JOHOR BARU – Botok-botok, a traditional dish of the Javanese community that is made of fish steamed with various herbs, has become a popular giveaway for the people of Johor to their guests, as well as a souvenir to take home by visitors, including during the on-going campaigning for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jerai state by-elections.
Haleza Mohammad, the 57-year-old proprietor of the Botok-botok Ibunda restaurant, said botok-botok is always in high demand, not only among the people of Johor, but also those from other states.
“Alhamdulillah, there is always demand for botok-botok. There are always visitors coming, not only during these by-elections, to have a taste of this traditional delicacy.
“There are also frozen ones for visitors to take home. The frozen ones can last for up to three months,” she said when met at Taman Orkid, Tampoi, here today.
Haleza said she has been in the botok-botok business for three years and has six types of the delicacy to offer her customers, including those made from ikan tenggiri and ikan kembung, as well as the fish roe of ikan tenggiri.
Apart from that, her customers can also request redfish, chicken, squid, and prawn botok-botok, with prices starting from RM15 to RM48 per set.
“There are still many who do not know about this delicacy. Slices of fish, chicken, squid, or prawns are laid in between layers of herbs, like shoots of tapioca or yam plants, mengkudu, berbuas, semangkuk, kadok, pucuk betik, and tea leaves. A special sauce made of ground spices is then poured over, and all the ingredients are wrapped in banana leaf and steamed for between 40 minutes and an hour to ensure they are evenly cooked.
“Botok-botok can be eaten with rice or on its own,” she added.
The Election Commission has set September 9 as polling day for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections with early voting on September 5.
The by-elections were called following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23 due to a brain haemorrhage.
The Amanah deputy president and domestic trade and cost of living minister was the elected representative for both seats. – September 2, 2023