September 8, 2010

Dressing up a skate or ray....

 It is good when you have friends or just a friend to go photo shooting. Firstly if you are a female you will not be harrassed by all sorts of people. Secondly it is also advantageous to bring a younger lady who will help to answer all the questions (why take pictures? where are you from?) Thirdly you would not be considered a spy.....etc.etc.etc.

However N. and I had a wonderful reception from this particular fishmonger in E Mart. He was a real star!! We gave him all our thumbs up!! (four thumbs)


Sting Ray(ikan pari) and skates are different members of same species but it is difficult to tell them apart . And in most wet market only the wings are sold. At E-Mart in Miri recently I was witness to a fantastic skilful fishmonger's demonstration. He literally cleaned 10 rays within 15 minutes!! I was actually not fast enough to capture all his moves!!

For extra information in this posting do you know that the largest rays have been about 100 kg? Do you know that the ray with the best flavour is called Raja Clavata or the Thornback ray?

Both rays and skates have moist meaty and pinkish flesh which is fine in texture. Most Sarawakians like the flavour of pari.

It is easy to test for freshness. Just rub off the slime from the skin and the slime will soon reappear. Do not be too worried about the ammonia smell because it would be gone with some cooking. However if you are still unsure use some lime juice to rub the flesh. Assam jawa will do the trick too if you have some.

The skin can be easily taken off after cooking.



The best way to cook pari is to grill or have it pan fried with butter.

Now enjoy these photos!!



(a)first you make slit around the body like this - hold the tail tight
(b) lift the tail up again and cut further into the upper part of the body
(c)The upper part of the body is being cut off now. Made this photo bigger so that you can see the cleaver.....
(d)The fishmonger is quick with his cleaver and the upper part of the body comes off leaving only the wings and the skeleton.
(f)The wings are ready to be sliced off. Every body loves the wings
Before we know it the fishmonger is already cleaning up another skate - lifting of the upper body.

It was really a delight to watch our star fishmonger cleaning and getting the parts of the skate ready for sale. He and his cleaver work non stop and within 3 or 4 minutes he has a skate cleaned and cut up for his customers to choose the pieces!!
By the way we did not have to bribe him or pay him or buy a few pieces of the wings!!
He is a good man with a good heart...May God bless him and reward him abundantly.
Photos taken in E Mart of Miri.



6 comments:

Lee said...

Hello Sarawakania, I love this ikan pari, grilled with sambal, or cooked in lemak. But roasted or bbq'ed with chillies best....
Fortunately we get these here too, and my wife once awhile will surprise me, especially if she knows there's a shoe store going to have a 'buy 1, 2nd pair half price'.

I'm still wondering where she learned bribery, ha ha. Must be from the man she calls her husband.

I love your photographs, well taken shots, and at the right angle too.
I guess it's have camera will travel, huh?
I hardly take outside shots anymore, but more on portrait shoots at home, mature ladies my models....I make them beautiful thru my lens, and their husbands exclaiming,
"WOW!! Is that my wife..."? Sometimes it takes another man to make their husbands excited, ha ha.

You have fun, and keep on shooting. By the way, would love to see the beach, sea or river where you are.
If ada, send me telegram.
Have a nice day, Lee.

Naomi said...

but you always do the answering... hehehe.
that guy have a swift movement in slaying the fish. and you have swift knowledge about cooking the fish.

Ensurai said...

DearUncle Lee...you learn some best lessons in life via close proximity??? I am sure your wife knows you more than you know yourself too....Thanks for the compliments...
It always takes a few men to let one man to know how wonderful his own wife is...
I eat I shoot. I see I shoot. I shoot I blog...??Nowadays book titles seem to have this trend...eat shoot and blog...?eat shoot and leave...

I will photograph some parts of Baram and the Miri coast for you one of these evenings... Must have a friend with me though...

hahaha must find out where the telegraph office is..

Ensurai said...

Hi G.N....I can answer sometimes because I have a smaller and lighter camera....missing you here in Miri!!

Bengbeng said...

you r a charmer.. i wouldnt have been able to charm this guy to let me take pics i think :)

Ensurai said...

Hi Bengbeng
Nope...nah...I think we were just lucky and he was a real and amazing performer....with all those admirable strokes one just cannot help but click away....I also think he saw that "glint" wink wink in my eyes...hahahaha.any such star performers in Sibu? Just curious. Pari here is like hot cakes.

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