Pomfret Varieties are among the favorite seafood options enjoyed all over the world. These fish types are popular in almost every culinary culture, and if you are a cooking expert or merely passionate about fish, you must have crossed paths with pomfrets. However, the different Pomfret Varieties, including silver, black, and golden, can sometimes cause confusion.
More about the diverse world of pomfrets and get tips to distinguish between these types.
What Is Pomfret?
Pomfret or Posh as it is spelled in some places is a family of fish called Bramidae or more popularly known as the treasure fish. This fish was later described as having a disk-shaped flat body with small fins and the meat is soft and tasted delicious. Distributed within the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean as well as the Atlantic Ocean, pomfret fish are popular in Asian, Middle Eastern, and American food.
Though pomfret is commonly called the “paplet fish” or “avoli fish” in India, it is referred to as “papal fish” in some locations of the country. It is known as “pomfret fish” or “black pompano fish” in some of the regions of the US for instance. No matter which name it is given, this fish is perfect for frying, steaming, grilling, or for preparation of curries.
The Key Varieties Of Pomfret
• Silver Pomfret or Silvery or White Pomfret
Silver is the most popular fish from the pomfret variety and is equally known as the silvery pomfret or white pomfret.
Key Features:
- Appearance: It is metallic silver in color, and has a smooth oval-shaped body. They are small and present with a kind of sheen.
- Size: Usually much smaller than other pomfrets and measuring from 8-12 inches in length, on average.
- Taste: The flesh, as mentioned before, is tender, mild, and still less oily than the fat, making it suitable for the preparation of various kinds of dishes. Not surprisingly, it is used most often for steaming and frying.
- Habitat: Densely located in shorelines with marine types of waters for instance the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.
- Price: Regarded as slightly higher in quality than black pomfret as it has a tender and soft muscular structure in build and taste.
Silver pomfret fish is commonly demanded in the South and Southeast Asian markets and can be demanded in steamed fish with soy sauce or Indian masala fried fish.
• Black Pomfret (Black Pomfret Fish / Black Pompano)
Another popular type is the black pomfret herein Li yah fish or black pompano fish Another common variety is the black pomfret known in Chinese as Li YAH fish or black pompano fish. A little less tender than a silver pomfret, this fish perhaps is behind in taste but not flexibility of usage.
Key Features:
- Appearance: Black pomfret has a color range from dark grey to blackish while its texture is slightly rougher than the Silver colored pomfret. It is somewhat more elongated in its body shape.
- Size: Slightly larger than the Silver Pomfret with a general length ranging from 12-18 inches.
- Taste: The flesh is comparatively firmer and has more moisture, which makes it perfect for barbecuing and use in curries.
- Habitat: Found in deeper waters of the tropical and subtropical seas of the Pacific and the Indian oceans.
Price: It is slightly cheaper than the silver and golden pomfrets which are often consumed daily.
Black pomfret fish is preferred for its deep dark flavor, this fish is well-ripe for spicy herbs. Fish curry and black pomfret grilled are good examples of foods that are familiar to people in India and Sri Lanka.
• Golden Pomfret Fish
The last one that could hardly be noticed is ‘goldfish’ also called golden pomfret is looked at as a sort of luxury. It is the golden kinda mushroom and is distinguished from the other kinda through its bright golden color and richer flavor.
Key Features:
- Appearance: The golden pomfret is renowned for its attractive yellow-golden color, which has a glossy, sleek surface. Mainly, because of the color it has been mistaken for other tropical fish species.
- Size: It is slightly larger than the silver pomfret but slightly thicker and comparatively heavy set.
- Taste: The flesh is very juicy, buttery, and comparatively sweeter than the other two kinds. It is suitable for baking and steaming.
- Habitat: Common around the seas of South China and in Asia, especially in warm temperature regions such as tropical regions.
- Price: Golden Pomfret is slightly pricier than the other two products because of limited supply and better taste.
Golden pomfret is demanded particularly among Chinese dishes because they fry it with ginger and green onions to grill its inherent sweetness.
Tips For Identifying Pomfret Varieties
To ensure you get the right pomfret for your dish, here are some tips:
- Examine the Color: Pay particular attention to its color. Silver pomfret glistens in moon-like bright metallic luster while the black one is dark and rugged and the third one is golden pomfret means its color is yellow–gold-like.
- Check the Size: The black pomfret is comparatively larger and elongated than the silver pomfret, but it is less in size and thinner than the latter. Pomfrets that have this coloration are thicker and slightly smaller than blacks.
- Ask the Seller: In case of any doubt over the fish or its type, do not hesitate to go to your fish dealer and inquire where the fish is from and what species it is.
- Smell and Texture: Fresh pomfrets do not stink, and one can smell the sea when they are first caught and bought from the market. Their sides should be slightly gaping and the flesh firm to the poke of a finger. Do not buy fish that is scaly on the outside or smells fishy.
