Salwa – Malay seafood

Following my earlier post about Mee Udang, this will feature the Malay home-cooked food offered by Salwa.

At the place, there is another seafood restaurant which is more decent in terms of menu, service and quality of seafood available. But I like Salwa because of the homeliness. They have no menu or any specific seafood available.

It all depends on what the fishermen brought from the seas. Then, you suggest how you want it to be cooked. Nothing fancy-shmancy. Not white pomfrets or black pomfrets.

I don’t even know the names of the fishes.

Flower crabs. Note that Muslims do not eat mud crab, the other type which has a dark green shell because that crab lives on sea and land? (like an amphibian, is that why Muslims are forbidden to eat?)

Mantis prawns.

We opted for ikan semilang or catfish from the sea. Note that catfishes are sometimes reared which do not taste as good as those caught from the seas. Since we are talking about forbidden food, Guan Yin worshippers are also forbidden to eat cat fish because it is cruel to kill a cat fish as it doesn’t die easily.

Curry catfish with some of the fish roes.

Fried clams with a simple sweetish sauce. See? Everything is basic, not fancy onions, spring onions, decorations etc. Just like home cook.

Prawns cooked according to our instructions. Just fry with some salt and tumeric.

What is nice about the place is my kids can run around the beach, chasing the cats and getting to know the neighbourhood boys. They children are real friendly and even pose for a photo.

All the above dishes consisting of prawns, clams and a huge bowl of curry catfish plus a plate of Mee Udang and a plain tomato soup mee costs about RM70. Not very cheap because the prawns are fresh white prawns from the sea.

How to get there –

Go to Teluk Kumbar pekan (small town). Turn left and follow the way to Gertak Sanggul. Look out for a police station on your left. Few metres away, there is a small road, Jalan Cikgu Abu. Turn into Jalan Cikgu Abu. Salwa is at the end of the road, by the sea. There is another seafood restaurant call Illyana Seafood.