Tuesday 18 August 2009

Food: Groupers@Hong Kong Wet Market


So so busy these day and I can't cope with one entry every three days, so I hope you understand.


GROUPERS

Since we have talked about crabs last entry, let's talk about a type of fish you can easily find in the local wet market. Listed according to the local price.

Humpback Grouper (Capture: $724.10/kg; Culture: $627.00/kg) -- humpback they are called because they have an extra piece of flesh on its back.


Red Grouper (Capture: $594.00/kg; Culture: $264.00/kg)-- They look quite like the previous one, but they have white bands and patches across the head.


Leopard Coral Grouper (Capture: $460.10/kg; Culture: $371.30/kg)-- I'm sorry, but this is the best picture I can get. They are easy to be distinguished because of their numerous small spots.
Image from scrfa.org
Camouflage Grouper (Capture: $239.30/kg; Culture: $ --/kg)-- They got their name because they have skin colour very similar to the surroundings. 


Brown-marbled Grouper (Capture: $226.30/kg; Culture: $ 133.10/kg) -- lots of brown patches like marble.



Squaretail Coral Grouper (Capture: $221.60/kg; Culture: $ --/kg) -- They look like the leopard grouper? They have different colour and this one has a square tail.

Areolate Grouper (Capture: $169.80/kg; Culture: $121.90/kg) -- I guess the large brown spots will make them easy for you to tell.



Giant Grouper (Capture: $166.40/kg; Culture: $129.10/kg)-- this is the type that usually ends up in a restaurant tank, waiting for hundred of tables to be booked before execution. If they are lucky, some rich guys will suddenly pop up and buy the fish and release them back to the sea (before being caught once again later). Can't believe that on average, the meat is relatively cheap.


Malabar Grouper (Capture: $156.90/kg; Culture: $135.30/kg) -- errrr....... It gets harder and harder when they get cheaper. Be careful when selecting.



Yellow Grouper (Capture: $156.90/kg; Culture: $115.00/kg) -- errrr....... they are yellow and they are the second cheapest.



Green Grouper (Capture: $138.40/kg; Culture: $89.70/kg) -- errrr....... they are gree, and the cheapest.

A word to say before ending this entry, groupers are coral fish, and they are mostly near threatened level due to overfishing and consumption. Try to buy the cultured ones and not the captured ones, otherwise, your children will not know what they look or taste like in the future.

Love nature, love English.