Cooking up a feast: Kampung Sungai Rusa resident Zaiyusri Ibrahim, 45, helping to add prawns into the bubur lambuk pot in Balik Pulau. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
BALIK PULAU: Huge, wild-caught prawns are being sold at good prices, all thanks to the hot and dry weather.
A check at local markets showed that L-size prawns were available at RM54 per kg. The “XL” ones were going for RM65.
As a comparison, the retail prices of big prawns can exceed RM80 per kg here when prawns are harder to find.
These days, inshore fishermen have been catching a lot of prawns due to the high salinity of coastal waters caused by a lack of rain.
“The prawns could breed and grow better.
“With high salinity in coastal waters, crustacean flesh will be firmer and tastier.
“When crustaceans change shells, they become bigger because of the flesh quality. It’s the same with bivalves like clams,” said marine biologist Prof Datuk Dr Aileen Tan.
In Kampung Sungai Rusa, villagers recently cooked enough bubur lambuk for 300 people and added 3kg of chopped beef plus 3kg of whole prawns to the pot.
“The beef gives our bubur a meaty flavour, while the prawns give it a sweeter taste,” said council chairman Roslan Mat Desa.
Noraini Sukor, 71, fondly known as “Aunty”, gave a helping hand in cooking the porridge in Kampung Sungai Rusa.
“I look forward to meeting up with neighbours and helping out,” she said.
“I have seen most of them grow up, so it is fun to see them cook and work together,” she added.
She said she would help cut onions and other vegetables, or whatever task that needed to be done.
At least 20 villagers cook the bubur lambuk together and help send the food to villagers, especially elderly folk who are unable to go out.
