Batang fish is one of the most popular fish in Singapore. The flesh of batang is firm and meaty which make it an extremely versatile ingredient. They belong to the family Scombridae which are a pelagic species whose members include tuna. 

Health Benefits: Mackerel is a nutritious fish that has high levels of essential fatty acids, and is a good source of protein.  

Taste and Texture: Soft texture and slightly sweet taste. The flesh is meaty and firm, almost like the texture of chicken meat when it is fried.

Cooking Methods: Batang fish can be steamed, fried, pan-fry and grilled. However, many people prefer them fried. It is commonly used for making fish soup and porridge. 

Cooking Tips:

⇒ For making fish soup, soak the fish slices in a bowl of water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Massage salt onto the fish flesh for 1 minute. This is to reduce the fishy taste of the fish for those who dislike the inherent strong taste of the fish. 

⇒ After massaging the salt onto the fish flesh, add cornstarch and stir to dissolve the cornstarch fully into the salt water. Sock the fish slices for around 3-5 minutes. The cornstarch gives the batang fish a soft texture after cooking, and prevents the fish from overcooking. 

Other Facts: When buying Batang, make sure that the flesh is slightly pinkish, not whitish in color. Also the blood clots around the bone should be fresh red in color.