Local names:
Malay: Kerapu
Cantonese: Sek baan
Hokkien/Teochew: Gau her
Mandarin: 石斑
Fisheries information:
Countries of origin: Indonesia, Malaysia
Fishing methods: Hook and line (Indonesia and Malaysia).
This fish is not commonly encountered at wet markets.
Culinary usage:
Steamed, Soups, Fried, Asam pedas/Gulais
Groupers are particularly revered in Cantonese cuisine and are the top fish of choice for Cantonese/HK steamed fish. This species is not as popular as the red groupers but is a good and affordable alternative. It is known for having a good amount of collagen and meat.
When table-sized they are steamed whole. For larger-sized groupers, the fish is either butterflied or filleted before steaming. The fillets can also be sliced to be used in sliced fish soup. Groupers have plenty of collagen and the bones and head are used to make soup.
Like most groupers, they can be steamed, fried or cooked in asam pedas or other gulais.
How to identify:
This grouper has an olive body with irregular pale spots and blotches. It is rounder than the areolate (Epinephelus areolatus) or duskytail groupers (Epinephelus bleekeri) and is more similar in shape to the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides).
