The ikan bertutu or Ngong Tumbuoh (silly fish) is now a highly priced fish. Its flesh is white and very fresh. It tastes better than cod.
Called Marble Goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata) it is found in fresh and brackish waters of Sarawak, especially in the 3rd and 4th divisions. Most of them are 12 inches to 20 inches long.
It is now found in the wild and some people have tried to farm it. The Chinese love the fish because it has a fine texture and is very tasty. Besides many people believe that it has healing properties and are steamed for its soup for patients after surgeries and difficult child birth.
Its flesh is best when steamed quickly with a light sauce and lots of ginger slices.
During the 1950's when we first moved to Kampong Nyabor in Sibu, and our house was next to a kampong rubber garden, my father would trap ikan bertutu especailly when it was the rainy season and the small ditches would be filled up. Sometimes each morning he could trap up to 5 fairly good sized fish and sell them in the fish market. He could only get about 5 Straits Dollars in those days.
We were once told that in one occasion a dear friend who had just been discharged from the hospital snapped up one of his morning catch. He was quite pleased with himself. My father was a keen fishermen and he loved the throw net especially.
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