Mojama
Encyclopedia
Mojama is a Spanish
delicacy
consisting of filleted salt
-cured tuna
.
The word mojama comes from the Arabic musama (dry), but its origins are Phoenicia
n, specifically from Gdr (Gadir, Cádiz
today), the first Phoenician settlement in the Western Mediterranean Sea
. The Phoenicians had learned to dry tuna in sea salt to make it appropriate for trade.
Mojama is made using the loins of the tuna by curing them in salt for two days. The salt is then removed, the loins are washed and then laid out to dry in the sun and the breeze (according to the traditional method) for fifteen to twenty days.
It is usually served in extremely thin slices with olive oil and chopped tomatoes or almonds. In Madrid mojama is very popular mid afternoon tapa and is served with a short beer and olives.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
delicacy
Delicacy
A delicacy is a food item that is considered highly desirable in certain cultures. Often this is because of unusual flavors or characteristics or because it is rare....
consisting of filleted salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
-cured tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
.
The word mojama comes from the Arabic musama (dry), but its origins are Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n, specifically from Gdr (Gadir, Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
today), the first Phoenician settlement in the Western Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The Phoenicians had learned to dry tuna in sea salt to make it appropriate for trade.
Mojama is made using the loins of the tuna by curing them in salt for two days. The salt is then removed, the loins are washed and then laid out to dry in the sun and the breeze (according to the traditional method) for fifteen to twenty days.
It is usually served in extremely thin slices with olive oil and chopped tomatoes or almonds. In Madrid mojama is very popular mid afternoon tapa and is served with a short beer and olives.
See also
- GravlaxGravlaxGravlax or gravad lax , gravet laks , gravlaks , graavilohi , graavilõhe , graflax is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill...
, Scandinavian cured raw salmon - GwamegiGwamegiGwamegi is a Korean half-dried Pacific herring or Pacific saury made during winter. It is mostly eaten in the region of North Gyeongsang Province such as Pohang, Uljin, and Yeongdeok where a large amount of the fish are harvested...
, Korean half-dried Pacific herring or Pacific saury - LoxLoxLox is salmon fillet that has been cured. In its most popular form, it is thinly sliced—less than in thickness—and, typically, served on a bagel, often with cream cheese, onion, tomato, cucumber and capers...
, Jewish cured salmon fillet - LutefiskLutefiskLutefisk or Lutfisk is a traditional dish of the Nordic countries and parts of the Midwest United States. It is made from aged stockfish or dried/salted whitefish and lye . It is gelatinous in texture, and has an extremely strong, pungent odor...
, Scandinavian salted/dried whitefish - RakfiskRakfiskRakfisk is a traditional eastern Norwegian fish dish made from trout or sometimes char, salted and fermented for two to three months, then eaten without cooking.-Origin:...
, Norwegian salted and fermented fish - List of Spanish dishes