Local names:
Malay: Kurau
Cantonese: Ma yau
Hokkien/Teochew: Ngoh her
Mandarin: 午鱼，马友鱼
Telok Kurau, a residential area and former Malay fishing village in the east of Singapore translates to Indian Threadfin Bay. This is likely in reference to large quantities of Indian threadfin that used to be caught there in the past when Singapore still had a significant fishing industry.
The Chinese names for this fish all relate to horses, perhaps the threadfin was thought to look like a horse with its long pointed snout.
Fisheries information:
Countries of origin: Indonesia, Malaysia
Fishing methods: Gill nets (Indonesia and Malaysia)
Indian threadfins reach large adult sizes of 1.4m and are often sold at close to this size. They are one of the largest fishes at the Jurong Fishery Port and one of the most numerous species there.
A very large Indian threadfin at close to maximum size (middle) seen at Jurong Fishery Port. Indian threadfins at these sizes are not rare finds. Compare it with the two other Indian threadfins at the top and bottom of the image which are closer to the regular market sizes (around 60-80cm long).
Culinary usage:
Steamed, Soups, Curries, Fried, Asam pedas/Gulais
Threadfins are one of the most expensive groups of fish on the market, mostly because of their reputation for being very nutritious. It is common to find families preparing steamed threadfin or threadfin soup for pregnant mothers or mothers who have recently given birth as part of confinement meals to help them recover from the rigours of labour. The Teochews have a threadfin and papaya soup that is used for just this purpose.
Threadfin is also the fish of choice for babies' first porridge as the flesh is soft and easily flakes into small pieces that are easy for babies to consume.
Steamed Indian threadfin, Teochew style
Threadfins are normally sold at large sizes (60cm and above) and as such threadfin fillets or steaks are more common than whole threadfins. Cuts of threadfin can be cooked many ways such as steamed, in curries or asam pedas and other gulais. For these large individuals, the head and tail portions are also a delicacy. These are also steamed or used in curries. Gilmore, a Eurasian restaurant serves up a large steamed threadfin tail that feeds eight people. Threadfins' meat shows distinct marbling (like in wagyu beef) when cut, and fishmongers use the presence of marbling to determine the quality of individual fish.
At small sizes (15cm and below) they are shallow or deep-fried just like any other small fishes in Singapore. We have seen some being served at nasi padang and nasi lemak stalls in this way.
A large Indian threadfin head being sold at Tekka market. This close-up shows quite a few of the identifying characteristics of this species.
The steamed threadfin tail on Eurasian restaurant Gilmore's menu.
How to identify:
The Indian threadfin is one of the largest fishes at the wet market and has an elongated grey body. It is commonly mixed up with the fourfinger threadfin (Eleutheronoma tetradactylum). Both are similar in shape and size but can be easily differentiated using several characteristics.
The Indian threadfin has a more pointed snout and a smaller eye relative to the size of its face. The fourfinger threadfin has a more blunt snout and a larger eye relative to its face. The Indian threadfin also has a more pointed and longer forked tail fin while the fourfinger threadfin has a more rounded and shorter forked tail fin. The look of the scales also differs. The Indian threadfin has a darker, more 'ragged' appearance while the fourfinger threadfin looks 'cleaner' and more of a shinier silverish grey.
If you were to inspect them more clearly, the fourfinger threadfin has four threads (pectoral filaments) underneath its pectoral fin while the Indian threadfin has five. Oftentimes, these are folded down and aren't visible.
The fourfinger threadfin (left) and Indian threadfin (right) side by side. Note the longer more pointed tail and snout on the Indian threadfin as well as the difference in color and overall look of the body.