Fish and Shellfish

Indonesia has one of the longest coastlines in the world, and its fishermen bring in large quantities of marine fish—many of them similar to north Atlantic species—and prawns and squid and other seafoods which appear in the following recipes.

However, freshwater fish are more important to many Indonesians. The monsoon rains keep most of the islands not only fertile but well-watered; rivers, lakes, even the flooded rice-fields teem with fish. There are dozens of species which are eaten, both fresh and dried. Few are similar to European species, although some have relations in Australia and in the Gulf States of the U.S.A. In those few recipes which would require, in Indonesia, freshwater fish unfamiliar elsewhere I have recommended substitutes which do very well.