Makayabu Ethnic and Exotic Seafood 2

Our featured product this week is Makayabu! Makayabu is an African word for dried and salted saithe. The scientific name for this fish is Pollachius virens.

We salted and dried saithe in two ways. We butterfly split and the we split with the back bone in. The saithe which is split with the back bone in is what we call and trade as Makayabu, a very economic product which is traditional in the African community.

Saithe (Makayabu) 21/30

Although the consumption of this delicious salted and dried fish is growing all over the world, it’s along the Congo River where it is greatly known and consumed by the local population.

Saithe (Makayabu) 31/70

Many traditional African dishes include Makayabu, and it does a very tasty and delicious meal. Unlike some of the other salted fish, saithe is not as lean, therefore when cooked due to its natural fat produces a unique taste.

Our dry salted saithe with back bone in is normally graded and packed by size. Unlike the majority of Norwegian producers, we offer two standard sizes for Makayabu, the 31/70 and the 21/30. In Africa the typical size sold is the 25-40cm.

Makayabu a tasty part of African tradition!

In Africa, this type of fish is sold in the informal markets or traditional street sales. Although our selling unit is by carton or by kg, on the streets in Africa it is sold buy unit. Therefore many customers require the 31/70 which includes more units per box, being more profitable for street sales. Our 21/30 is a bigger fish and is also purchased by clientes which cater to special markets.

Makayabu, like our other salted and dried fish selection is well dried, enough to withstand the traditional hot African weather. Although like all our products we advise warehousing in controlled cool areas with temperatures ranging between +1ºC and +7ºC, this fact alone will increase the shelf life of the product.

A dried fish doesn’t respond too well to environments with high moisture levels, due to its dryness it will attract the moisture, this should be avoided at all costs, moisture and heat simultaneously is not good for dry salted fish.

We offer many packing options for our makayabu, being our traditional 9 kg carton the most consumed and noticed in the African markets, we also have a small 3,5kg or 4,0 kg carton. The 8 kg carton has also started to have some demand from specific customers. Northern Fish is flexible in the packing and offers personalized solutions when required.