The bronze featherback (Notopterus notopterus; Assamese: কান্ধুলিkandhuli, Bengali: ফলি,Bengali: কাংলা,, Thai: ปลาสลาด, ปลาฉลาด, ปลาตอง, Vietnamese: Cá thát lát, Burmese: ငါးဖယ်) is a ray-finned fish in the family Notopteridae found in South and Southeast Asia. Although primarily found in fresh water, it has been known to enter brackish water.[2] At present, it is the only member of the genus Notopterus,[3] but as currently defined, it is likely a species complex.[1]
Description
Young specimens are a dark bronze-like color that becomes lighter with age. The species reaches a length up to 60 cm (24 in).[2]
The bronze featherback can easily be kept in an aquarium. Popular as food, this fish also appears in a stamp of the Kingdom of Laos.[4]
As food
This fish has been used as food in Southeast Asia since ancient times,[5] and remains an important food item in countries such as Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Thailand. It is preserved and prepared in different ways.
In Burmese cuisine, the flesh of the bronze featherback, locally known as ngaphe, is used in ngachin, a pressed fish pickle, and is used to make fish paste.[6]
In Thai cuisine, nam phrik pla salat pon (น้ำพริกปลาสลาดป่น) is a variety of nam phrik with minced roasted pla salat eaten along with raw vegetables. It is popular in Khorat.[7] Although much smaller in size, it is similar in appearance to the Chitala ornata, another important fish in Thai cuisine.
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