Seafood of Asia

Edible Fishes of Asia

According to a report that I read somewhere in a scientific journal a few years ago, there are at least 15,000 recorded species of marine fishes around the world not including the fresh and brackish water species. Out of these 15,000, there are more than 5,000 species, big and small… considered to be important sources of protein for the human community.

Every year, explorers and the scientific community are still discovering new species in deep and shallow waters. In my previous days as a seafood vendor… a few days after the Asian Tsunami Disaster of 2005, the local fishing industry in Peninsular Malaysia started hauling in species of seafood that I had never seen before in the marketplace like large jet-black groupers with prominent purple lips and crabs that wore bright, flowery crimson coats of amazing patterns and looked very different from the common flower crabs.

Perhaps some of these uncommon fishes are yet to be documented by the scientific community. Indeed, as I researched some of the fishes in the local libraries, many of the materials do not offer much information.

During that time when I came across the blue-lipped groupers, I did not own a camera and the experience was merely a fleeing experience and the haul of the day… someone’s gastronomy gain.

The Indian Halibut - Psettodes erumei (Schneider, 1801). 
A studio produced image

It had always been my ambition to photograph commercial fishes and with the purchase of a dSLR early last year, I started to learn imaging the fishes found in the marketplaces and also to build a proper image bank. It is interesting to know that many of our species are not well known outside Asia like the Bombay Duck, Reynald's Grenadier Anchovy and the Shorthead Hairfin Anchovy due to lack of awareness.

These are fishes that many of us enjoy on a regular basis. Those foreign visitors who had the chance to sample the fishes at the local restaurants, food stalls or home cooked meals may recognize these fishes and appreciate their flavors.

If one were to show an actual fish (if where physical evidence is lacking) or a picture of a Reynald’s Grenadier Anchovy to an American or European visitor, they would probably marvel at it at the unusual shapes and colors and find it very hard to digress the fact that some of our Asian anchovies are huge and different in body formation compared to the ones that are typically used in Western cuisines.

Many locals (such as myself previously) would also think that anchovies would be normally the size of the common ‘dried ikan bilis’ until someone or somehow, we discovered that something fishy is going on.

A Trio of fresh Bombay Ducks - Harpadon nehereus. Otherwise also known as the Ikan Lumek, Bummalo or bamaloh in some other cultures. A studio produced image

So I have set up this page to showcase the various species of local seafood. I found the almost translucent, pale Bombay Ducks an extremely difficult subject to photograph on a pure, white background and that took me several repeated attempts over a week before I could get it right.

I have photographed several species properly on isolated white backgrounds so far; on-going efforts will continue to be added to the fish image database. Maybe someday, I will start a new page on preparation on these fishes and also insert cooking recipes with photographs. Would that be interesting… killing two fishes with one stone?

There are not very much research materials available on Threadfin Salmons (Ikan Kurau) and it was revealing to find out that they are one of the largest families of fishes. In fact, not much is really known on their life-cycles. If I do get some of the Latin names wrong, I welcome feedback on corrections or the given local names. Anyway, one must start somewhere so enjoy the collection. Cheers.

 

The King of Bitter

Common name         The King of Bitter Herb

Latin name                Andrographis paniculata

Native names            Hempedu bumi, pokok cerita, akar cerita

Although I have tasted many herbal plants and find many of them extremely pleasant and they add flavoring and aromatic properties to food and beverages, the most strongest herb I have tasted is the King of Bitter Herb or Andrographis paniculata. The name itself is a testimony of the strength of the plant’s properties. Totally devoid of any aroma and resemble a lemon basil leaf but it have a more elongated shape. The leaves look like an inviting, benign piece of green vegetable until one starts to bite into the leaves. My first attempt to sample this herb was to substitute it for the Holy Basil that I normally love to have in my stir-fried rice. Needless to say, it was quite a disaster food-wise.

For the uninitiated, the bitterness creeps onto your palate and then proceeds to invade your taste buds and overpowers any other flavors. Salt and soy sauces compound the sensation of the strong bitterness. The aftertaste of the bitterness continues to linger on my palate for a few hours and eventually fade away but apart from that, there are not any other unpleasant side effects.

I supposed that during cooking, the compounds of the herb strongly flavored the rest of the fried rice and the whole dish tasted bitter and bitter. Perhaps, I should be a bit more apprehensive on my first tasting attempt. Nowadays I prefer to have it raw and I find it be more palatable… a rush of bitterness initially and it fades away, then the rest of the food’s flavor comes into play. The younger leaves are much mild than the older leaves.

Known as a traditional herb for several ailments, it is used by the South East Asian community and in Ayurvedic medicine for many decades as a laxative, digestive and stomachic aid. It has also several uses for the traditional treatment of internal worm infections, flatulence, diarrhea and skin disorders such as ulcers. More accolades are bestowed on the herb as a recognized agent for treating diabetes and high blood pressure (Ahmad & Asmawi, 1993; International Conference on the use of traditional medicine and other natural products in health care, USM). Traditionally, it is also known to have anti-fertility properties and may cause abortions in pregnant women. Excessive consumption of this herb may produce some unpleasant side effects such as heart burn or insomnia.

International interest in the pharmaceutical research industry has picked up on the potential properties of this herb to treat diseases associated with autoimmune disorders. Research is being conducted to assess the potential of using the herb as a treatment for AIDS. Complex, powerful compounds have been identified by the scientific community as promising agents to treat blood clots, infections, skin diseases and cancer. It is interesting to note that it is being used for treating malaria patients. In Europe and America, King of Bitter as herbal supplements are gaining popularity for more than fifteen years in combating respiratory infections and colds. Like the Neem Tree, this humble weed’s powerful medicinal properties are mind-blowing, which leads me to conclude that this plant should have a confirmed place in every herb garden in spite of my “bitter” experience.

Found as an annual weed in Asia, it thrives in several types of soil but ideally a rich, moist soil with some partial shade is preferred. The plant in my garden grows up to the size of a small bush besides a row of orchids that provides it with some shade. It can be grown from stem cuttings or seeds. Young plants are sensitive to hot weather and 50% shade should be given until the plant starts to reach the flowering stage where the plant becomes more woody and puts out smaller and lesser leaves. Once the plant has matured, it will flower profusely and produces a lot of seeds. Eventually, the whole plant will consist of mostly terminal and axillary panicles with very small flowers. It is highly resistant to pest infestation and does not require a lot of care apart from daily watering and feeding.