerfish is cooked right it can taste just like a lobster. One can even claim that its taste is a cross between a crab and a shrimp. Its meat is firm, yet smooth and soft to bite, all at once.
According to chefs, no two anglerfish restaurants are alike. The taste and texture of ‘anko’ differ depending upon how it is prepared. To bring out the true flavor of the fish you can add herbs and other ingredients which can complement the meat but don’t go overboard with the add-ons or you might end up eating the fish spices only!
Prepping an Anglerfish can be a Handful
Living in Earth’s most inhospitable environment, Anglerfish are hard to be hooked that makes them all the rarer. However, the fish is so large and slippery that prepping it becomes a handful. Your regular cutting board won’t be up to tackle an anglerfish. That is why the Japanese have adopted a method of hanging this fish on a pole. This way you can cut and prepare it more easily.
The unique taste and high nutrition value of the mighty anglerfish make it a popular delicacy in South Korea. It stars in the infamous ‘Agujjim’ roughly translated as ‘braised spicy angler’.
How to Cook an Anglerfish?
If you have an adventurous soul and are open to experiencing everything that life has to offer then we suggest you try this ugly beauty out for sure!
There are numerous ways to cook a nutritious anglerfish. Boiling and steaming an anglerfish maintain its plump and juicy taste. Whereas, baking, frying, and grilling allow the subtly sweet taste to establish a smokier flavor.
You can even try out an Angler Hot pot which is incredibly flavorful and has a rich broth soup that will blow your taste buds away. It’s a winter specialty in a Japanese household. The key starring ingredient of ‘Anko Nabe’ is the steamed angler liver combined with dashi, miso, and other seasonings. This just brings out the flavor of the heavenly broth with its complex, rich, and bold taste.
To bring out the naturally sweet and mild flavor of anglerfish, you can try grilling it as well. Some people prefer light fragrant goodies to enhance the smooth tangy flavor of the angler.
Japanese specialty for the angler is ‘agujjim’. It’s an infamous hearty meal with a mountain size of anglerfish, bean sprouts, warty sea squirt, and other parts of fish mixed and steamed with some super-hot red pepper seasoning. It also includes the juicy flesh of the anglerfish, its entrails, and eggs leaving no part behind. All this brings out the racy flavor that brings a party to your mouth.
Conclusion
Your typical angler fish may not be for the timid souls but if you are looking to try out different cuisines then it might just be the best flavorful meal that you have ever come across. From juicy succulent meat to chewy crunchy bones, this fish is bursting with million flavors. A fish with Seven distinctive savory Tools, it’s a one-in-a-million tryout!