Koi fishes have always been known to be ornamental fishes, kept in ponds and aquariums in Asian households as pets.
But one Malaysian blew everyone’s mind when she decided to cook her Koi fishes, who suffocated after her helper forgot to turn off the water to their tank (and yes, fishes can suffocate when there are low levels of oxygen in the water).
Amanda Omeychua took to the MASAK APA TAK JADI HARI INI OFFICIAL Facebook group to showcase her Koi fishes which she cooked into a soup.
She wrote, “A hereditary recipe of a royal dish, tastes like ikan patin (silver catfish).”
Amanda also added in the comments section that she felt it was wasteful to throw the dead Koi fishes away.
While many expressed their disbelief and unwillingness to eat Koi fishes, who they consider pets, others shared that they’ve had Koi fish dishes before.
This comment goes, “There are a lot of these fishes in Sabah. We eat them like any other fish.”
This comment says, “I’ve eaten these fishes when I was friends with Sarawakians. It’s really tasty, their flesh is soft.”
This comment reads, “These fishes are tasty. It’s a loss for those who don’t eat it. Out of the many freshwater fishes, Koi fishes are the most delicious. These are dishes of the royal families, based on history. It’s suitable for it’s high value. Until today, I rear Kois and carps. If they drown, confirm they’ll end up in my stomach.”
It seems that eating Koi fishes may be something that is a norm in East Malaysia (to our friends in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, do let us know if this is true in the comment section). For those of us who chose not to eat Koi fishes, that’s fine but let’s not spread negativity towards those who do.
Have you eaten Koi fishes before? Let us know in the comment section.
Also read: Study: Food Prices In Malaysia Increased By 6.35%, Yet Minimum Wage Is Still The Same
