Rastrelliger brachysoma
Encyclopedia
Rastrelliger brachysoma, the shortbodied mackerel or short mackerel, is a species of mackerel
in the scombrid family (family Scombridae
) of order Perciformes
. Its habitat is the shallow waters of Southeast Asia
and Melanesia
where the surface temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. It feeds mainly on microzooplankton
.
kapi, boiled and raw vegetables and leafy greens, as well as pieces of cha-om omelette, but there are many other preparations in which it is essential. The name Pla thu is sometimes also applied to the Indian mackerel
(Rastrelliger kanagurta) which is prepared in the same way.
In the traditional way of processing the pla thu for preservation, the head of the fish is bent downwards forcefully towards the belly by breaking its collarbone. This is done to allow three fishes to fit into a small open-work bamboo
basket of a predetermined size. Once in the baskets the fishes are boiled for a few minutes in large basins of sea-water with salt
added to the tune of 1 kilograms (2.2 lb) of salt for every 4 litres (8.5 US pt) of water. In Thai cuisine, the thus processed pla thu is most often eaten fried in combination with nam phrik
kapi, a spicy dip made with shrimp paste
, dried prawns, lime juice, fish sauce and the small pea eggplant
, together with rice and steamed, raw or fried vegetables.
The pla thu prepared in this way will keep for a very long time in the refrigerator. In former times it kept for about two weeks without refrigeration as long as it was boiled for a few minutes every two days. In this manner this sea fish could reach many places in interior Thailand, like the Chiang Mai
area in the far north and even remote places in Isan
, where it is much appreciated.
Fresh pla thu is commonly used to make soup
s like Tom yam pla thu. This fish is so popular in Thai culture that the Samut Songkhram F.C. has a pla thu in its emblem.
This type of mackerel is also very important in the cuisine of other regions of Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia
, the Phillipines (where it is the most commercially important variety of mackerel) and Malaysia.
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
in the scombrid family (family Scombridae
Scombridae
Scombridae is the family of the mackerels, tunas, and bonitos, and thus includes many of the most important and familiar food fishes. The family consists of about 55 species in 15 genera and two subfamilies...
) of order Perciformes
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
. Its habitat is the shallow waters of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
where the surface temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. It feeds mainly on microzooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
.
As food
Pla thu is a very important fish in Thai cuisine where it is sold in the market with the head bent downwards, which gives it a characteristic shape. Pla thu is typically fried and eaten together with nam phrikNam phrik
Nam phrik , generally pronounced "Nam phik", is a generic term that may refer to any of the types of more or less thick spicy, often chili based, hot sauces typical of Thai cuisine. The main ingredients of Nam phrik are fresh or dry chilies, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, lime juice and/or some kind...
kapi, boiled and raw vegetables and leafy greens, as well as pieces of cha-om omelette, but there are many other preparations in which it is essential. The name Pla thu is sometimes also applied to the Indian mackerel
Indian mackerel
The Indian mackerel is a species ofmackerel in the scombrid family of orderPerciformes. It is commonlyfound in the Indian and WestPacific oceans, and their surrounding seas...
(Rastrelliger kanagurta) which is prepared in the same way.
In the traditional way of processing the pla thu for preservation, the head of the fish is bent downwards forcefully towards the belly by breaking its collarbone. This is done to allow three fishes to fit into a small open-work bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
basket of a predetermined size. Once in the baskets the fishes are boiled for a few minutes in large basins of sea-water with salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
added to the tune of 1 kilograms (2.2 lb) of salt for every 4 litres (8.5 US pt) of water. In Thai cuisine, the thus processed pla thu is most often eaten fried in combination with nam phrik
Nam phrik
Nam phrik , generally pronounced "Nam phik", is a generic term that may refer to any of the types of more or less thick spicy, often chili based, hot sauces typical of Thai cuisine. The main ingredients of Nam phrik are fresh or dry chilies, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, lime juice and/or some kind...
kapi, a spicy dip made with shrimp paste
Shrimp paste
Shrimp paste or shrimp sauce, is a common ingredient used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisine. It is known as terasi in Indonesian, ngapi in Burmese, kapi in Thai, Khmer and Lao language, belacan in Malay, mắm ruốc, mắm tép and mắm tôm in...
, dried prawns, lime juice, fish sauce and the small pea eggplant
Solanum torvum
Solanum torvum , is a bushy, erect and spiny perennial plant used horticulturally as a rootstock for eggplant. Grafted plants are very vigorous and tolerate diseases affecting the root system, thus allowing the crop to continue for a second year.It is also known as Devil's Fig, Prickly Nightshade,...
, together with rice and steamed, raw or fried vegetables.
The pla thu prepared in this way will keep for a very long time in the refrigerator. In former times it kept for about two weeks without refrigeration as long as it was boiled for a few minutes every two days. In this manner this sea fish could reach many places in interior Thailand, like the Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
area in the far north and even remote places in Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
, where it is much appreciated.
Fresh pla thu is commonly used to make soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
s like Tom yam pla thu. This fish is so popular in Thai culture that the Samut Songkhram F.C. has a pla thu in its emblem.
This type of mackerel is also very important in the cuisine of other regions of Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, the Phillipines (where it is the most commercially important variety of mackerel) and Malaysia.