Keropok Lekor

The following are what you need to make keropok lekor:

• 1 kg of fish (ikan parang or ikan kembong)
• 500 g of sago flour
• salt to taste (garam secukup rasa)
• 125 ml of water
• some ice cubes
• 1 or 2 pandan leaves

I read a bit about the instructions on how to make keropok lekor and realised that it was beyond me. It wasn't the fact that I had to clean the fish or mince the meat up properly- it's just that I can't even find ikan parang or ikan kembong here. I looked up for their English names online, only to find some scientific gibberish.

And after looking at the pictures of the fish, I realised that I've never seen those fish before in Japanese supermarkets. In my mind, I rationalised that the Japanese waters are too cold for our tropical fish to swim in. Why leave the Malaysian waters (where it's nice and warm) for the ocean here, even if the oceans here are emptier, due to the fact that all the whales have been hunted and mashed into cans?

A part of me was sorely tempted to buy some salmon or tuna and try with those, but it seemed like an extravagent way to waste fish (what if it turns out horrible?).

Sigh. I guess it's a good thing that I've never seen sago in the international stores here. Come to think of it, I don't think I even know what it is. And I doubt there's any pandan bushes growing in Tokyo.

These are the times when I miss Malaysian food. Gah.