Introduction
Conger Eel – Baam aren’t snakes at all but a type of fish that lack pelvic and pectoral fins. Like fish, they’re a fantastic source of mega-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They also contain a good amount of calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, manganese, zinc, and iron.
A snake-looking fish, it’s highly demanded in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Conger Eel is the heaviest and largest of Eel family and usually ranges from 5 to 8 feet long. They are abundant in the Arabian sea and have steady supply and demand. It more likely that you might have already eaten a conger eel somewhere at Gawalmandi food street of Lahore.
Flavor Profile
Conger Eel or Baam fish tastes like a sweet, firm-fleshed white fish, a bit like sea bass. If cooked properly, eel should be soft, fluffy, and flaky, pleasant on the palate, and without a fishy or earthy odor.
Nomenclature
- English Name: Eel, Conger Eel
- Local Name: Baam
- Scientific Name: Congridae
Habitat
Conger Eels are sea fish that are found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters of the Arabian sea. Unlike other eels, Conger eels don’t migrate long distances to mate and spawn.
Catching Method
Conger Eel are caught using gillnets and bottom trawls.
Physical Attributes
Conger Eel does not have scales on the body. They have elongated bodies with depressed heads. They have large gill slits, a wide mouth, and very strong teeth.
Color
Conger Eels are most commonly grey to black and occasionally have blue-black bodies and paler below, sometimes mottled.
Size
On average, the Conger Eel size range is 2 to 5 kg per fish. However, other sizes are also occasionally available.
Cutting Preferences
Since it has tough skin, it is preferred for skin-off slices.
Approx. Cutting Yields
- Whole: 100%
- Gutted: 76%
- Headless and Gutted: 74%
- Slices: 66%
- Boneless: 40%
Cooking Preferences
Eel ( Baam ) is preferred to deep-frying, stews, soups, and grilling.
Health Benefits
- Heart friendly
- Lowers Blood Pressure
- Improves Immune System
- Strengthens the bones
- Improves Skin and Hair health
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