Pla Salit

The Case of the Headless Fish

Thai Common name                           Pla Salit, Plat Salit

If Sean Connery pronounces it     Flatt Shawl-lit

Food Name                                           Thai Smoked Salted Gourami

Latin Name of the Fish                     Trichogaster pectoralis

Common Name                                   Snake Skin Gourami, Ikan Spart

Okay, let’s face it… Sean would never eat this stuff… it does not taste like smoked salmon or herring. It will never be in his genes to put this into his mouth. What the heck is this stuff, anyway?

When I was a young baddie laddie, I always thought this was a local salted fish. After all, I used to catch a lot of this fishes in the monsoon drains or longkangs and kept them as pets (Okay, this longkang thingie would be another story later…). I had no idea that it is smoked, only that it had a unique salty flavor to it and was a great condiment for half-boiled eggs, hot steamed rice, congees and durians. Yes Madams and Sirs, place a generous flake of the cooked Flatt Shawl-lit on top of a glorious stinky ripe meaty durian and many durian lovers will swear… it’s just better than sex.

The dried Pla Salit is usually sold as shown above in Asian supply shops. The strong, pungent smell can be overwhelming to those not used to dried-salted fishes and seafood. Store in air-tight anti-rust containers or bags in a cool, dark place.

Trichogaster pectoralis or the freshwater Snakeskin Gourami is a fairly large and common anabantoid fish found in Asia, especially in rice growing regions such as Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. It favors shallow, slow flowing bodies of water with abundant aquatic plant life. An anabantoid fish that belongs to the labyrinth group of fishes with a unique body organ called the labyrinth chamber, it allows them to extract oxygen directly from atmospheric air.

The Snakeskin Gourami can grow up to 26cm or 10 inches and the male fishes build huge bubble nests during spawning. In Thailand, gourami fries are released into the rice fields after the rice seedlings have been planted and the fields are purposely flooded for a few months until harvesting time. The Snakeskin Gourami which is an omnivorous fish, helps to control filamentous algae which would choke the fields and compete with the rice plants for nutrients if uncontrolled. The fishes also regulate insect and aquatic snail population which would otherwise destroy the rice plants.

In a period of three to four months, the fish would grow to a length of 17-20cm/ 7-8 inches in favorable conditions. About this time, the rice harvest is at hand and the fields are drained and a bonus after the rice is harvested, are the now adult gouramis.

The fishes are collected, beheaded and gutted before heavily salted in successive layers on bamboo trays and stored for weeks under shade. Then, they are placed in kilns and smoked for several hours using dried oily, coconut shells as the smoking media before removed to cool and packed for sale.

To prepare this fish for cooking, clean the Pla Salit by removing the scales and giving it a good rinse in clean, running water. Allow the fish to air-dry for half an hour before frying in hot oil between 220˚C-260˚C until the fish is golden brown and crispy. Nice! It is at its best when it is hot and crispy. It has got a salty, slightly earthy and smoky flavor.

Another way to enjoy it is to add a generous layer of thinly sliced red shallots, sliced red chili as much as you dare, chopped Chinese Parsley, basil or mint, sprinkle a teaspoon of fine castor sugar and squeeze a few ripe calamansi limes onto it; the senses will just be joyfully overwhelming… salty, sweet, sour, spicy, smoky, crispy, herby and stinging from the shallots. What a culinary experience a humble freshwater fish can give.

Fresh Calamansi Limes for sale at an Asian market. 
They are also known as Acid Oranges or Limau Kasturi in Malay

The frying of this fish is best done in an open-air space. If you are cooking this salted fish near Sean’s neighborhood or in other parts of Europe, kindly forewarn your neighbors a year ahead or invest in an industry-grade air filter system in your kitchen like the ones below. Otherwise a team of environmental officers in bio-hazard suits will be visiting you within the hour to investigate bio-terrorism complaints.

Multiple exhaust vents at an industrial complex, Asia.

To pacify the environment officers, invite them in for a cuppa tea with a wee dram of milk and generous wedges of England’s best Blue Stilton Cheese and crackers. On the positive side, you’ll be best mates with your Asian neighbors if you happen to have durians too. Cheers.

    

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.

 

Demons & Pantangs

The herd of black and white cows leaped onto my tin roof, stood up on their hind quarters and amazingly began a fast tap-dance number. The din was deafening. It went on for quite a while. One of them started to lose her footing and a black hoof shot through the ceiling. In seemingly slow motion, the rest of the cow followed the direction of the hoof and crashed through the roof and directly onto me. Meanwhile, the rest of the herd was still dancing in unison and the din just got louder as more cows jumped onto the roof.

Just before the big chunk of kicking beef made body contact, she faded away and I woke up groggily to the sounds of firecrackers on a Sunday morning at six o’clock, ten days before the Chinese New Year. The firecrackers ended with a rip-roar as I lay subconsciously in bed with my head on the pillow, expecting more cow hooves but there was silence. My ears strained for the sounds of my neighbors’ babies crying and heard sound of stirring.

Both the babies must have been in deeper slumber than I thought and did not wail. Perhaps, their mothers had managed to pacify and comfort them back to sleep. What a relief, I can get a few more hours of eye shut. Snuggling back into my warm bed, I would not let this annoyance get in the way of my Sunday late slumber; dreamland is in sight again.

The owner of the next house had made major renovations to it and it was almost ready after several weeks of feverish construction. The evening before the incident, excited discussions could be heard as the family came to examine the outcome, excited about the prospects of moving back in. The commotions eventually faded away as the black night took over.

Surveying the scenery later that morning, the evidence was clearly in sight. There was a carpet of red shredded remnants of firecrackers scattered on the almost completed front porch as the workers continued their finishing touches. The new tenants must have stood there in rapture and glee, watching as thoughts of imaginary spirits and demons fleeing the house from the ruckus, ran through their minds.

Like a house cleansing ritual of old Chinese customs, the firing of noisy fire-works would serve to chase away any bad spirits lurking in the foundations and bring in good luck and tidings.

I wondered over morning tea and breakfast how the rest of the neighbors might have felt. If the house owner had hoped the exorcism rituals would work, I think it would have to be a futile exercise because sleeping angry spirits had been aroused from its slumber by the thoughtless racket at an unholy hour. 

That got me thinking about superstitions and myths that infuse our Asian cultures. How far do we subconsciously allow these beliefs to influence our daily walks in life that it sometimes becomes counterproductive? An example is the number four as it sounds like the word ‘Sie’ or ‘die’ in most Chinese dialects and is considered inauspicious or ‘Pantang’ in Chinese feng shui.

Living proof is in the family of a friend who frequently objects to outings when the chosen date falls on inauspicious days. Work appointments with clients are often rescheduled should it fall on a fourth day of the month. Interestingly, many of them agreed to the rescheduled dates. I am also advised not to do anything unusual outside my normal routine on the fourth of every month.

So let’s examine how much more these superstitions will influence our daily lives if these demons are let loose in our minds and have free rein?

Today, I am interviewing the Oriental Pantang Demon whom I had the utmost good fortune to encounter as he rolls around playfully on the messy red firecracker carpet that morning.

Q : Pantang Master, what sort of car should we drive for good luck?

A : My unlucky mistress, the Number Four Demon says you should not drive a car at all. Cars have four wheels on the ground; the spare tire does not count because it does not touch the ground. Therefore your choice of vehicle should be a bicycle, rickshaw or a motorcycle with a sidecar if you are a family man or better still, a truck with five or more wheels. 

Q : Why a truck?

A : Most modern cars have four side doors. The rear door or boot does not count if it opens skywards… it’s no longer a side door. A truck normally have only two side doors and six wheels.

Q : Okay, this feng shui tip is only for wheels and doors, right?

A : No, most modern cars are based on the four-stroke combustion engine design. There is a ‘Sie‘ element in this design.

Faithful “pantangers” who wish to observe the religion of “pantanging” should always use the two-stroke-driven motorcycle, diesel or electric powered vehicle. There are many unlucky designs and elements in the modern car like the four-big-eye-small-eye Mercedes and ….

Q : Excuse me, (as I cut in) does it mean I have to change my car?

A : Yes, you have to choose a two or three-door car... with three wheels. Five wheel cars have not appeared on the market yet. So the Piaggio Ape is ideal. 

Q : What if we meet you or your mistress while driving on the road?

A : Avoid all road junctions. Big unlucky trouble lurks at the four sets of roads on the cross-junctions. Traffic light junctions are simply bad feng shui.

Be suspicious of the four sets of traffic lights blinking at you. It’s my wife’s twin brother, Number Empat Demon in disguise winking at you. Take the long way home to avoid any junctions that breathes on fours. Never drive under flyovers that have four lanes. Drive carefully, and never use the fourth gear.

Q : All this talk is making me hungry. Are you hungry? I’m so hungry now I could eat a lucky horse. Any other auspicious foods we can eat to improve our fortunes?

A : When you order from the menu, avoid beef, venison, lamb, mutton, rabbit or pork. After all, they come from four legged animals. It’s bad feng shui to eat unlucky foods, you know. So good-luck foods are chicken, duck, quails and pigeons. Ahhh… here comes the waiter with your fourth dish. Wonderful done, your goose is cooked just right.

Q : “Aiyoh! Die, Lah… what to eat like that!?” I cried angrily as I bang the table hard with my fist. The sound echoed around the four walls of the Chinese restaurant.

A : Careful, don’t bang the bad luck out from the furniture. Take a hard look at your tables, chairs, and cupboards with their four legs. How long has you been sitting at your unlucky table and on the chairs? I hope you will not add or subtract a wall in your existing house to achieve feng shui equivalent. Otherwise, I can't visit you that often.

Q : What about tips on traveling and shopping?

A : Avoid Lucky Valley at all cost. You can’t shop there. They have four corridors called North, South, East & West. My children are always playing around in the East and West wings.

You can’t holiday in New Zealand, China, the Western hemisphere or for the matter of fact… any countries that experience the four seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Very pantang one.

Q : Are we ever safe from you anywhere?

A : When you are flying fifty-five thousand feet above the earth and the aircraft has four engines, you’ll be sure my mistresses, children and I are in First Class.

Q : Do you like pets, Pantang Monster? I could adopt you as my mascot, you know… maybe put you in a round fish bowl like a lucky goldfish for good charm?

A : I just love bad luck pets. Pets are my favorite subject. Cats, dogs, sugar gliders, hamsters, lizards or any four-legged animals are potential candidates for bring bad luck into the household. And there is the year of the Rabbit. And the Tiger. And the Dragon. And the Goat… (I could hear an evil chuckle).

But I hate spiders and crabs… they all have fatt legs.

Q : Next question is for the punters. When will 4444 strike the first prize this year?

A : Sie lor! You can not play the 4D lottery! Even the word ‘Luck’ is not on your side for it is spelled with four letters. But don’t be surprised to see your ‘pantang’ friends there. Many of them are life-time customers at the 4D shops. 

Q : What about languages? We speak no evil, right?

A : My other mistresses, the Colorful Slang Devil says you have to avoid using any words with four letters in it or four-letter words. I’m not sure what she is trying to tell me but maybe somehow, I think conversations may be less interesting without them when you can’t even describe the object. You can’t even play [censored] golf. The word ‘Fore’ sounds like ‘Sie’! The other golfers on the course will not be amused with you.

Q : Does this affect modern life as well like computers?

A : You can’t use a computer keyboard. From F1 to F4, there are four keys. From F5 to F8, there’s another four keys…  bad feng shui comes in series. See what happens when you press F4. Bad luck pours out… maybe your hard disk will crash! Who knows? So the only way to avoid using the F4 key to execute the same command is to press F3 and the ‘A’ key together.

Q : Sie-For! This bad news will spread like wildfire.

A : He he he. Be careful when you use the word ‘Fire.’ It’s a four letter word and in the Chinese Language, it sounds like “Four” and therefore, sounds like “Sie”. 

Q : So, last question, Pantang Monster. Are you afraid of firecrackers?

A : Ho Ho Ho. Be careful when you use the word again. Plus, you know I love red.

So the interview has ended. He did not quite answer the last question to confirm if the firecracker exercise had worked at all as the Pantang Demon and his mistresses skip their way merrily into the nearest pyrotechnics shop to check out the meanest bang and flash sticks for their children. 

Conclusion, the ‘pantang taboo’ list is still long and distinguished. So how far will one allow the “Pantang Demons” to get in our daily lives? Being pantang these days is not quite practical, so as to speak. Sensibly, one should not allow the Pantang Monsters to dictate our lives. 

As for me, I would take all these with a pinch of salt; sprinkle it on my delicious shank of lamb curry tonight before dinner starts. Yummy. Oh, one last word on this subject… do remember to clap five times loudly to chase away the bad spirits before you exit your Piaggio Ape.
 

Meanwhile for the duration of that Festival Season, I had prepared for the sound of thousands of polka dot horses dancing the Flamenco in my dreams.

I wanted to post this article in the fourth month of this year... pantang lah but what the heck… Happy Chinese New Year, belated… anyway.

Peace, Prosper and Long Life.