TERAJU.ID-If you are traveling to the island of Borneo, try this tasty culinary dish often known as the food for kings.
Why? It is not only delicious, when cooked right it is also very expensive.
Mahseer fish also known as kelah in Malaysia, Sapan in Kalimantan and Semah in Sumatera is a freshwater fish of the genus Tor (Tor spp., Syn. Labeobarbus, tribal Cyprinidae). It can also be found in some areas of South Asia, including India and the Pakistan peninsula.
Over the last 10 years, the fish is becoming exceedingly difficult to find in the wild. It has become one of the most sought after fish in several countries, and its natural habitat along the rivers and tributaries of Borneo has been encroached upon by large scale mining and oil palm plantation.
The mahseer fish is still found in the Heart of Borneo (HoB), at Dayak villages around the Betung Karihun National Park, Indonesia. Local residents have also cultivated the fish to be sold to restaurants in Putussibau, Kalimantan, Indonesia and Kuching, in Sarawak, Malaysia.
In Malaysia, travelers can taste the fish in restaurants, sold for a kilogram between RM 350 to RM 500*. Travelers to Indonesia can buy the fish costing from Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million per kilogram.
Due to its exorbitant price, and rich taste it is often dubbed ‘The King’s food’ as not many can afford to eat it.
Here’s a recipe for travelers who would like to try cooking a mahseer fish.
Ingredients:
One Mahseer fish – clean the innards, scrape the fish scale and keep it aside
I
Onion, garlic, Tamarind, Coriander, galangal, turmeric, chili, coriander, lemongrass
(blend ingredients)
II
Coconut milk, lime and bay leaves; salt, sugar, and pepper to taste
How to make:
Clean and wash the fish thoroughly.
Saute ingredients I until fragrant spices
Add coconut milk, salt, sugar, fish and lime leaves (ingredients II). Simmer over low heat until cooked.
The leftover scales can be soaked in lemon juice to rid the fishy smell. Next, add salt and seasoning flour. Fry the batter in oil. The fish scales are an added bonus as a crunchy and tasty mahseer crackers.
Have fun eating!