Perhaps the most low-cost canned fish on the domestic market is sprats in tomato sauce. In times of total shortage, Soviet housewives could cook 1000 and 1 tasty dish from it. Today, these canned foods are somewhat forgotten. And this is completely in vain. Delicious soups, main dishes and salads can be prepared from sprats in tomato sauce . In addition, sprats can be a great meal with a slice of brown bread. It remains only to learn how to choose them correctly in the store.
Natural selection
At first glance, it seems how you can determine the quality of the product in a closed tin can. But even in the store you can understand a lot if you carefully read the label. So, the highest quality will be sprat in tomato sauce, which is cooked near the place of fishing. This is mainly the Baltic states, of course.
You should carefully read the composition on the label. So, high-quality canned food is made only from sprats, tomato paste, vegetable oil, onions, flour, spices, vinegar and salt. By the way, if flour and butter are absent in the composition, it means that the sprat was not previously fried. Such canned foods will have a less pronounced fish taste. Another secret - if instead of sprats just fish is indicated, the producer tried to save money and used cheaper herring. This will also affect the taste of the finished product in the best way.
And the last one. You need to carefully examine the bank itself. It should not have dents, damage, rust and, of course, swelling. The label must be glued evenly and neatly. On the top cover, 3 rows of numbers are displayed, indicating the production date, product range and manufacturer code. For sprats, the marking is “352” or “532”. It will be, respectively, un-fried or fried sprats in tomato sauce. Price can also say about quality. Good canned foods on average will cost from 30 rubles per can.
Biased inspection
After the coveted jar with sprat was at home, it can be opened and inspected. In high-quality canned food, whole fish will lie tightly to each other. They will be at least 70% of the total mass. In this case, the tomato sauce will be thick and have an even dark red color. If clots of oil are visible on the surface, and the consistency is heterogeneous, it is worth this manufacturer to remember and no longer buy its products.
It is also very important that the sprat in tomato sauce does not break and does not crumble at just one touch. The taste of the fish may be slightly bitter, as it is preserved along with the entrails. However, if bitterness prevails, most likely the raw materials were of poor quality. It is better to throw such a jar at all, since canned food can be spoiled. It is important to remember that unscrupulous producers often use sprats in tomato sauce for waste disposal.
Benefit and harm
Of course, like other canned fish, sprats in tomato sauce are very nutritious and rich in many valuable trace elements. It is recommended to regularly eat schoolchildren, pregnant women and the elderly. Due to their high content of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus, these canned foods contribute to the growth of bone tissue and its strengthening. They are easily absorbed by the body and support the work of the heart.
However, you should not abuse them, since canned foods contain vinegar and other nutritional supplements. This can adversely affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, it is not worth it for those who are losing weight to include in their diet such canned foods as sprats in tomato sauce. Calorie content per 100 grams of product is quite large and amounts to 182 kcal, and in one jar it is 455.
Cook at home
Those who cannot imagine their life without sprats in tomato sauce can do it themselves, and also for the future. Such canned food will turn out not only tasty, but also, probably, more useful. After all, home cooking can not be compared with anything else.
So, a pound of sprat (frozen previously thawed in the refrigerator) gut, remove the heads and tails. This is the most time-consuming part, as the fish is very small. Cut one large onion into cubes, and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Fry in a large amount of vegetable oil until soft. It is better to use a frying pan with a thick bottom, in which then sprats will be cooked in tomato sauce. Put the prepared fish on top. Add a tablespoon of sugar, salt well, put bay leaf and peas of allspice.
In 300 ml of tomato juice (you can survive from fresh tomatoes or use ready-made), dilute a tablespoon of flour and pour the sprat so that it is covered on all sides. Put on the smallest fire and simmer under the lid for about half an hour. Then add a tablespoon of vinegar, keep on fire for another 5 minutes and pour into sterilized jars. Roll up and clean in a cool place.
Interesting fact
Few people guess, but sprats and sprats in tomato sauce are made from the same fish. The recipes, which are essentially different, made some canned food elite, while others made budget ones. However, both of them enjoy well-deserved popularity.