FLATHEAD FISH / BARTAIL FLATHEAD FISH / MEGOCHI

Flathead fish / 牛鰍 / Magochi - メゴチ / Cá Chai also known as "Platycephalus" in scientific terms, is a popular species of fish that is highly sought after by seafood enthusiasts all around the world. This fish is native to the waters of Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, and can be found in both saltwater and freshwater environments.

The Flathead fish / 牛鰍 / Magochi - メゴチ / Cá Chai (Platycephalus Indicus) is a type of demersal fish, which means that it lives close to the seafloor and feeds on small crustaceans, fish, and other marine animals. . One of the most distinctive features of the flathead fish is its flattened head, which gives it its name. The fish has a broad, flat head with a large mouth and eyes set high on the head. It has a long, slender body that tapers towards the tail, and can grow up to 1 meter in length and weigh up to 10 kg. It is a predatory fish that is known for its sharp teeth and powerful jaws, which it uses to catch its prey. Flathead fish are caught by different methods, including trawl, gillnets, danish seine and handline in Vietnamese sea.

The Flathead fish / 牛鰍 / Magochi - メゴチ / Cá Chai (Platycephalus Indicus) is one of the more labour intensive fish to prepare due to it’s extremely thick skin. The scales of the fish are also small and tough and are thus usually removed with steel wool instead of the typical fish scaler. The skin of the fish is also hard to remove. At the restaurant, you can pull the skin off the fish using the bare hands alone. The fishmonger that supplies  restaurants actually prefers to nail the tail of the fish to the chopping board using a meuchi (目打ち), before pulling the skin off the fish. Alternatively, the skin can be removed using the classical method, which is by sliding a knife underneath as shown in the example here.

The Flathead fish / 牛鰍 / Magochi - メゴチ / Cá Chai (Platycephalus Indicus) is a popular target for commercial and recreational fishing due to its delicious taste and firm texture. Flathead fish / 牛鰍 / Magochi - メゴチ / Cá Chai (Platycephalus Indicus) is a very popular and versatile fish, suited to most cooking methods. It can also be steamed, poached, pan-fried or grilled. The sweet flesh, which can tend to dry out sightly with most cooking methods, is moist, flaky and tender when encased in a light tempura style batter, and served with chips and tartare or mayonnaise. Whether you are looking to grill, pan-fry, or bake this fish, it is sure to impress with its delicate flavor and firm texture. So why not give it a try the next time you are looking for a tasty and healthy seafood option with Viet Asia Foods?