TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cities in eastern parts of Indonesia are well known for their mouthwatering fish dishes. Ambon, the capital of Maluku province is no exception. Unfortunately, there is not much restaurants serving local fish dishes despite of its well-known diversity of fishes. Luckily, Tempo seized an opportunity to taste various cookings of fish which some only live endemic in local waters.
That night, The Natsepa Resort and Club served roasts of 57 kinds of fishes. It was the celebration for PT Pertamina’s 57th anniversary and Pertamina Diving Club planted seagrass on Ambon gulf.
Natsepa’s Executive Chef Panca Nugraha said that all types of the fishes are grilled after being marinated with ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and chicken broth powder for half to one hour.
“All of these are taken from waters around Ambon gulf,” said Panca.
The most special fish, according to Panca, is the napoleon fish which price reaches up to Rp3 million each. Napoleon fish is not too large, its length almost the size of adults arm and slim.
Besides napoleon fish which is endemic to Ambon gulf and surrounding waters, there were also karupa, lolosi, gurapa, kapas-kapas, kerapu batu (rock grouper), kerapu macan (tiger grouper), cakalang, bubara ekor kuning, kakap putih (barramundi), cedemu, tuna, kerapu bara, tengiri (scomberomorus), bulana, samandar, and parrot fish.
Napoleon fish and the groupers were soft and savory. But napoleon fish has more dense texture and thicker flakes than other sea fishes. Whereas the parrot fish tasted sweets with softer meat.
The fishes were served with sambal (chili sauce). Pance prepared four kind of sambal : matah, colo-colo, dabu-dabu. The most typical sambal of Ambon is the colo-colo. Colo-colo is similar to soy sambal but with the soya sauce is served separately to the slices of chili, shallot, basil, tomatoes, and chinese lemon. The soy sauce is usually poured on the fish after it is smeared with chili slices.
Hot rice, boiled cassava plus some vegetables were also served to fill the empty stomaches. And don’t forget the Kohu-kohu, Ambon’s distinctive boiled vegetable salad.
The vegetables in Kohu-kohu comprising of long bean, bean sprout, and basil. It is mixed with grated coconut and seasoned with shallots, chili, Chinese lemon and slices of cakalang fish. It tasted sour and hot.
Eating fish with cassava is another Ambon’s distinctive menu. Ambon’s cassava, called kasbi, is sweet and soft.
KARTIKA CANDRA
