Frozen Cut Hairtail Sections

What you are getting

Ribbonfish (Trichiurus lepturus), a long, silver, scale-less fish also sold as hairtail or cutlassfish, cut into mid-body sections. The thin tail end is trimmed off and discarded, so each piece is thick, meaty and close to bone-free.

Where it comes from

Caught in the East China Sea and cut and frozen at the processing plant within a day of landing. Belly membranes and internal debris are cleaned out before the sections are packed.

Specifications

• Cut: mid-body sections, tail end removed
• Net weight: 2 kg per box
• Skin: intact silver skin left on
• Packing: vacuum sealed, sections frozen separately

State and handling

Raw and frozen. No cutting needed once thawed, which is most of the point of buying it this way.

Storage

Hold at -18 C or colder. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Pat the surface completely dry before frying, or the skin will spit and will not crisp. Do not refreeze after thawing.

Shelf life and delivery

Best within 8 months of the production date on the box. Ships in insulated liners with dry ice and arrives frozen hard.

How to cook it

• Braised: dust lightly with starch, fry until golden on both sides, then simmer with ginger, garlic, dried chilli and soy until the sauce coats.
• Crisp-fried: season with salt and pepper and fry over medium-low heat until a golden crust forms on both sides. Serve with lemon.
• Battered: dip in a thin batter and deep-fry until golden.
• Steamed: lay the sections on a plate with ginger and scallion, steam, then pour hot seasoned oil over the top.

Allergen

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs.