Sibu Tales : White Pomfret

The white pomfret is called bah chiong in Foochow. It is known as ikan duai putih in BM. Highly priced by all the races of Malaysians it is often sold off in no time. Sometimes they are even sold fresh off the boat because the consumers come to the river side to buy the freshest of the fish.

The best season in Sarawak for this fish is before the Chinese New year until the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calender. It is strange but true. This is the time when all Chinese will desperately want to present a big dish of fish for the New Year Reunion Dinner to signify "abundance" for the family. In fact any fish is considered a must have dish for the reunion dinner. But the pomfret is the best.

Those who are not celebrating Chinese new year would make umai or the Sarawakian raw fish dish for their drinking sessions by the beach. The white flesh of the pomfret makes delicate and subtlely tasting raw fish salad. To the westerners this umai is known as ceviche.

Pomfret can be steamed, fried and deep fried. When a cook steams a white pomfret he only uses a bit of light soy sauce, some ginger, a bit of wine and spring onions to create a fabulous steaming fish dish. Local fishermen and villagers usually fry the fish in a kuali with just a bit of oil  The fish just needs a bit of salt for marinating. Deep fried pomfret is very crunchy, sweet and tasty.

Because of its decrease in population, and its popularity, the pomfret fetches a high price. The bigger the more expensive. Small palm sized pomfrets are sold below RM20.00 per kilo.

Sometimes, one or two big pomfrets given to VIPS may help to smooth some commercial transactions.

Many countries in the world do not allow frozen fish to be brought into their country through airports. Singapore is an example. Some loving parents, unknowingly brought in a few large pomfrets from Sarawak,only to be told at the Singapore customs that their precious fish would have to be confiscated.