UNAGI!
And no I am not talking about the "concept"... mentioned by Ross on Friends (season 6, ep. 17) that Unagi is, "a state of total awareness... being prepared for any danger that may be-fall you."
No, I am siding with Rachel and Pheobe in that... Unagi is a type of sushi... and a DELICIOUS SUSHI at that!!!
Unfortunately Unagi is typically DOUSED in a sugary-sweet sauce that really ruins all nutritional benefits of the fish... but I have come up with a very good solution to this problem which has enabled me to SCARF this eel down without a guilt in the world... (although I have heard it's on the
Do Not Eat list... but I am going to pretend as though I never heard/read that!)
(Stupid sweet-ass sauce ruining my delicious EEL)
When I buy it from the store in the pre-BBQed package... I open up the package and WASH the fillet off... then I take about 1/2 a roll of paper towel and remove all the rest of the disgustingly sweet sauce... and let me tell you, naked eel is definitely NOT naked in flavor!!!
When I go to sushi restaurants and order eel sashimi, I will ALWAYS ask/write down that there is to be no extra eel sauce slopped on top, that way I am not bombarded with sugar calories that are simply NOT NEEDED!
So you're either now thinking...A. She is a complete nut job of caring about sugar
B. Ew, eel, that's disgusting, I hate raw fish...
C. Whoa, good idea, although I probably won't go nuts with the paper towels
D. Tell me about the damn nutritional benefits!
And let me just make it clear that...A. Yes I am completely nuts about avoiding sugar
B. Eel is ABSOLUTELY delicious and should NOT be avoided (out of fear that it's slimy and "yucky") and it is a COOKED fish (if you'd call it a fish)
C. Yes yes, I know I am so smart... and in my mind, every little bit of sauce that comes off is a little less calories & sugar! (but I am aware I probably won't be able to get ALL of the sauce off)
D. I was just about to come to that!
So here you are all you letter D thinkers...
EEL'S ROSTER OF HEALTH BENEFITS:- Full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- High in Protein
- Very High in Vitamin A & B1 & B2
- High in Vitamin D & E
- Rich in Phosphorus
- And did I mention... SCRUMPTIOUS!
While eel is a bit on the
caloric side, it's oh so worth it... So don't shy away from it! Go nuts and order a sushi roll or better yet eel sashimi the next time you visit your sushi restaurant... Or if you're lucky like me and you have a Whole Foods near by, go and pick up a package or two and simply toast it in the oven until perfection! Seriously, you will have a mouthgasum and then thank me when you're done! Ha Ha Ha!
PS: There is another kind of eel served at Sushi Restaurants called Anago which is SEA EEL and also very tasty... but it's not as popular as Unagi. If you do get the chance, sample both and let me know which one you think is better!
