We don’t blame you for feeling overwhelmed at the wet market. The maddening array of seafood aside, many of which you have never seen before, there is a lot to take in.
You hear metal meet bone as an uncle deftly carves up a whole snapper. Behind you, a trolley heavily laden with ice trundles down the wet aisle. You’re as removed from the air-conditioned world of plastic-wrapped trays at the supermarket as Dorothy is from Kansas.
But compared to what you’ll typically find at the supermarket, Singapore’s wet markets present a collective treasure trove of fish hauled in from Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. In fact, over 250 different species were documented in just one year by Pasarfish, a local initiative that researches, and imparts knowledge on heritage seafood and sustainable consumption.
“That’s incredible variety,” said Elliott James Ong, 29, one of Pasarfish’s two co-founders. “But most people can’t name more than three or four species at the wet market.”
Tekka Market. (Photo: CNA/Khoo Bee Khim)
Instead, what many people are more likely to recognise are salmon and cod on restaurant menus. That’s because these two varieties “are easy to prepare and are heavily marketed”, said Pasarfish’s other co-founder, Kenny Lek, 33, who met Ong while working at World Wildlife Fund. “Almost every restaurant or hawker centre sells them.”
The reality, Lek continued, is that “those fishes are imported from the other side of the world, so their carbon footprints are huge. And when we focus only on salmon and cod, we lose touch with the rich variety of local fishes we have right here in Southeast Asia”.
Tekka Market may not be the biggest market in Singapore but it has one of the largest seafood sections, according to Pasarfish. Here, seafood takes up almost half the space.
It is interesting to note that, despite being in the heart of Little India, most of the fishmongers here are Chinese. “It goes back to history,” said Elliott James Ong, Pasarfish's co-founder. “In Southeast Asia, Chinese traders built strong networks across Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam – the three countries that supply most of Singapore’s fresh fish today.”
Also, said Pasarfish's other co-founder Kenny Lek, “if we reconnect with our wet markets, learn about local fishes and make small changes in what we buy, we can preserve both our oceans and our food heritage”.
Collapse Expand
Here’s a quick quiz: What fish is used to make sliced fish soup, otah, assam pedas and fish biryani? It isn’t salmon, cod or tuna – or even the intensely promoted seabass (aka barramundi) at one point.
It is the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (aka ikan tenggiri, ikan batang or tenggiri batang), said Ong, making it probably the most popularly eaten fish in Singapore without many of us knowing it.
As diverse as the different cuisines are in Singapore, “each community has its own way of cooking the same fish”, he pointed out while leading a guided tour of Tekka Market that CNA Lifestyle joined. “So, it’s not just about fish. It’s about preserving both fish stocks and our cultures in Singapore.”
The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (aka ikan tenggiri, ikan batang, tenggiri batang) is used in sliced fish soup, otah, assam pedas and fish biryani, making it probably the most eaten local fish in Singapore. (Photo: Pasarfish)
Yellowtail fusilier (aka delar or huang zi her) is typically used to make fishballs. (Photo: Pasarfish)
Take, for instance, the fourfinger threadfin (aka ikan senangin) and Indian threadfin (aka ikan kurau), which can be steamed, fried, or used in porridge and curries. These fishes hold special places in Chinese, Indian and Malay households as traditional “super food” for family members who need extra nourishment.
And because of this cultural significance, “these are very prized fishes and are often used in baby’s porridge or confinement food for new mothers”, said Ong.
If you enjoy fishballs and the minced-fish filling in yong tau foo, you’re tasting the meaty, firm yellowtail fusilier (aka delar or huang zi her) and the umami-packed wolf herring (aka ikan parang or sai toh) respectively.
Wolf herrings used to be eaten as a fish in the past, said Ong, but because they are very bony, the fish is now more commonly used in yong tau foo and even fishballs. “Despite the bones, the flesh has a wonderful fragrance.”
Thanks to our love for fish head curry, red snapper varieties, including emperor red snapper (aka ang sai or ikan merah coreng) and malabar red snapper (aka "red chicken"), are also commonly eaten. Goldbanded jobfish (aka white snapper, ang go li or ikan kerisi) is another popular choice for the curry pot.
Steamed fish is another favourite, especially within the Chinese community. The Cantonese, for instance, favours a meaty fish such as red grouper (“garoupa” in Portugese) or barcheeked
Using a specific fish for a certain dish may go some ways in keeping the dish’s heritage alive. But from the sustainability standpoint, it places a lot of stress on the fish’s population. The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel is one example that has been reduced to a “near threatened” conservation status, said Ong.
“Not everything you see here at Tekka Market should be eaten,” he continued. “The two species we encourage people to avoid are sharks and stingrays”, which are enjoyed as shark's fin soup, shark meat in lor mee and as sambal stingray, he said. “Both species reproduce very slowly and their populations are under heavy pressure.”
Red snapper varieties, which are favoured in fish head curry and steamboat, are other fishes that are overfished in our region, said Lek. Even the seemingly abundant ikan bilis may be at risk, he said. “There is evidence of ikan bilis being overfished in some areas but data is too deficient at this point.”
Many species of prawns bear the brunt of our appetite, too. “In Singapore, prawns are in everything, from prawn noodles to otah and chilli paste,” said Ong. “But they come with serious environmental issues. Prawn farming has been a major driver of mangrove deforestation across Southeast Asia.”
As for crabs and shellfish such as clams and mussels, “we don’t really have a full assessment on them simply because we don’t have enough data”, said Ong. “Generally speaking, we think they’re not a big issue right now.”
Prawn farming is a major driver of mangrove deforestation across Southeast Asia, according to Pasarfish. (Photo: CNA/Khoo Bee Khim)
While you can look for conservation certifications from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Lek said that those schemes don’t really cover our region well. “The fisheries here are more complex and there’s a lack of funding to assess them properly.”
He said: “We don't believe we have enough information to recommend regional fish species that come from sustainable sources.” So, a more practical approach is to “consume a more diverse range of fish rather than putting pressure on one particular species”.
It depends, said Kenny Lek, one of Pasarfish's co-founders. Farming can help to lessen the impact on fish stocks but it also brings issues such as overcrowding, which leads to water pollution, diseases and ecosystem disruption when invasive species such as tilapia escape. “So, the answer isn’t farm versus wild – it’s about how the fish are caught or farmed,” said Lek.
Choosing locally grown seafood is definitely encouraged, said Elliott James Ong, Pasarfish's other co-founder. “We can be assured that farms in Singapore are being regulated by Singapore Food Agency's Good Agricultural Practice, where they have to adhere to certain guidelines to ensure that farms use good aquaculture/agricultural practices.”
But farmed fish imported from the region may not have similar guidelines and the enforcement to back them, Ong added.
Collapse Expand
So, instead of the usual silver pomfret, try black and golden pomfrets, suggested Ong. The latter taste good when pan-fried and are also cheaper. But if you have a craving for steamed fish, the uncommonly eaten tuskfish may fit the bill. "They’re delicate and best eaten steamed."
When eating out, ask for the orange-spotted grouper instead of red grouper. "It is very tasty but people overlook it because everyone chases after the red grouper," said Ong.
If you insist on snappers for fish head curry, give the silver and green snappers a chance. Otherwise, try cooking fish curry at home with barracuda. "Go for a medium-sized fish – not the giant ones as barracudas can accumulate toxins. They're also fine for frying."
FISH
PRAWNS
SHELLFISH
CRABS
One of Ong's favourite fishes that is sustainable to eat is the Indian halibut. "Don’t be fooled by this flatfish's odd looks. The meat is clean and delicious. It's great for pan-frying, grilling or even as fish and chips. And surprisingly, it’s not that expensive."
Meanwhile, the next time you're inspired to cook fish curry or make fishballs, yong tau foo or otah, try these alternative fishes recommended by Pasarfish:
FISH HEAD CURRY
Giant trevally (aka gerepoh or chngee jiam). (Photo: Pasarfish)
OTAH
Tilapia (aka jit pun her). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Pangasius catfish (aka patin or dory). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Indian mackerel (aka kembong or kam wang). (Photo: Pasarfish)
FISHBALLS
Wolf herrings (aka ikan parang or sai toh). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Pike conger eel (aka malong or kim mua). (Photo: Pasarfish)
BBQ SEAFOOD
Talang queenfish (aka ikan talang or san bao gong). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Unicorn leatherjacket (aka barat-barat or tuo pi yu). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Find out about other fishes sold at the wet markets from Pasarfish's upcoming fish guide on 60 curated fish species, Pasarfish Guide: A Fish For Every Dish. The free online guide includes suggested methods of cooking, average price points, and sustainability suggestions for selected species.
For more information on Pasarfish's guided tour of Tekka Market and other wet markets in the heartlands, bookmark www.pasarfish.com for upcoming dates.
Continue reading...
You hear metal meet bone as an uncle deftly carves up a whole snapper. Behind you, a trolley heavily laden with ice trundles down the wet aisle. You’re as removed from the air-conditioned world of plastic-wrapped trays at the supermarket as Dorothy is from Kansas.
But compared to what you’ll typically find at the supermarket, Singapore’s wet markets present a collective treasure trove of fish hauled in from Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. In fact, over 250 different species were documented in just one year by Pasarfish, a local initiative that researches, and imparts knowledge on heritage seafood and sustainable consumption.
“That’s incredible variety,” said Elliott James Ong, 29, one of Pasarfish’s two co-founders. “But most people can’t name more than three or four species at the wet market.”
Tekka Market. (Photo: CNA/Khoo Bee Khim)
Instead, what many people are more likely to recognise are salmon and cod on restaurant menus. That’s because these two varieties “are easy to prepare and are heavily marketed”, said Pasarfish’s other co-founder, Kenny Lek, 33, who met Ong while working at World Wildlife Fund. “Almost every restaurant or hawker centre sells them.”
The reality, Lek continued, is that “those fishes are imported from the other side of the world, so their carbon footprints are huge. And when we focus only on salmon and cod, we lose touch with the rich variety of local fishes we have right here in Southeast Asia”.
WHY YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT TEKKA MARKET – OR ANY WET MARKET
Tekka Market may not be the biggest market in Singapore but it has one of the largest seafood sections, according to Pasarfish. Here, seafood takes up almost half the space.
It is interesting to note that, despite being in the heart of Little India, most of the fishmongers here are Chinese. “It goes back to history,” said Elliott James Ong, Pasarfish's co-founder. “In Southeast Asia, Chinese traders built strong networks across Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam – the three countries that supply most of Singapore’s fresh fish today.”
Also, said Pasarfish's other co-founder Kenny Lek, “if we reconnect with our wet markets, learn about local fishes and make small changes in what we buy, we can preserve both our oceans and our food heritage”.
Collapse Expand
WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT FISH WE'RE EATING?
Here’s a quick quiz: What fish is used to make sliced fish soup, otah, assam pedas and fish biryani? It isn’t salmon, cod or tuna – or even the intensely promoted seabass (aka barramundi) at one point.
It is the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (aka ikan tenggiri, ikan batang or tenggiri batang), said Ong, making it probably the most popularly eaten fish in Singapore without many of us knowing it.
As diverse as the different cuisines are in Singapore, “each community has its own way of cooking the same fish”, he pointed out while leading a guided tour of Tekka Market that CNA Lifestyle joined. “So, it’s not just about fish. It’s about preserving both fish stocks and our cultures in Singapore.”
The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (aka ikan tenggiri, ikan batang, tenggiri batang) is used in sliced fish soup, otah, assam pedas and fish biryani, making it probably the most eaten local fish in Singapore. (Photo: Pasarfish)
Yellowtail fusilier (aka delar or huang zi her) is typically used to make fishballs. (Photo: Pasarfish)
Take, for instance, the fourfinger threadfin (aka ikan senangin) and Indian threadfin (aka ikan kurau), which can be steamed, fried, or used in porridge and curries. These fishes hold special places in Chinese, Indian and Malay households as traditional “super food” for family members who need extra nourishment.
And because of this cultural significance, “these are very prized fishes and are often used in baby’s porridge or confinement food for new mothers”, said Ong.
If you enjoy fishballs and the minced-fish filling in yong tau foo, you’re tasting the meaty, firm yellowtail fusilier (aka delar or huang zi her) and the umami-packed wolf herring (aka ikan parang or sai toh) respectively.
Wolf herrings used to be eaten as a fish in the past, said Ong, but because they are very bony, the fish is now more commonly used in yong tau foo and even fishballs. “Despite the bones, the flesh has a wonderful fragrance.”
Thanks to our love for fish head curry, red snapper varieties, including emperor red snapper (aka ang sai or ikan merah coreng) and malabar red snapper (aka "red chicken"), are also commonly eaten. Goldbanded jobfish (aka white snapper, ang go li or ikan kerisi) is another popular choice for the curry pot.
Steamed fish is another favourite, especially within the Chinese community. The Cantonese, for instance, favours a meaty fish such as red grouper (“garoupa” in Portugese) or barcheeked
WHAT ARE WE OVER-CONSUMING?
Using a specific fish for a certain dish may go some ways in keeping the dish’s heritage alive. But from the sustainability standpoint, it places a lot of stress on the fish’s population. The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel is one example that has been reduced to a “near threatened” conservation status, said Ong.
“Not everything you see here at Tekka Market should be eaten,” he continued. “The two species we encourage people to avoid are sharks and stingrays”, which are enjoyed as shark's fin soup, shark meat in lor mee and as sambal stingray, he said. “Both species reproduce very slowly and their populations are under heavy pressure.”
Red snapper varieties, which are favoured in fish head curry and steamboat, are other fishes that are overfished in our region, said Lek. Even the seemingly abundant ikan bilis may be at risk, he said. “There is evidence of ikan bilis being overfished in some areas but data is too deficient at this point.”
Many species of prawns bear the brunt of our appetite, too. “In Singapore, prawns are in everything, from prawn noodles to otah and chilli paste,” said Ong. “But they come with serious environmental issues. Prawn farming has been a major driver of mangrove deforestation across Southeast Asia.”
As for crabs and shellfish such as clams and mussels, “we don’t really have a full assessment on them simply because we don’t have enough data”, said Ong. “Generally speaking, we think they’re not a big issue right now.”
Prawn farming is a major driver of mangrove deforestation across Southeast Asia, according to Pasarfish. (Photo: CNA/Khoo Bee Khim)
WHAT FISH IS MORE SUSTAINABLE TO BUY?
While you can look for conservation certifications from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Lek said that those schemes don’t really cover our region well. “The fisheries here are more complex and there’s a lack of funding to assess them properly.”
He said: “We don't believe we have enough information to recommend regional fish species that come from sustainable sources.” So, a more practical approach is to “consume a more diverse range of fish rather than putting pressure on one particular species”.
IS FARMED FISH BETTER THAN WILD-CAUGHT ONES?
It depends, said Kenny Lek, one of Pasarfish's co-founders. Farming can help to lessen the impact on fish stocks but it also brings issues such as overcrowding, which leads to water pollution, diseases and ecosystem disruption when invasive species such as tilapia escape. “So, the answer isn’t farm versus wild – it’s about how the fish are caught or farmed,” said Lek.
Choosing locally grown seafood is definitely encouraged, said Elliott James Ong, Pasarfish's other co-founder. “We can be assured that farms in Singapore are being regulated by Singapore Food Agency's Good Agricultural Practice, where they have to adhere to certain guidelines to ensure that farms use good aquaculture/agricultural practices.”
But farmed fish imported from the region may not have similar guidelines and the enforcement to back them, Ong added.
Collapse Expand
So, instead of the usual silver pomfret, try black and golden pomfrets, suggested Ong. The latter taste good when pan-fried and are also cheaper. But if you have a craving for steamed fish, the uncommonly eaten tuskfish may fit the bill. "They’re delicate and best eaten steamed."
When eating out, ask for the orange-spotted grouper instead of red grouper. "It is very tasty but people overlook it because everyone chases after the red grouper," said Ong.
If you insist on snappers for fish head curry, give the silver and green snappers a chance. Otherwise, try cooking fish curry at home with barracuda. "Go for a medium-sized fish – not the giant ones as barracudas can accumulate toxins. They're also fine for frying."
HOW TO CHOOSE FISH AND OTHER SEAFOOD
FISH
- Eyes: Clear, not cloudy. Bulging eyes are okay as they're caused by barotrauma or rapid pressure changes when the fish was brought up from deep water to the surface too quickly. Barotrauma can also cause the stomach to protrude from the mouth but it isn't an indication of staleness.
- Gills: Bright red.
- Scales or skin: Shiny. A layer of slime is also good as it indicates peak freshness.
- Body: Firm flesh when pressed.
PRAWNS
- Head: Firmly attached to the body and not falling off.
- Body: Firm when squeezed.
SHELLFISH
- Tightly closed shells. It's okay if the shells are opened but they shut when tapped.
CRABS
- Mud crabs: Always sold live. Check for bad smell, colour vibrancy and firmness of the first joint just below the pincer; softness indicates dehydration, which you don't want.
- Flower crabs: Often sold dead. The colours should be vibrant and there shouldn't be a bad smell.
One of Ong's favourite fishes that is sustainable to eat is the Indian halibut. "Don’t be fooled by this flatfish's odd looks. The meat is clean and delicious. It's great for pan-frying, grilling or even as fish and chips. And surprisingly, it’s not that expensive."
Meanwhile, the next time you're inspired to cook fish curry or make fishballs, yong tau foo or otah, try these alternative fishes recommended by Pasarfish:
FISH HEAD CURRY
- Instead of: White or red snapper varieties
- Try: Giant trevally (aka gerepoh or chngee jiam)
Giant trevally (aka gerepoh or chngee jiam). (Photo: Pasarfish)
OTAH
- Instead of: Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (aka tenggiri batang, ikan tenggiri or ikan batang)
- Try: Tilapia (aka jit pun her), pangasius catfish (aka patin or dory) or other mackerels such as the Indian mackerel (aka kembong or kam wang)
Tilapia (aka jit pun her). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Pangasius catfish (aka patin or dory). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Indian mackerel (aka kembong or kam wang). (Photo: Pasarfish)
FISHBALLS
- Instead of: Yellowtail fusilier (aka delar or huang zi her)
- Try: Wolf herring (aka ikan parang or sai toh) or pike conger eel (aka malong or kim mua)
Wolf herrings (aka ikan parang or sai toh). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Pike conger eel (aka malong or kim mua). (Photo: Pasarfish)
BBQ SEAFOOD
- Instead of: Stingray
- Try: Talang queenfish (aka ikan talang or san bao gong) or unicorn leatherjacket (aka barat-barat or tuo pi yu)
Talang queenfish (aka ikan talang or san bao gong). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Unicorn leatherjacket (aka barat-barat or tuo pi yu). (Photo: Pasarfish)
Find out about other fishes sold at the wet markets from Pasarfish's upcoming fish guide on 60 curated fish species, Pasarfish Guide: A Fish For Every Dish. The free online guide includes suggested methods of cooking, average price points, and sustainability suggestions for selected species.
For more information on Pasarfish's guided tour of Tekka Market and other wet markets in the heartlands, bookmark www.pasarfish.com for upcoming dates.
Continue reading...