Hamour Red Spotted (Gisser)

If you ever traveled to the Middle East or Gulf, you must have come across Hamour fish in fine dining restaurant menus. A very bulky fish, Hamour is one of the major seafood exports from Pakistan. Hamour is a vast category of fish and there are several types of Hamour that are abundant in Pakistan. Loved throughout the world because of its sweet flavor, Hamour is a very versatile cooking option.

The size you get: 2 –20 kg per fish

Note: All our prices and billings are based on the pre-cleaning/cutting weight of the seafood. The net weight at the time of delivery will be dependent on the type of cutting you choose.

Introduction

If you ever traveled to the Middle East or Gulf, you must have come across Hamour – Ghissar fish in fine dining restaurant menus. A very bulky fish, Hamour is one of the major seafood exports from Pakistan. Hamour – Ghissar is a vast category of fish and several types of Hamour are abundant in Pakistan. Loved throughout the world because of its sweet flavor, Hamour is a very versatile cooking option.

Flavor Profile

Hamour is a lean, moist fish with a distinctive yet mild flavor. Hamour meat has large flakes and a firm texture. Hamour’s flavor profile is like a cross between Barramundi and Halibut. Even though it is lean, this fish is forgiving during cooking and can be rather difficult to “overcook” in the sense of drying out. Fillets hold together well enough for poaching if handled gently and they flake apart very easily on the plate. It is easy to de-bone completely and an ideal fish for the most delicate culinary situations.

Nomenclature

English Name: Hamour , Grouper
Local Name: Gissar , Chunni, Nambo, Lotari
Scientific Name: Epinephelus bleekeri
Family: Serranidae

Habitat

Hamour is a Sea fish that lives in the benthic region on shallow banks and adjacent soft substrate in depths of 30–105 m.

Catching Method

Hamour is caught using Gillnets and Line Gears.

Physical Attributes

Hamour has Scales on the body. Body depth is 3.0–3.5 in SL, preopercle serrate with 2–9 enlarged serrate at the angle, anal fin with 3 spines and 8–9 soft rays, 17–19 pectoral-fin rays, caudal fin margin truncate to slightly rounded.

Color

Brownish to purplish grey with numerous Black-Brown spots (about half pupil diameter in adults) on head, body, dorsal fin, and upper third of caudal fin.

Size

On average, the Hamour size range is 1 kg to 5 kg per fish. However, other sizes are also occasionally available.

Cutting Preferences

Hamour is preferred for slices, boneless billets, boneless biscuits, and boneless finger

Approx. Cutting Yields

Whole: 100 %
Gutted: 75 %
Headless and Gutted: 55 %
Slices: 60 %
Boneless: 37 %

Cooking Preferences

Hamour is preferred to grill, bbq, curry, steam, and fry

Health Benefits

Heart friendly
Lowers Blood Pressure
Improves Immune System
Strengthens the bones
Improves Skin and Hair health