Russian speech allows you to interpret the word "language" in different ways - this is both an organ and the ability to verbally transmit information. Despite the silence of the inhabitants of the waters, which has become a household name, the question of whether fish have a language can be answered in the affirmative three times, and each "yes" will correspond to a separate concept from the life of these creatures.
The tongue is part of the body of a fish
In most, this organ is present and is part of the digestive system, and often an assistant in catching future food and one of the many places on the body of the fish where taste buds are located. The size, shape and capabilities of this organ are different, as are the representatives of this group of animals themselves, which includes tens of thousands of species.
However, there are representatives who are deprived of such an evolutionary tool, but they also adapted, found an opportunity to put into practice the functions of the language in a different way. For example, the mudskipper, which often hunts in the air, transferred similar mechanisms from the water element.
In a situation characteristic of most fish, the tongue draws in water and, along with it, food. Coming to land, the fish draws water into its mouth and, seeing the prey, spits out the liquid in parts, and then sucks it back along with the food. And in this case, it is not so important whether the fish have a tongue - photo and video surveillance have proven that even in the absence of this part of the body, the fish are not going to remain hungry.
The name given to the opportunist by scientists is Cymothoa exigua. In English speech, the expressive name tongue-eating louse is common, which in literal translation means a tongue-eating woodlice.
Are fish able to communicate?
A separate issue is whether fish have a language that acts as a means of mutual exchange of information. And here "silent" creatures are able to surprise the uninitiated. In addition to non-verbal means inherent in all living beings (for fish, this is color and its change, body gestures, manner of movement, smells and secrets of the glands), they have a wide range of sound signals that are well audible even to humans and are very different for different species.
For example, the signals of a mullet are similar to the clatter of a horse, the horse mackerel makes sounds characteristic of a dog. The trigla is recognized as the most talkative - it practically does not fall silent, either grumbling or croaking.
Studies have shown that all fish speak in their own way. Different types and individuals differ in the degree of talkativeness, like people. However, some of their "speech" is outside the frequency range perceived by the human ear. Basically, underwater inhabitants give each other signals about the threat, the presence of food in a particular place, report their location and direction.
What prevents fish from speaking in the traditional sense in the presence of a tongue in the mouth? The absence of other important parts of the speech apparatus, namely, the larynx, pharynx. They also lack vocal cords and movable lips.
There are myths about the lack of the ability to think and, of course, the inability to make sounds. This gave rise to the allegorical name "fish language" for the system of communication of the deaf and dumb. The veiled content of statements owes another comparison - "fish language" is sometimes called thieves' jargon.
Sole - a fish named after an organ
The flounder-like fish, called the Dover halibut, the European salt and, of course, the sole for the shape of the body, has gained wide popularity and popularity. A feature of the fish is its upper lip, protruding and hanging over the lower one, which gives the whole creature a resemblance to the protruding tongue of a mammal.
This creature, which has delicious tender meat, is so sought after and subjected to such merciless and barbaric capture that since 2014 Greenpeace has been forced to list it as a species threatened with extermination.
The value of fish and seafood is undeniable. In recent years, a trend has spread towards the use of fish dishes, in the preparation of which new varieties of the product are used. One of them is fish sole. It is considered a delicacy and is used very rarely, therefore, many people know little about it and its features. Meanwhile, the sole is a very useful product that should be added to your diet. Therefore, you need to figure out what the Sea language is, what kind of fish it is, and why it is interesting for culinary specialists. Below is a photograph in order to understand what a sea tongue fish looks like, photo.
Sea tongue, what kind of fish? Another name, description and features
This species belongs to the saline family, the detachment is flounders. The second name is European salt. In its appearance, it has a resemblance to the sole of a shoe, which led to the emergence of such a name (sole - “outsole”, “sole” - lat.). In addition, solea is very similar to flounder with its flattened body. Her eyes are also located on one side of the body.
Our fish are small. It almost never exceeds 30 cm in length. The color of the back is grayish-brown, with small dark spots. The abdomen is lighter - this is a feature of all fish that live in the bottom areas. Its body is covered with small scales, which makes it hard to the touch.
Important! The marine language is endangered, so since 2014 it has been included in the Greenpeace list.
The European salt lives in the seas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, preferring shallow water areas with a water temperature of 8-24 degrees. It feeds on small crustaceans, worms, mollusks. He prefers to hunt at night. Above, we learned about fish sole, its other name.
The sea tongue belongs to the order of flounders. Biological classification classifies it as a salt family, which was the reason for the international name of this fish - European salt.
The name of the inhabitant of subtropical and tropical waters fully corresponds to the main two characteristics of this subspecies. She really lives exclusively in the marine environment and at the same time resembles a long tongue in shape.
Characteristics and features
Most gourmets know what kind of fish sole is, as it is famous for its taste characteristics, despite its relatively modest dimensions. The average length barely reaches 30 centimeters.
According to external signs, the marine inhabitant is very similar to the flounder, as he received an identical body flattened on the sides. The only difference is the longer length. But the eyes are located in exactly the same way as that of a colleague, which served as the basis for the name of the zoological detachment.
The standard color varies from pale brown, with dark patches on top, to gradually lighter in the lower part of the carcass. The scales are very small protective plates that feel like armor.
A few centuries ago, sole was served only at the table of the nobility during the arrival of especially dear guests. Only professional chefs knew how to cook it properly, while retaining its original nutritional value. Now the delicacy has become more accessible, but still belongs to the category of especially delicious dishes.
On an industrial scale, it is exported from Vietnam, delivered either fresh-frozen or ready-made: smoked, salted, dried. Local producers have learned to make tasty canned food and other semi-finished products based on it. Similar way processing with the right technological approach retains the original vitamin composition, allowing the use of fillets for stews, first and second courses.
Meet the fish on the shelves of country stores former USSR It is possible both in a whole form, and already in a cut. But if you want not to mess with cutting, you should remember the significant drawback of this solution. Often, under the name of a delicacy, they sell a fillet of a cheaper analogue -. Recognizing a fake can be problematic even for experienced buyers.
- scales should fit snugly to the body;
- gills should be bright red;
- too pronounced fishy smell indicates the likely addition of chemical components;
- the meat should be elastic.
To determine the latter, a standard test is carried out. Pressing on the carcass with your finger, you need to see how quickly the surface will take its original even shape. If it happened instantly, then everything is in order. A prompt reaction indicates that the product was not frozen-thawed several times again.
You can meet recipes mentioning this fish in many world cuisines. Experienced chefs know not only how to fry deliciousness with minimal loss of energy value, but also process it in other ways. It is believed that a true professional chooses the format of heat treatment based on the size of the catch delivered to the kitchen:
- small specimens are best savored after baking in the oven;
- medium options are considered ideal for cooking in a double boiler;
- large - can be fried, boiled in broth or made in foil.
Some adherents of a healthy lifestyle have adopted sole for their weekly menu. It is valued for its relatively low calorie content, because the meat is really lean. And gourmets give him preference because of the lack of small bones.
Italian cookbooks offer especially many step-by-step instructions. Here, the most popular delicacy based on this adherent of the tropical seas is cooking in Marsala white wine. Not without mandatory filing in the French tradition. Here they offer breaded fish along with dry vermouth.
The Spaniards are more fond of fillet in a pan, which is served with filling from:
- frayed;
- Luke;
And the British, saving time, generally just fry the main ingredient with and serve with fries for satiety.
Fish is prohibited
Consumers from different countries appreciate the European salt for a more delicate taste than the classic flounder can offer. Also, meat contains many useful nutrients that have a beneficial effect on the work of the whole organism. But there is also the flip side of the coin.
In some European and North American countries, its sale and consumption is prohibited. Such categoricalness is explained by the fact that the fillet contains a large number of toxins, heavy metals, hormones and bacteria. There is only one reason for this - the place of the catch.
The Mekong is one of the most polluted bodies of water recognized in the world, where most of the fish are caught for export. Polluted liquids that come from the surrounding chemical plants, as well as sewage and mineral fertilizer residues from nearby fields are poured there without a twinge of conscience.
A separate problem is the special hormonal supplements that are fed to females to accelerate the growth of future offspring. They are imported from Asia, but no one has disclosed a detailed description of the contents of the packages with hormones to the general public.
If too often lean on such a dubious product, then you can face serious problems like:
- liver damage;
- hematopoietic diseases;
- other deviations in the work of internal organs.
To avoid a possible bouquet of diseases, you should ask the seller in advance where the goods were imported from. At the slightest doubt, you can require the provision of official accompanying documentation.
Replenishment of energy reserves
Since the global sole fishery is not 100% centered around the polluted Mekong, people still have a high chance of tasting treats from an ecologically friendly area. Moreover, the benefits of eating fresh fish impress even physicians, because one carcass consists entirely of easily digestible fish.
There are also irreplaceable ones that the human body is not capable of producing on its own in sufficient quantities. About 20% of the total composition falls on proteins here, but it will barely gather at 1.5%.
Three fatty acids have become a separate subject of admiration:
- arachidonic;
- linolenic;
In the course of numerous studies, scientists came to the conclusion that, in terms of amino acid content, the European salt has become almost the rightful owner of the so-called ideal protein. Thanks for this:
And due to taurine, a delicious lunch will give reliable prevention of hypertension. Acting as a pressure regulator, taurine simultaneously takes on the role of a blood sugar stabilizer.
Do not bypass food for all those who suffer from low acidity. With minimal processing, for example, a baked version, the food stimulates the appetite. This happens due to the ability of the components of the composition to provoke an abundant secretion of gastric juice.
Also, one should not be afraid that the fillet will cause the formation of cholesterol plaques. In its pure form, it will barely reach 30 mg. These elements, on the contrary, act as natural cleansers of blood vessels, removing accumulated toxins from the body. Together, this allows, with a cumulative effect, to count on powerful support for prevention:
- stroke
- heart attack;
- sclerosis;
Recent studies have also shown that the vitamins of groups E and A contained here reduce the risk of cancer by several times. And the health of the thyroid gland will be taken care of by shock dosages of iodine.
Culinary battles
So that generally healthy fish does not go to harm, it is extremely important to control the cooking process at all stages. So it will turn out to get rid of excess fat and save the delicacy from adding unnecessary synthetic food additives to enhance the taste.
The chefs of fashionable restaurants insist that high-quality cooking of the sole should take place literally at lightning speed. This will preserve the delicate characteristic aroma and the desired structure of the meat.
It is equally important to be able to properly butcher a whole fish. To do this, follow the following plan:
- first get rid of the scales;
- at the base of the tail, make several incisions to tear off the tough skin by pulling from the end to the head;
- trim the tail fin;
- get rid of the head and hard parts of the remaining fins, if required by the recipe;
- remove gills and other entrails;
- the cleaning is completed with a cut along the ridge to separate the fillet with minimal loss to the fleshy part.
And do not rush to throw away the head and large bones. They make an excellent base for fish sauce or rich broth.
But any spicy seasonings like garlic are best put aside. They are too strong for the subtle taste of salt.
Differences between the sea language and pangasius
Another factor in the success of a cooked dish behind the scenes is the ability to correctly recognize when a dishonest seller tries to sell a cheap analogue under the guise of a delicacy. In order not to overpay for pangasius, you need to look closely at the color of the fillet. The tropical inhabitant has white, almost transparent meat, while the pangasius has received a wider range of colors: from light pink to gray.
Moreover, if the offer turned out to be completely gray, this indicates a low quality of the proposed product. It should not be eaten even by those who are desperate to find the original marine language and agree to the "closest brother".
Another clue is the thickness of the cut fillet. Usually, in a more refined version, it is very thin. Even the trick of some implementers, such as re-freezing the carcass with a huge ice layer, which is weighed along with the fillet, does not affect this parameter.
If the seller allows you to smell the future purchase, then the typical smell of river fish indicates pangasius. It also has a pronounced pinkish-brown stripe in the middle, running from the ridge. European salt will either not have it at all, or it will turn out to be almost imperceptible. The final difference covers the presence of a fatty layer on the sides, which is characteristic only of pangasius.
But even such preparatory measures do not always save you from the likelihood of running into a fake. Because of this, chefs are still advised to look for stores where fish is sold in bulk. This increases the chances of finding the right option, without the need for a long time to sniff and look for color differences.