Ikan Empirang and Umai

 Umai is a raw fish salad eaten by the Melanaus of the coastal regions of the Rajang delta and Bintulu area.

The favourite fish used for umai making is the empirang, an orange coloured small fish, which is actually full of bones. But interestingly, once sliced very thinly and soaked in lime juices even the bones turn soft. Umai made from this fish is particularly nice.

A beautiful orangy empirang. It is really a golden kind of fish. the flesh is so sweet and fine!!

In Mukah, fish mongers prepare thin slices of empirang, for customers to take home. They also supply all the ingredients like limes, chillies, onions in plastic bags to go with the take away boxes. How convenient!! Love this kind of service.

What I have found out recently is that the salted empirang is really very tasty. Hope humans will not cause this fish to become extinct.