Processing black chin tilapia to make fish kapi at a satisfactory price

Turning a crisis into an opportunity, Nakhon Si Thammarat residents are processing black-chinned tilapia into fish curry, an ingredient in fish curry, a delicious southern Thai dish, generating a satisfactory income, with a high price of 150 baht per kilogram. 'Kai Pla' or fish paste, an ingredient for cooking a local specialty of Nakhon Si Thammarat people. In the local language, it is called 'Kae Pla curry'. Originally, it was obtained by processing various types of freshwater and brackish water fish. However, due to the current prevalence of black chin tilapia, villagers have adapted the use of black chin tilapia meat to make 'Kai Pla' or fish paste. When used in curry, it has a rich flavor that is no less than other types of fish. 'Aunt Jit', a villager of Village No. 10, Khanab Nak Subdistrict, Pak Phanang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, has a collection point for black-chinned tilapia at the edge of the saltwater treatment reservoir of the saltwater irrigation in Ban Na Koti. In addition to se lling to fish rafts for use as bait, Aunt Jit also buys them to process in various ways. She has experimented with processing them into fish paste, or what the locals call 'fish paste', which has been passed down for many generations. It takes no less than 3 months to make 'fish paste'. The method of making kapi fish starts with washing the fish clean, removing the scales and slicing the meat. Then, it is marinated in salt and dried in the sun until slightly damp. Then, it is pounded until it is all mixed together. It is dried in the sun again until it is ready and then stuffed into a jar with salt. This method is called 'scrubbing water'. It is left for at least 3 months. After the time is up, it can be sold for 150 baht per kilogram. Each round can make about 300 kilograms, generating a considerable income. The current production is not enough to sell. Southern-style cooking can also be adapted well and the taste is just as delicious as other fish, such as sour fish, fermented fish, and fish belly. The ea siest fish to make is sun-dried fish, which will give a much more diverse taste than fresh fish. Source: Thai News Agency