eel as food

File:Confectionery shop and eel shop by Hidehiro Komatsu.jpg

Eels are elongated fish, ranging in length from {{convert|5|cm|in|0|spell=in}} to {{convert|4|m|ft|spell=in}}.{{cite book |editor1=Paxton, J.R. |editor2=Eschmeyer, W.N. |author= McCosker, John F. |year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Fishes|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|pages= 86–90|isbn = 0-12-547665-5}} Adults range in weight from 30 grams to over 25 kilograms. They possess no pelvic fins, and many species also lack pectoral fins. The dorsal and anal fins are fused with the caudal or tail fin, forming a single ribbon running along much of the length of the animal.{{FishBase order|order=Anguilliformes|year=2009|month=January}}

Most eels live in the shallow waters of the ocean and burrow into sand, mud, or amongst rocks. A majority of eel species are nocturnal and thus are rarely seen. Sometimes, they are seen living together in holes, or "eel pits". Some species of eels live in deeper water on the continental shelves and over the slopes deep as {{convert|4000|m|ft}}. Only members of the family Anguillidae regularly inhabit fresh water, but they too return to the sea to breed.{{cite book |author= Prosek, James |year=2010|title=Eels|publisher= HarperCollins|location=New York|isbn = 978-0-06-056611-1}}

Eel blood is poisonous to humans"Poison in the Blood of the Eel", New York Times, 9 April 1899, viewed at [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1899/04/09/100439047.pdf], accessed 22 January 2010 and other mammals,"The plight of the eel", BBC online, as seen at [https://www.bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire/content/articles/2006/12/19/angling_eels_feature.shtml], accessed 22 January 2010, mentions that "Only 0.1ml/kg is enough to kill small mammals, such as a rabbit...""Blood serum of the eel." M. Sato. Nippon Biseibutsugakukai Zasshi (1917), 5 (No. 35), From: Abstracts Bact. 1, 474 (1917)"Hemolytic and toxic properties of certain serums." Wm. J. Keffer, Albert E. Welsh. Mendel Bulletin (1936), 8 76–80. but both cooking and the digestive process destroy the toxic protein. The toxin derived from eel blood serum was used by Charles Richet in his Nobel Prize-winning research, in which Richet discovered anaphylaxis by injecting it into dogs and observing the effect.

The Jewish laws of kashrut forbid the eating of eels.{{cite web | url=https://www.jmberlin.de/en/topic-kashrut | title=Kashrut }}

Japan consumes more than 70 percent of the global eel catch.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/29/national/indonesia-eel-hot-item-for-smugglers/#.Ufcwixb1s08|title=Indonesia eel hot item for smugglers|date=29 July 2013 |publisher=The Japan Times|access-date=30 July 2013}}

Dishes and cuisines

Freshwater eels (unagi) and marine eels (anago, conger eel) are commonly used in Japanese cuisine; foods such as unadon and unajuu are popular but expensive. Eels are also very popular in Chinese cuisine and are prepared in many different ways. Hong Kong eel prices have often reached 1000 HKD per kilogram and once exceeded 5000 HKD per kilogram. Eel is also popular in Korean cuisine and is seen as a source of stamina for men.{{citation needed|date=May 2010}} The European eel and other freshwater eels are eaten in Europe, the United States, and other places. Traditional east London foods are jellied eels and pie and mash, although their demand has significantly declined since World War II. In Italian cuisine eels from the Valli di Comacchio, a swampy zone along the Adriatic coast, are especially prized along with freshwater eels of Bolsena Lake.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} Eels are popular in the cuisines of Northeast India.{{cn|date=July 2022}} Freshwater eels, known as kusia in Assamese, are eaten with curry,{{cite web |title=Swamp Eels |url=https://eol.org/pages/5070/articles |access-date=24 June 2022 |website=Encyclopedia of Life}} often with herbs.{{cite web |last=Bhuyan |first=Avantika |date=30 March 2018 |title=The little fish in big rivers |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/TB9AouNDcXASwUdc7ObL3H/The-little-fish-in-big-rivers.html |access-date=24 June 2022 |website=The Live Mint}}

class="wikitable"
style="width:10%;" align="center" \| Locality ! style="width:15%;" align="center" \| Type ! style="width:7%;" class="unsortable" \| Image ! style="width:68%;" \| Description
align="center" \| England \| align="center" \| Jellied eels \| 120px \| Jellied eels originated in 18th century England, mainly in the East End of London. The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in aspic stock that is allowed to cool and set, forming a jelly. It is eaten cold.
align="center" \| Belgium \| align="center" \| Paling in 't groen ("Eels in the green") \| 120px \| Specialty of the Brussels – Dendermonde – Antwerp area. Freshwater eels cut to about {{convert\|5\|cm\|in\|0\|abbr=on}} pieces, cooked in green herb sauce. Usually served hot, either as hors-d'œuvre or with Belgian fries or bread; but can also be eaten cold.
align="center" rowspan=3 \| Japan \| align="center" \| Unagi \| 120px \| Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eels, especially the Japanese eel. Saltwater eels are known as anago. Unagi are a common ingredient in Japanese cooking.
align="center" \| Kabayaki \| 120px \| Kabayaki is a typical preparation of the unagi eel in Japan.,{{cite book\|last=本山\|first=荻舟 (Tekishū Motoyama)\|volume=7\|title=かばやき (kabayaki)\|work=世界百科事典(Sekai hyakka jiten)\|publisher=Heibonsha\|orig-year=1968\|year=1969}}, describes it as being used principally or almost always for unagi (「もっぱら鰻」) sometimes extended to preparation of other fish,{{Harvnb\|Shinmura\|1976}} the Japanese dictionary says kabayaki applies to such fish as ungai, hamo, and dojō{{Harvnb\|Hepburn\|1888}} J-E dict. defines "kabayaki: roasted flesh or fish". where the fish is split down the back (or belly), gutted and boned, butterflied, cut into square fillets, skewered, dipped in a sweet soy sauce-base sauce before broiled on a grill.
align="center" \| Unadon \| 120px \| Unadon, lit. "eel bowl", consists of a donburi type large bowl filled with steamed white rice, and topped with fillets of eel grilled in the kabayaki style, similar to teriyaki.
align="center" \| Korea \| align="center" \| Jangeo-gui \| 120px \| Jangeo-gui is a gui (grilled dish) made with marinated and grilled freshwater eels.
align="center" rowspan = 2 \| Vietnam \| align="center" \| Miến lươn \| 120px \| Miến lươn is cellophane noodle soup with eel, which is deep-fried or stir-fried, topped with bean sprout, wood ear, onion and coriander. It is a delicacy in Northern Vietnam, especially Hanoi.
align="center" \| Xúp lươn \| 120px \| Xúp lươn, lit. eel soup, is a soup dish made from eel or pork broth, consisting eels stir-fried with chive, onion, annatto and chilli powder. It is often served with bánh mì or bánh cuốn. This dish is a speciality in Nghe An province.
align="center" rowspan=2 \| Widespread \| align="center" \| Elvers \| 120px \| Elvers are young eels. Traditionally, fishermen consumed elvers as a cheap dish, but environmental changes have reduced eel populations. Similar to whitebait, they are now considered a delicacy and are priced at up to €1000 per kilogram.{{cite web \| url=http://www.buber.net/Basque/Food/food1.html \| title=Buber's Basque Page: Angulas }} The Spanish angulas consists of sautéd elver in olive oil, garlic and a chili pepper. In Spain, these angulas are now rare and very expensive (a small serving of angulas can cost the equivalent of US$100 or more). There are also imitation angulas which can be purchased cheaply made of surimi.
align="center" \| Smoked eel \| 120px \| Smoked eel is considered a delicacy in many localities, such as northern Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech republic, Poland, Denmark and Sweden.

class="wikitable"

style="width:10%;" align="center" | Locality

! style="width:15%;" align="center" | Type

! style="width:7%;" class="unsortable" | Image

! style="width:68%;" | Description

align="center" | England

| align="center" | Jellied eels

| 120px

| Jellied eels originated in 18th century England, mainly in the East End of London. The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in aspic stock that is allowed to cool and set, forming a jelly. It is eaten cold.

align="center" | Belgium

| align="center" | Paling in 't groen
("Eels in the green")

| 120px

| Specialty of the Brussels – Dendermonde – Antwerp area. Freshwater eels cut to about {{convert|5|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} pieces, cooked in green herb sauce. Usually served hot, either as hors-d'œuvre or with Belgian fries or bread; but can also be eaten cold.

align="center" rowspan=3 | Japan

| align="center" | Unagi

| 120px

| Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eels, especially the Japanese eel. Saltwater eels are known as anago. Unagi are a common ingredient in Japanese cooking.

align="center" | Kabayaki

| 120px

| Kabayaki is a typical preparation of the unagi eel in Japan.,{{cite book|last=本山|first=荻舟 (Tekishū Motoyama)|volume=7|title=かばやき (kabayaki)|work=世界百科事典(Sekai hyakka jiten)|publisher=Heibonsha|orig-year=1968|year=1969}}, describes it as being used principally or almost always for unagi (「もっぱら鰻」) sometimes extended to preparation of other fish,{{Harvnb|Shinmura|1976}} the Japanese dictionary says kabayaki applies to such fish as ungai, hamo, and dojō{{Harvnb|Hepburn|1888}} J-E dict. defines "kabayaki: roasted flesh or fish". where the fish is split down the back (or belly), gutted and boned, butterflied, cut into square fillets, skewered, dipped in a sweet soy sauce-base sauce before broiled on a grill.

align="center" | Unadon

| 120px

| Unadon, lit. "eel bowl", consists of a donburi type large bowl filled with steamed white rice, and topped with fillets of eel grilled in the kabayaki style, similar to teriyaki.

align="center" | Korea

| align="center" | Jangeo-gui

| 120px

| Jangeo-gui is a gui (grilled dish) made with marinated and grilled freshwater eels.

align="center" rowspan = 2 | Vietnam

| align="center" | Miến lươn

| 120px

| Miến lươn is cellophane noodle soup with eel, which is deep-fried or stir-fried, topped with bean sprout, wood ear, onion and coriander. It is a delicacy in Northern Vietnam, especially Hanoi.

align="center" | Xúp lươn

| 120px

| Xúp lươn, lit. eel soup, is a soup dish made from eel or pork broth, consisting eels stir-fried with chive, onion, annatto and chilli powder. It is often served with bánh mì or bánh cuốn. This dish is a speciality in Nghe An province.

align="center" rowspan=2 | Widespread

| align="center" | Elvers

| 120px

| Elvers are young eels. Traditionally, fishermen consumed elvers as a cheap dish, but environmental changes have reduced eel populations. Similar to whitebait, they are now considered a delicacy and are priced at up to €1000 per kilogram.{{cite web | url=http://www.buber.net/Basque/Food/food1.html | title=Buber's Basque Page: Angulas }} The Spanish angulas consists of sautéd elver in olive oil, garlic and a chili pepper. In Spain, these angulas are now rare and very expensive (a small serving of angulas can cost the equivalent of US$100 or more). There are also imitation angulas which can be purchased cheaply made of surimi.

align="center" | Smoked eel

| 120px

| Smoked eel is considered a delicacy in many localities, such as northern Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech republic, Poland, Denmark and Sweden.

Sustainability and conservation

Eels are a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is listed as Critically Endangered on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. While the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) and American eel (Anguilla rostrata) are assessed as Endangered.{{Cite journal |date=2022-05-01 |title=IUCN Red List |doi=10.2305/iucn.uk.2022-1.rlts.t214650064a214651137.en |doi-access=free }}

In 2010, Greenpeace International added the American eel, European eel, and Japanese eel to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries."[http://www.greenpeace.org/international/seafood/red-list-of-species Greenpeace International Seafood Red list] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703000000/http://www.greenpeace.org/international/seafood/red-list-of-species |date=3 July 2008 }}

The US government deems the commercial eel industry was worth $12 million in Maine in 2017.{{cite news|last1=Barr|first1=Meghan|title=Baby eels have changed fortunes for Maine's fishermen — and brought trouble|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2017/07/05/selling-for-high-pound-baby-eels-have-changed-fortunes-for-maine-fishermen-and-brought-trouble/lON96WKku1Db5AqDI6HkfM/story.html|access-date=14 July 2017|work=The Boston Globe Magazine.|date=5 July 2017}}

History

The eel was a cheap, nutritious and readily available food source for the people of London; European eels were once so common in the Thames that nets were set as far upriver as London itself, and eels became a staple for London's poor. The first "Eel Pie & Mash Houses" opened in London in the 18th century, and the oldest surviving shop — M.Manze — has been open since 1902.{{cite web|url=http://www.visiteastlondon.co.uk/business/factsheets/Food%20and%20Drink.doc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026063140/http://www.visiteastlondon.co.uk/business/factsheets/Food%20and%20Drink.doc |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 October 2007 |title=FACT SHEET - East End Food & Drink |access-date=11 December 2008 |format=Doc |work=VisitEastLondon.co.uk }}

Gallery

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More images
File:All-i-pebre (Meliana).jpg\|{{center\|Dish with eels, Valencia, Spain.}} File:Hitsumabushi1.jpg\|{{center\|Rice bowl with grilled eel, Nagoya, Japan}} File:Korean barbeque-Jangeo.gui-02.jpg\|{{center\|Marinated grilled eel, Korea}} File:Korean grilled eel-Jangeo gui-01.jpg\|{{center\|Grilled eel-Jangeo gui, Korea}} File:Unaju bento, hiyayakko and tsukemono by Blue Lotus.jpg\|{{center\|Grilled eel over rice, Japan}} File:Unagi_rice.jpg\|Unagi (Japanese for eel) rice File:Unadon うな丼.jpg\|{{center\|Bowl of rice topped with broiled eel, Japan}} File:Unadon by adactio in Brighton, UK.jpg\|{{center\|Eel on rice, Japan}} File:Unagi Nigiri Sushi - Suzuran Japan Foods Trading.jpg\|{{center\|Eel with sweet, smoky sauce, Japan}} File:Korean cuisine-Anju-bokkeum-01.jpg\|{{center\|Anju-bokkeum, Korea}} File:Hamo.jpg\|{{center\|Pike eel with pickled plum, Japan}} File:Gerookte paling.jpeg\|{{center\|Smoked eel, Netherlands}} File:Smoking fish at Alexanderplatz.jpg\|{{center\|Smoking eels, Germany}} File:Eel with lots of garlic.jpg\|{{center\|Eel with garlic}} File:Unagi Kabayaki-2005-08-28.jpg\|alt=Photo of thin-sliced fish in restaurant setting\|Unagi-broiled (kabayaki) eel on rice, served in a lacquered meal box

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align: left;"

More images

File:All-i-pebre (Meliana).jpg|{{center|Dish with eels, Valencia, Spain.}}

File:Hitsumabushi1.jpg|{{center|Rice bowl with grilled eel, Nagoya, Japan}}

File:Korean barbeque-Jangeo.gui-02.jpg|{{center|Marinated grilled eel, Korea}}

File:Korean grilled eel-Jangeo gui-01.jpg|{{center|Grilled eel-Jangeo gui, Korea}}

File:Unaju bento, hiyayakko and tsukemono by Blue Lotus.jpg|{{center|Grilled eel over rice, Japan}}

File:Unagi_rice.jpg|Unagi (Japanese for eel) rice

File:Unadon うな丼.jpg|{{center|Bowl of rice topped with broiled eel, Japan}}

File:Unadon by adactio in Brighton, UK.jpg|{{center|Eel on rice, Japan}}

File:Unagi Nigiri Sushi - Suzuran Japan Foods Trading.jpg|{{center|Eel with sweet, smoky sauce, Japan}}

File:Korean cuisine-Anju-bokkeum-01.jpg|{{center|Anju-bokkeum, Korea}}

File:Hamo.jpg|{{center|Pike eel with pickled plum, Japan}}

File:Gerookte paling.jpeg|{{center|Smoked eel, Netherlands}}

File:Smoking fish at Alexanderplatz.jpg|{{center|Smoking eels, Germany}}

File:Eel with lots of garlic.jpg|{{center|Eel with garlic}}

File:Unagi Kabayaki-2005-08-28.jpg|alt=Photo of thin-sliced fish in restaurant setting|Unagi-broiled (kabayaki) eel on rice, served in a lacquered meal box

References

=Works cited=

{{cite book |last=Hepburn |first=James Curtis |author-link=James Curtis Hepburn |title=A Japanese-English and English-Japanese Dictionary |edition=4 |place=Tokyo |publisher=Z.P. Maruya & Company |year=1888 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6CkYAAAAYAAJ}}
{{cite book |last1=Shinmura |first1=Izuru |title=Dictionary of the Japanese language |date=1976 |publisher=Iwanami Shoten |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=57APAAAAYAAJ |language=ja}}