Torres Strait smoked fish
Whole fish salted then slowly smoked over a bed of mangrove or coconut wood, traditional Torres way. Firm, golden flesh with a deep sea flavor, keeps for several days without refrigeration.
Whole fish salted then slowly smoked over a bed of mangrove or coconut wood, traditional Torres way. Firm, golden flesh with a deep sea flavor, keeps for several days without refrigeration.
When the southeast wind blows too strong, you can't go to the reef. So smoked fish is your security. My uncle, he set up the rack over the embers, he put the fish split open, and the smoke did its work all night. The next day, you had fish for a week. When I left for Townsville, the elders gave me smoked fish wrapped in leaves. It was their way of saying: don't forget where you come from.
- •Whole reef fish (mackerel, tuna, trevally) — 2 to 3 fish (base)
- •Sea salt — generously (salting)
- •Coconut or mangrove wood (for smoking) — enough (smoking)
Torres Strait smoked fish
Whole fish salted then slowly smoked over a bed of mangrove or coconut wood, traditional Torres way. Firm, golden flesh with a deep sea flavor, keeps for several days without refrigeration.
Why this dish? Smoking fish was an essential preservation technique for Torres Strait Islanders, allowing them to keep fish during periods of bad weather when reef fishing was impossible. For Mabo, who traveled between Mer and the Australian mainland, smoked fish was a taste of the island carried with him.
When the southeast wind blows too strong, you can't go to the reef. So smoked fish is your security. My uncle, he set up the rack over the embers, he put the fish split open, and the smoke did its work all night. The next day, you had fish for a week. When I left for Townsville, the elders gave me smoked fish wrapped in leaves. It was their way of saying: don't forget where you come from.
Ingredients (period version)
- Whole reef fish (mackerel, tuna, trevally) — 2 to 3 fish (base)
- Sea salt — generously (salting)
- Coconut or mangrove wood (for smoking) — enough (smoking)
Ingredients
- Mackerel fillets (or sea trout) — 4 fillets (about 800 g) (base)
- Coarse sea salt — 100 g (salting)
- Cane sugar — 50 g (sweet brine)
- Water — 1 litre (brine)
- Wood chips for smoking (hickory or apple) — 2 handfuls (smoking)
Method
- Dissolve the coarse salt and sugar in water to make a brine. Submerge the mackerel fillets and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- Remove the fillets, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Leave to air-dry on a rack for 30 to 45 minutes, until a slightly sticky pellicle forms.
- Prepare a smoker (or a wok with rack and lid): place the wood chips at the bottom, set the rack above.
- Smoke the fillets at low temperature (80-90°C) for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the flesh is golden and firm to the touch.
- Allow to cool completely before serving. Keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Flake over rice or taro, or eat as is with a squeeze of lime.
How it was made : Torres Strait Islanders smoked fish on wooden racks set over a low fire, often fueled by coconut or mangrove wood. Smoking lasted a whole night. This technique preserved fish without much salt, creating reserves for monsoon season or canoe journeys between islands.
The contemporary twist : Serve the smoked fillets flaked over a green papaya and grated coconut salad, like the 'smoked fish salad' of Cairns cafes — fusion of bush tucker and island cuisine.
Sources : Nietschmann, Bernard, 'Torres Strait Islander Sea Resource Management and Sea Rights', Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin, 1989 · Beckett, Jeremy, 'Torres Strait Islanders: Custom and Colonialism', Cambridge University Press, 1987
Eddie Mabo · Charactorium
