Wet Market in Indonesia

[Willie]

Just completed a 3-week swing through Asia and had one free day in Kuala Lumpur, so I went to the central market for sightseeing. It's similar to wet markets throughout Asia, except Indonesia is very poor, very hot and so, so, so humid.

kl2.jpg

This market opens at 4 am and closes at 2 pm. I chose this picture to show the lack of refrigeration. Everything is fresh. It may look horrific to Western eyes, but it means that Indonesians do not eat frozen meat. The chicken is freshly killed, dressed, purchased and likely cooked the same day. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, so no pork.

The stand on the right has chicken parts. (If you haven't eaten chicken feet, you are not an adventurous eater.)

[Willie]

In case you wondered what frogs taste like, they taste just like chicken - but 1,000 times better!

kl1.jpg

[Willie]

Unlike many other central markets in Asia, there wasn't a huge concentration of fish stores. But there were a few.

The cheaper fishes were put out in pans with an airline running. (We're talking pennies here.) They actually can't do this if it gets too hot.

kl8.jpg

[Willie]

As usual, space is at a premium and fishes are crammed together. Large and frequent water changes keep the fish in good shape. Barbs and other characins here.

kl6.jpg

[Willie]

It's about 4 Ringitts to the dollar, so these foot long arowanas are ~$15@.

kl9.jpg

[Willie]

I'm a sucker for ornamental fish and these goldfish were very nice.

kl4.jpg

More nice goldfish.

kl3.jpg

[Willie]

For everyone else...

kl7.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Willie, super nice images and peek on how other cultures live. Forgive this naive American questions but what does the wet in wet market apply to? Is water misted into the air to help keep cool. With chicken feet do you eat the entire foot. Seems like there is very little meat on the foot itself?
Pat

[Tshethar]

Hey Willie! Nice images... here's one white kid who qualifies as an "adventurous eater"... my experience in China Pat was that the chicken feet were served in soup and were basically contributing to the broth--something we might put in the stock pot but then pull out. There isn't much there but the skin, but I tried it and... you guessed it... it tasted like chicken!

By the way, if you're in Kuala Lumpur Willie are these images from Malaysia? Haven't been there (or to Indonesia) but came really close as a 21-year-old; scheduled stopover day had to be scrapped due to 24-hour airline delay way back when, unfortunately. Always wanted to travel in SE Asia, and look forward to doing it in the next few years if things play out. Thanks for sharing!

[brewmaster15]

Thanks for the Pics Willie! I really enjoy when people post their trips like this.It lets me see things Im not likely to see in person in any time soon at least..

al

[Willie]

Pat;

A wet market pretty much describes the environment where everything is outdoors and put up temporarily. As nations develop, many traditional markets have been moved indoors and have become permanent. It's obviously cleaner inside and its typically air conditioned. Usually there are no live animals, just live fish, in these indoor markets and you get more processed foods. But you do lose that raw sensation...

As for chicken feet, it's prepared differently in different regions. In the South, Cantonese cooking prevails and the chicken feet are deep fried then sauce is poured over them. You get that in dim sum or Cantonese restaurants. In the North, chicken feet are boiled to make delicious soup. In both cases, as you say, they're just skin and bones. If you like fried chicken with skin, you get the idea...

Willie

[Willie]

Bill;

You are obviously an adventurous eater. People in the South like to eat parts.

I had a long swing through Singapore, Indonesia than Malaysia. It's quite an experience. Both Indonesia and Malaysia are relatively inexpensive. Singapore is a different story.

Willie