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Now it's official: Zaharon Hador, delicious and strictly kosher.

Among our many guests in the Mediterranean Sea and on the beaches of Haifa in particular, in the last two years, and even more so, a fish - which we have mentioned here many times - "Zahron Hador" has joined. Which, as his name is, is beautiful and magnificent. But the harun has another feature, which is more relevant to the fish food lovers among us, the harun is considered a very tasty fish to eat, whose soft flesh melts in the mouth and is a real delicacy, especially if we add the right sauce to it (recipe later in the article).

The Thorns of Hazoron (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

To her and a thorn in her

As you remember, the modern haharon is a beautiful looking invasive species and now you also know - delicious! But to her and a thorn in her. Did we say thorn? more than one. How many spines carry venom that decomposes in the heat.

The poisonous thorns of the hazron (photo: Motti Mendelsohn)

12 cm of spines full of venom

This is where the serious problem arises... to clarify: the hazron may not be as deadly as the habanon (for example) which is capable of killing. But the fact that he doesn't kill, doesn't mean that he doesn't hurt his victim badly.

Due to it being a migrant, Mediterranean fishermen will not always know the hahron, usually it will be more familiar to divers. The innocent fisherman who lands on his rod such a fish, which looks fat and beautiful, has scales and a fin, will think to himself, why not eat it? But first of all, it is very useful to know how to handle a fish whose spines are about 12 cm long and are full of venom.

The generational hazron that was thrown onto the beach (photo: Motti Mendelsohn)
Zaharon Hador on Haifa's beach (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

Beware of the poison

Personally, I would recommend cutting the wire and staying away from it, because in order to clean it, you must first carefully cut off the thorns and make sure to put them away from the reach of humans or animals.

Now is also perhaps the time to mention that in order to treat a sea creature's venom injury, the first thing is to immerse the affected area in hot water, to break down the protein of which the venom is composed. The heat will break down the protein and thus reduce the pain. It works great in the Zaharon bite, less effective in the Havanon strike.

Daunting abalone, photographed in the Gulf of Eilat (photo: Motti Mendelsohn)

Where is it written?

After it was already clear that the hazron fish is already in our Mediterranean and is here to stay, the age-old debate began - is it kosher to eat or not? According to the known signs - fin and scales, many claimed that it was. But who is the determiner? Who will put the stamp?

The beautiful Haharon fish - photographed in Eilat (photo: Motti Mendelson)
The hazharon swims near the corals - in Eilat (photo: Motti Mendelson)

Now it's official

Dr. Oren Sonin from the Marine Division of the Ministry of Agriculture took action and turned to religious authorities to get official approval for the hazharon's kosher. According to Sonin, the process took about two years, and lo and behold, in the last few days the long-awaited approval came and now we can bless the finished product. From now on they say: Hazharon fish - Kosher L'mehadrin!

Official kosher certificate - Zaharon Hador - strictly kosher
Official kosher certificate - Zaharon Hador - strictly kosher
Official kosher certificate - Zaharon Hador - strictly kosher
Zaharon fish found on the beaches of Haifa (photo: Motti Mendelson)
Zaharon fish found on the beaches of Haifa (photo: Motti Mendelson)

capture Zaharon and remain intact

So now, with the kosher question removed, all that remains is to capture him and remain intact.
Fishermen have caught dangerous fish (they are also venomous fish) since time immemorial, the sting of dangerous fish is very painful, but the sting of the haharon is even more painful and even for a longer period of time, and yes, it can also cause serious side effects. Therefore, despite its kosherness and great taste, what is all this worth if it is dangerous to get hold of it? So for the fishermen among you, you should know the risks and decide what to do accordingly. It is important to emphasize that even a dead fish can sting badly, as long as the venom has not been decomposed.

Dak Barkan, an invasive and spiky fish that is difficult to clean (Photo: Motty Mendelsohn)
Zahron, located on the shores of Haifa (Photo: Motti Mendelson)
Zahron, located on the shores of Haifa (Photo: Motti Mendelson)
Clumsy Avnon, photographed in the Gulf of Eilat (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

Zaharoni in sauce

In any case, if you've already mastered the fishing and cleaning stage and if you're already a pro and have caught a few zahrons, I recommend you a sauce for a wonderful zahron stew that's very much worth trying.

Zaharon Godol on the beaches of Haifa (Photo: Motti Mendelson)
Zaharon Godol on the beaches of Haifa (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

First we will fry

First of all, deep fry the fish and then pour the sauce over it. Here is the recipe:
A third of a package of butter, half of crushed garlic, a package of chopped dill, a whole squeezed lemon, a glass of Kiddush wine, also known as "Patishim wine".

Fried fish stew - Zahron and Bori (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

tasty!

Heat all the ingredients in a pot over low heat while stirring, until the butter melts. Cover the pot with absorbent paper for five to ten minutes and pour over the fried fish.
And you will have an appetite.

Zaharon stew (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

What awaits us?

So what will our fishermen see in the future?
Well, due to the warming of our planet, we will see more and more new fish in Israel, some are edible and some are not.

Already today there are marine-finish species that are found here and they are edible and kosher, we will certainly tell more about them later.

The haharon fish with the spines spread out (photo: Motti Mendelsohn)

For every trouble…

Due to the speed of the spread of invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea, some of which are known to be poisonous, it would be good if fishermen had a thermos with hot water in their bag, just in case, and do not rely on the myth that urine will help treat a bite, since the protein decomposition temperature of which the venom is composed is above 40 degrees , so urine won't help here.

Zaharon Hador who was thrown onto the beach (Photo: Motti Mendelson)

Are you hurt? Seek medical attention

We should also point out that the zahroon fish is not protected in the Mediterranean Sea, and lastly and importantly, according to the recommendation of the National Institute for Information on Poisoning, which is an authoritative body when it comes to injuries from venom and toxins - any zahroon injury requires a visit to a hospital.

Have a nice and tasty weekend to all of you!

contact: At watsapBy email

Motty Mendelssohn
Motty Mendelssohn
Marine researcher (diving, underwater photography) and marine and environmental ecology for 35 years. Lecturer in the field for about 20 years. You can order a lecture, or a series of lectures accompanied by unique and spectacular photos, taken during many years of research, in Israel and abroad, ecological tours within Israel and tours of the Dead Sea sinkholes • 050-7271157 • [email protected]

Articles related to this topic

14 תגובות

  1. A bad and cruel article, there are no other words. Describe in detail how to kill such a beautiful creature.
    It's hard for me to understand how we gave a platform for such a cruel article here.
    Heartless people who harm animals like this will not hesitate to harm other people as well.

  2. Hi Muti
    Nice article and even more beautiful are the pictures of the fish.
    Really the generation and colorful.
    I would love to know a little more about the albon as well. Is it found in the Mediterranean Sea? where? And pictures if possible.
    And regarding the comments that are not relevant at all to the article, it is not worth answering them at all.

    You have no bias

  3. The religion of Judaism is a religion like a rubber band always changing kosher not kosher after all kosher its purpose is money all because the ultra-Orthodox rabbis do not work and this is the hoof of thieves in conclusion there is no religion of Judaism there is only money for all Jews from young to old from the mother of Satan

    • It's better if you eat mullet fish and sleep on your nose as an anti-Semitic fool. The kosher laws of the fish were given to us in Sinai in the giving of the Torah along with our promise and legitimacy here in Israel. Therefore it is better to go to Berlin and stay there. at all
      Lucky you didn't touch the blood in the matzoh.

  4. Well done my friend Motty Mendelssohn. Have a good week and good news.

  5. Excellent article.
    The exact name: "The National Institute for Information in Haratel"
    The institute is in Rambam

  6. Thanks Motti, very interesting. Thank you for warning us. For so many years I managed without this beautiful fish. And so on. Happy Saturday everyone. ??

  7. The invasive species in the sea is the gluttonous carnissa, which could kill the world.
    Man is the invading species.

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