Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Asian Fish Products
1.Thailand
Plaa som
It is a low salt product, typically composed of freshwater fi sh, salt, boiled
rice and garlic (Adams, 1986) and is mainly produced in the central and
north-eastern part of Thailand. However, in the Songkhla Province in
southern Thailand, a local variety of
plaa som
is produced, in which garlic
and boiled rice are replaced by palm syrup and from time to time by
roasted rice, thus resembling
plaa uan
, another type of Thai fermented fi sh
(Phithakpol et al., 1995).
For
plaa so
m, the whole fi sh is mixed with salt (8:1; fi sh: salt ratio,
w/w) and left overnight. Cooked rice and minced garlic are added (ratio
20fi sh/salt: 4 rice: 1 garlic; w/w), then the mixture is packed in jars and
fermented at ambient temperature for 5-7 d. The shelf-life is reportedly 3
wk (Phithakpol et al., 1995).
Som-fug
Som-fug
is Thai traditional fermented minced fi sh, which is composed
of fi sh mince salt (2.5%), ground steamed rice (2-12%) and minced garlic
(4%). The mixture is tightly packed in banana leaves or plastic bags and
left to ferment for 2-5 d at 30°C.
Som-fug
can be served either as a main
dish or as a snack with vegetables.
Som-fug
is highly nutritious and is an
excellent source of protein. The fi sh used are mainly freshwater rather than
marine fi sh. The fi sh species include giant snake-head fi sh (
Ophicephalus
micropeltes
), Rohu (
Labeo rohita
), spotted feather back (
Notopterus chitala
)
and grey featherback (
Notopterus notopterus
) (Lopetcharat et al., 2001;
Riebroy et al., 2008).
Som fak
For
som fak
(similar to
som fug
), fi sh fi llets are minced. Cooked rice, minced
garlic and salt (ratio 120 fi sh mince; 20 rice: 7 garlic; 7 salt, w/w) are added
to the minced fi sh and the mixture is divided into small portions and
packed in banana leaves or plastic sheets. The product ferments for 3-5 d
at ambient temperature. The shelf-life is reported to be 2 wk; however, the
product is best consumed within a few days of fermentation (Phithakpol
et al., 1995).
Plara (Plaa-raa, Plaa-ra)
Plara
is popular among the Thai people especially in the north and
northeast (Phithakpol et al., 1995). There are several kinds of freshwater
fi sh normally used:
Channa striatus
or
Ophicepharus striatus
(striped snake-
head fi sh; pla chon);
Puntius gonionotus
(silver barb, pla ta-pian);
Trichogaster
