Description
What is Ikan Empurau?

Ikan Empurau Is the most expensive tropical freshwater fish in Malaysia. The best Empurau come from Baleh River, as they tend to have the most tender flesh
Beside in Sarawak, you also can find their traces in Indonesia.
It is the freshwater fish that swim the fastest in the river. It is very smart in nature, difficult to capture and have extraordinary milky taste on its flesh. It has an edible scales and a delicate smell with a hint of wild fruit taste in its flesh.
Empurau Sarawak is considered a large fish species. Normally 3kg and above is considered big fish. Ikan Empurau growth is very slow. 1st year, the weight is only 4.5gram. In 2nd year, it can grow to 1-2 kg. 3rd years later each around 3-5kg. A 7 kg Ikan Empurau take around 10 years to reach that size. Generally, Ikan Empurau size bigger than 5kg is the most delicious to eat.
With its brightly colored scales, majestic look and barbells at the tip of its mouth, it is also known as the King of The River. In Indonesia, most people believe that Ikan Empurau fish is not only that they are considered to be a live talisman who can brings luck & fortune. It have often believed that these magnificent fish could keep its owner from danger by sometimes dying itself.
Ikan Empurau is a high ranked and high demand dish that served only for special occasion and VIP people like in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is known as Malaysia Most Expensive Fish. Steamed is the ideal cooking method and fish scales can be fried for edible purpose.
简介
忘不了鱼,原名Empurau,原产于马来西亚沙劳越诗巫拉让江上流加必,和下流峇拉加两段水域。这种河鱼喜欢吃风车果,所以吃这种鱼时,会吃到一股香味,被誉为马来西亚10大淡水鱼之首。
生长于诗巫拉让江上流的忘不了鱼身较白,肉质鲜美、细致和芳香,清蒸是理想的烹调方法;而鱼鳞也可以用来酥炸,成为桌上佳肴。此外,此鱼游速乃河鱼之首,且鱼性聪明,乃钓游对象鱼之中的高难度挑战鱼种。
形态特征
忘不了为大型鱼种,3公斤以下的被称为鱼仔,3公斤以上的才称为大鱼。这种鱼成长缓慢,第一年时体重只有4.5克左右,第二年可长至1-2公斤,3年后达到3-5公斤,因此,大鱼的数量很少。一条7公斤的忘不了鱼,少说也有10年之龄。一般食用以5公斤至10公斤最美味。
忘不了鱼有3大特征:鱼头尖、头背凸,鱼头与背的连接外呈现小驼峰,还有明显的鱼肚腩。
Why It Is So Expensive?
Empurau price at RM550 per kilo. Empurau only can be seen mainly in Sarawak. This freshwater fish is so expensive due to the flesh is sweet, tender and skin cover with brightly colored scales.
Another reason also because this fish eating “Engkabang Fruit” only. It has a delicate smell of wild fruits on its body and flesh.
The best Empurau come from Baleh River, as they tend to have the most tender flesh.
The price of Empurau varies depending on weight.
For fish weighing 2kg and below, the price would be around RM400 per kg.
For Empurau weighing 4kg and above, the market price ranges from RM900 to RM1,000 per kg.
Another factor is which river the fish was caught from – Rajang, Baleh, Katibas or Balui.
The most expensive would be those from Kapit to Pelagus along the Rajang River or Putai, Baleh River.
There are white and red empurau, which can be short or long and this also affects the flesh texture.
For Grade One Super AAA, which fetches the highest prices, the empurau are short with white flesh and weigh between 5kg and 8kg.
价格
在台湾,一条4公斤重的忘不了鱼光是进价成本就要6万元(新台币,下同),必须提早一个月预定才能供应食客,吃一小口鱼肉要花600元。
在山西太原,一条忘不了鱼也要卖到两万多块钱
Recently Malaysia Empurau has entered into Taiwan restaurant market. 2kg of Empurau can sell to TWD 60,000.00.
Empurau Fish Farming
Currently there are few of commercial breeding of Empurau fish in Sarawak. The most famous is LTT Aquaculture Sdn Bhd by Bill Lu Thian Tack

The exotic fish was found in abundance several decades ago in the upper reaches of the Rejang River in central Sarawak when the river was still unpolluted by logging activities.
Local fishermen around Kapit River have claimed to have caught Empurau weighing between 50kg and 60kg.
Empurau population in the wild had dwindled drastically and because of the limited catch, the fish now sold between RM400 and RM450 per kg in Kapit.
On the taste of his cultured Empurau, Lu claimed that it was about 95% close to the wild Empurau.
“My own formulated feed for the fish is similar to what the Empurau in the wild feed on. The feed is a mixture of Enkabang fruit (illipe nut), fresh seawater fish, fish oil and vitamin C,” he added.
Lu said the special concrete ponds in his farm were built based on a combination of the Japanese and English pond systems with a good filter system, and that he had invested about RM500,000 in custom-made ozone processors that killed bacteria and algae, and improved the oxygen level in the ponds.
He said the ponds provided very good quality water that was essential for the empurau to breed well.
source : Borneo Post
Why Choose Jiahuo Seafood Trading Empurau?

First, we sort the Empurau and choose the best ones out.

The Empurau’s flesh and skin is cut a bit to be cooked to check the grade of the fish….

After the fish are cleaned properly, all the Empurau were QC piece by piece to separate between the spoil, loko (hard skin) and good quality aromatic smell fish. Only then, the fish are label with sticker as indicator for their grade.

That one is one of the example of “Loko” or Hard Skin fish. The fish normally become loko or hard skin because of getting old. This piece of fish is graded as “B” fish. There are still no picture for grade “C” fish, which is hard skin and hard flesh. Although, the fish is very hard, some of the famous chefs manage to cook it and become a finest dish. One of the way is cook as curry fish. For them it is a good way to gain more profit because price for loko fish is cheaper compared to the normal fine fish.
The “Loko” fish normally is very thick skin. For a expert eater, some time they prefer this loko fish because it’s skin have some thing to be chewed, the thick and sticky skin means high in collagen. The flesh of the loko fish are also very sweet and tastefull simply because it’s a matured fish.! You wouldn’t find this in a normally fine fish.

Steam Empurau & Fried Edible Scales



siteorigin –
good quality
siteorigin –
smell very good and tasty
Robert L –
Had our 2.4kg Empurau fish steamed for lunch yesterday, and yes it’s the most unforgettable steam fish we’ve eaten! Great taste, nice fragrant and succulent tender meat. Thanks Kelvin…we’ll be back for more!
Tan Keng Gee –
Had 1.8kg Ikan Empurau today, very delicious and fresh. Hope one day I have chance to eat live Ikan Empurau. Thank you.
Peter Quek –
Was a great dining experience last evening savouring a 1.4kgs empurau….it was fresh with the nice fragrant taste, and tender flesh. Definitely the best deal for the price that I’ve paid. Due to it’s small size lacking the fat around the belly (natural Omega 3), next round I’ll try the 3kgs above empurau…Good job Kelvin in providing good quality seafoods at reasonable price.
Tan Keng Gee –
十一, 二月会再试一次Empurau, 不过这次希望小一点的, 1.2-1.4kg…..
到时候有货记得通知, 打算试一下清蒸…..
今天吃了东星斑, 和上次Empurau同样的港蒸, 却注意到上次Empurau有种很重的香味, 一直以为是港蒸鱼汁散发出来的香味, 然而今天的东星斑却没有…..
谢谢
Terence Wong –
Had our CNY Dinner with Empurau, it was really fresh and with a nice fragrant taste.
Thanks Kelvin for the recommendation and the best deals i had!
Cindy Thanh –
I’m from Vietnam and order empurau fish from JIAHOU Seafood, i received very good service in communicate information and deliver the fish to my door steps….It is a trusted seller and responsibility to take care my shipment….thanks a lot for your service…hope i will soon have order with you again.