FREELITTLEBRAIN: Empurau - the most expensive fish in Sarawak

Friday, May 9, 2014

Empurau - the most expensive fish in Sarawak

A mere 2 kilo empurau fish cost RM1,400? But when I went to Kapit, I can’t even see it as the fish do not sell in retail markets.

Neither have I had yet to see Borneo Ironwood or Belian, is a rare timber tree native and the most famous and well-known durable hardwood timber tree of Sarawak, which comes from the family Lauraceae. There are two species of Belian, i.e. Eusideroxylon zwageri and Potoxylon malagangai.

The empurau, King of fish or Wang Bu Liau as Sarawakian calls it, is the most expensive fish in Sarawak. It is highly prized for its sweet, tender flesh and smooth texture. A 2 kilo empurau fish cost as high as RM1, 400 and only special retail agent can get it and sent to big city soonest possible to get a good profit.

Claiming that, this wonderful fish has a fairly dedicated tender texture and a sweet flavor with special aroma.

An expensive freshwater fish native to Sarawak, the empurau can be found in swift, clear, cool and clean rocky-bottomed streams rivers with sufficient dissolved oxygen in Kapit, Song and Belaga.

It also can be found in Bakun but Kapit produces the best quality fish. It eats wild fruits like the engkabang (illipe) and ensurai (Dipterocarpus oblongilofolius), leaves, flower and algae which grow by the river bank.

Engkabang, a large Bornean Dipterocarp Shorea macrophylla (Illipe nut)locally known as Kawang, Engkabang Jantong, Kawang Jantong aand Tengkawang Hantelok. It’s a medium sized to large tree with a known record of 5 m tall and 4m girth in Borneo. The wood is one of the lightest in the Red Meranti group.