Pattani's Pricey But Tasty Salty Fish Not to be Missed

By Kurniawati Kamarudin PATTANI (Southern Thailand), Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Lunch was simple, just plain rice and fried salted fish but it was one of the most scrumptious meals I had ever eaten. The salted fish – salted senangin or threadfin fish to be exact – was a speciality at the fishing village of Tanjung Pauh, located about 20 kilometres from Pattani town. And, it certainly does not come cheap either. Known as ikan kulau locally, the salted fish is priced at 1,300 baht to 1,500 baht (RM165 to RM190) per kilogramme. My visit to Pattani last month was part of a media trip to southern Thailand on the invitation of the Southern Peace Media Club (SPMC) and the Southern Thailand Media Association. The media visit, from Oct 2 to 6, covered Betong, Golok, Pattani and Songkla and was participated by 25 Malaysian journalists and bloggers. While visiting the province of Pattani, Tanjung Pauh – located in Nong Chik district – was one of our stops as the organisers wanted to show us how the salted fish speciality was processed at a small plant located in the village. Having noted the rather lengthy and laborious process involved, I can understand why the salted fish is so pricey. MAKING OF THE SALTED FISH The processing plant at Tanjung Pauh employs about 40 people who live around the fishing village. Besides producing salted fish, it also serves as a collection point for the fish caught by the area's fishermen before their hauls are distributed to various markets in Thailand. According to Pattani Fishermen Association president Mohd Syukri Mat Sani, it took about 30 to 50 days to process the salted senangin fish before it could be marketed. The plant gets its fresh supply of senangin fish from fishermen at about 130 baht to 230 baht per kilogramme. First, the fish is cleaned by having their scales and innards removed, then it is cured with salt specially produced by villagers in Pattani. The curing period for the bigger fish is two days and smaller fish, one day. "We only use salt to cure the fish. No chemicals are used," Mohd Syukri told the media, adding that after it is cured, the fish is washed once again to remove any remaining salt residue. DAILY 'MASSAGE' FOR FISH Next comes the drying stage where the cured fish is sun-dried for between 25 and 45 days, depending on their size. Usually, the fish is suspended on hooks attached to an iron rod which is put out under the sun. However, they are covered by a net to prevent direct exposure to the sunlight. "Too much sun can cause their flesh to become too dry," explained Mohd Syukri, adding that the net also kept flies and other insects away. He said during the drying process, the wind must also be present to enable natural drying of the fish. Another important and somewhat unique component of the drying process is gentle "massaging" or pressing of the fish on a daily basis. This, apparently, improves the quality of the salted fish as the massaging allows the salt to permeate the whole fish. "If the drying period is 25 days, then the fish is massaged on all 25 days. "In our plant, we've set aside a place where the fish is massaged. Our workers are always reminded to do their work sincerely and patiently as that is the only way we can yield high quality salted fish," said Mohd Syukri. The Tanjung Pauh plant markets about 5,000 pieces of salted senangin fish yearly, enjoying returns of about three million baht (RM380,000). VALUE ADDED Nong Chik district head Ak Yang-apai Na Songkla said the salted fish plant and fish collection centre at Tanjung Pauh was launched in May last year as a project under the Thai government's six-year economic development plan for three provinces – Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat – in southern Thailand. He said the abundant supply of senangin fish in the waters off Pattani was one of the reasons the authorities decided to set up the salted fish plant. "Locally, there's a high demand for the senangin salted fish. Our customers include even hotels and upmarket restaurants in Bangkok," he said, adding that the project has helped to enhance the value of the senangin fish. Meanwhile, efforts are also being made to protect the ecosystem of the seas off Pattani to ensure a plentiful supply of senangin fish and other fish species. Ak Yang-apai said a coast guard team, made up of the local communities living along the Pattani coastline, has been set up to monitor the sea and ensure that no large ships encroach on their waters. "Large vessels can pose a threat to the survival of our fish resources," he said, adding that the senangin fish thrived in shallow and calm waters. -- BERNAMA