The words cencaluk and gragao are of Kristang origin, the lingua franca of Melaka’s indigenous Portugese community with a strong fishing tradition. Gragao (pronounced gra-goh) relates to the planktonic shrimps Acetes indicus otherwise known by its Malay namesake ‘udang geragau’, while the unique pickling of these shrimps in a salt and rice mixture yields the final product - cencaluk.

All ready for brining

There are theories to its origins. Did it arise from the fishermen’s need to save their surplus catch back in the days when refrigeration was nonexistent? Or a means to prepare a valuable protein source which otherwise had little commercial value? Whatever the reasons, cencaluk is a distinct Malaccan creation which has become an indispensable ingredient in Malay, Peranakan and Kristang cuisine.

Acetes shrimps are fished in Asia, Africa and South America which accounts for 13.5% of the total crustacean fisheries production worldwide, making it the world’s largest zooplankton based fishery. In particular, the humble Acetes indicus shrimp (where cencaluk and belacan are derived from) originates from the same genus as krill, which is the regular staple of whales. Local fishermen regale romantic tales of these tiny creatures in their millions migrating across the globe with the whales, thus harvest is only possible twice a year along Melaka’s Klebang shores and other parts of the peninsular.

At dawn, the coast is dotted with fishermen harvesting gragao

Gragao hunting provides subsistence income to the locals who possess the traditional know-how to harvest these tiny creatures. It takes place during the spawning period which peaks between June to October. Locals estimate the best period is 5 days before and after the full moon and new moon of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Before the crack of dawn, fishermen gather at the shore to look out for signs of the incoming shrimps. We observed lightning flashing across the cloudy skies and the occasional rumbling of thunder with no threat of rain.

A fisherman can drag up to 50kg of gragao in each haul!

“This is a very good omen. It means the gragaos are coming, “ exclaimed Pak Ahmad as the police retiree excitedly readies himself with his gear. The tool of his trade is simple enough. Called ‘sungkor’ (another Portugese inspired word), it is a traditional bamboo push net which rests over his shoulders as he wades chest-deep in the low tide. With the butterfly-shaped contraption, he proceeds to walk underwater along the shoreline, trying his best to trap the swarming shrimps in his net. We see at least 10 more joining in the harvest; some are office workers who took the day off to cash in on this lucrative trade. Meanwhile, buyers patiently linger by the beach, eagerly waiting for the first harvest to come.

Most sungkors are homemade

Pak Ahmad’s bounty for today is very good. He deftly hauls up over 10kg and checks that the shrimps are not bruised or mixed with sand. He then heads back into the sea in anticipation of more to come.

The early Baba catches the prawns!

Today’s harvest is plenty and when the hunting stops, the buying starts. A crowd gathers as buyers check and select what catches their fancy. Price is fixed at a handsome RM4 per kg, not bad for just over 2 hours of work. Baba Ee buys over 40kg from Pak Ahmad and happily packs his purchase into the car.

"Black beady-eyed alien-like critters with an aroma to boot!"

Once home, he immediately washes the shrimps to get rid of all impurities, not once but thrice just to be sure. Some are kept aside to be sun dried or fried into gragao fritters. Deep fried gragao makes a crunchy treat, perfect for sprinkling over any dish, from fried noodles to nasi lemak.

Baba Ee also picks out bycatch caught amongst the millions of shrimps, from ikan bulu ayam (goldspotted grenadier anchovy) to a couple of stray prawns. “This fish is delicious when deep fried. It makes a good lunch!“ Looking at its freshness, we could not agree more.

Washing and getting ingredients ready for cencalok making

The fresh shrimps smell of the sea, but it spoils quickly. Baba Ee brings out boiled rice which has cooled in the cooker, scoops it out by the bowl and measures the quantity of salt required. The shrimps are drained then mixed with salt and rice by hand. The concoction is left to sit in a container to expel more water.

After draining the liquid, the mixture is finally packed in an earthen jar with its top tightly sealed with cloth. It will be left in a sheltered shed to ferment under Baba Ee’s watchful eye. After 1 week, he opens the jar to give it one final mix then leave it for the final stage of fermentation. Care must be taken to ensure no flies interfere with the vigorous fermentation process. After 2 weeks, Baba Ee checks to see if the cencaluk has acquired the right consistency and balance of flavours. With his seal of approval, the prized cencaluk is packed into bottles for distribution to family, friends and customers.

It's all in the hands, Baba Ee shows us how it's done

Baba Ee credits his late mother for passing on to him this age-old skill. His family shuns the commercial variety due to hygiene and quality concerns, so he is the sole supplier by default. Where it was once a given that any self respecting Peranakan family produce their own cencaluk, the onus is now on the next generation to continue this dying practice.

Its appearance is admittedly quite daunting to the first timer. Black beady-eyed alien-like critters, immersed in milky pink-coloured brine with an aroma to boot! Taste it and the saltiness overpowers the tongue while the pungent pong assaults the nostrils with no mercy. Love it or hate it, cencaluk is an acquired taste. I avoided it as a child and only began to appreciate its subtleties when I married my cencaluk-chomping Baba husband. Its funky flavor has even found favour with chefs in Australia, UK and New York. Hence, I am slowly but surely learning the ways of this peculiar pickle.

So unassuming but so insanely delicious

After so long, those stinky shrimps have finally won me over. [Basic tips before using the cencaluk – scoop out only what you need and drain the liquid. Then wash the shrimps under running water to reduce the saltiness. The shrimps are full-flavored on their own and that is all you need]