Frogs as a Delicacy

 During the Japanese Occupation my paternal grandfather ate wild birds and frogs for his protein in take in Pulau Kerto. My adopted cousin, Yew Ping used to tell us how she would bravely go to trap the birds and catch the frogs at night with the help of a torch light.

Fast forward to the 1950's and 60's shopkeepers in Sibu could buy fresh frogs in cages which arrived in the Sibu wharf!! The Ibans would sell 10 frogs for a mere 5 dollars!! In those days that would be a very handsome income. And besides it was easy to catch 20 or more frogs per night.

One good way of eating frogs would be to cook just the frog legs in porridge and that's how I like it as I don't see the whole frog in my food. 

Another good way of eating frog is to have it done clay pot style, over a very strong charcoal fire. Most of the towkays in Sibu would eat frog meat very often because the meat was fresh, tasty and better than chicken they said. Some were even addicted to frog meat I heard. But most importantly they had the cash to buy a lot at one time. 

A few of the shops in Sibu served frog stir fry (with a lot of onions and ginger) and the frog meat in the memories of a lot of my friends tasted better than chicken.

A good housewife really knew how to remove the whole skin of the frog by a clever cut in the head area. With a swift move of the hand, the skin would come off in the feet area. It is a lot of work to clean a frog and for a big family you might need 10 frogs to make a good big dish.

Frog leg porridge is traditionally given to babies before they learn to walk. Old grandpas are given frog meat to keep them strong and healthy especially for bone health.

In China deep fried frog is a popular street food.

Not all frogs in Sarawak are edible. So be careful. Don't catch a toad and eat it!!

I don't think I can de skin a frog expertly like my cousin Yew Ping, or my aunts who all love to eat frog meat.

(Notes: In Sibu, most of the frogs sold in the market come from Kapit. In Kuching, they are now being bred in Serian, or come from across the Indonesian border, and in Miri, frogs still come from the various tributaries of the Baram)