A boneless freshwater fillet scored through in a fine diamond pattern, so heat reaches the centre in the same time it takes the edges.

What It Is

Snakehead (Channa argus), filleted off the bone and scored across the grain to roughly half its depth. The cuts break the surface tension of the flesh, which is why the fillet stays flat and holds together in a simmer instead of curling.

Where It Comes From

Farmed in freshwater ponds and processed live to order, then frozen within hours. Snakehead is a predator, and the clean, sweet taste comes from that rather than from the water it lives in.

Specifications

State on Arrival

Frozen flat in a vacuum pack with the scoring clearly visible. Flesh white and dense, no gaping along the cut lines.

Storage and Thawing

• Thaw in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours; thawing in water washes out the sweetness.
• Keep the fillet flat while it thaws so the scored surface does not tear.
• Do not refreeze after thawing and cook within 24 hours.
• Slide the fillet straight into broth from the pack; handling it wet breaks the scoring.

Shelf Life and Delivery

12 months from the production date on the pack. Shipped in an insulated liner with gel packs, 2 to 4 business days. A pack with pink liquid or a soft, spongy fillet has thawed and should be rejected.

How to Cook It

• Spicy poach slide the slices into a simmering chilli broth for 90 seconds, then pour over rice.
• Steamed 8 minutes with ginger and spring onion, then hot oil and soy.
• Pickled cabbage soup simmer the broth first, add the fish at the end for 2 minutes.
• Deep-fried dusted with starch at 180 C for 3 minutes for a crisp outside.

The scoring means it cooks in under two minutes. Put the fillet in last and take the pot off the heat while the centre is still just translucent.

Allergen Information

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