Whole thing…

One fish that we like a lot is ikan lajong. It is a river fish – some say it is a member of the catfish family and the scientific name is phalacronotus apogon. I can’t remember when we first had it but since then, there had been no turning back. We would order that time and time again at the restaurants – if they have it, that is.

Of course, it does not come cheap, not at all and if they serve you the whole thing, it will surely burn a hole in your pocket. We had half of it once, either the head…

…or the tail…

…and I had to fork out RM62.00 for the latter but we thought there was enough for a table of 10 at a Chinese sit-down dinner.

If it is small, it may be more affordable, like this…

…was only RM29.00. Sometimes if the fish is very big, they will cut it into slices and that is what you will get…

…but no, don’t expect it to be a lot cheaper. That was RM28.00 for two small slices – they were very much smaller than what you see in the photographs and these three slices…

…were a whooping RM40.00 for three slices!

It certainly would be a whole lot cheaper if you buy your own – sometimes, if you’re lucky, you may come across this fish at the wet market. I bought 5 small ones and we had them steamed…

…one at a time, enough for 5 meals altogether, and I only paid RM30.00 for the whole lot!

Unfortunately, they were frozen that morning and the lady could not clean it for me and I had to do it all myself. Actually I do not mind buying fish that is frozen despite the chore of having to clean them myself – I would bury the insides under my rambutan tree, natural fertiliser.

If I am not wrong, the fishmongers have to defrost the fish for sale each day and if they remain unsold, they would have to freeze it again and defrost it again the next morning – I cannot imagine how many times the fish has to undergo this process before somebody buys it. However, if it is frozen, it may be heavier so you may have to pay more because of that. Heads, they win, tails you lose!

Well, that was the last one of the five that I bought – I don’t know when I will come across any again. Just a week left if they do not extend the partial lockdown/MCO further and hopefully, I shall be able to go out and browse around the wet market. Who knows I may stumble upon some ikan lajong again!