Is it “Mahi” or “Mahi-Mahi?”
September 18th, 2009
Is it “Mahi” or “Mahi-Mahi?”
It’s both. Look up the word in many American dictionaries and you will find the hyphenated version. I would say that more of us in the industry call this increasingly popular and well regarded specie “Mahi.” Mahi (Latin: Coryphaena Hippurus) means strong in Hawaiian and is often called “dolphin fish.” Unfortunately, this turns some individuals off to eating it when it is not a dolphin (mammal) nor is it even related to the dolphin family.
Fortunately, more and more consumers are becoming familiar with this mild flavored fish. Beautiful in color, Mahi are a brilliant gold, blue, and green when swimming in the water. They are fast growing and are carnivores. Imported from many South and Central American countries, Mahi are generally shipped to the USA fresh in H&G (head off, gutted) form.
There is a limited domestic fishery here on the East Coast of the US and Canada and those fish are very high grade. Domestic Mahi are landed from the Florida Keys in the spring to Nova Scotia in the summer months as the fish migrate northward .These fish are sold fresh in whole G&G (gilled and gutted) form.
I am often asked how to tell a male Mahi from a female and here is the answer: females have rounded heads and males have prominent, protruding foreheads that are square-like shaped. Mahi is starting to hit its peak, import season now, and should be readily available and attractive priced from October thru February. Try it….you will not be disappointed!