Because my local community of Maubara is located on the northern coast of the island, our geography and climate dictate what we eat. It is very hot and dry here and our soil is sandy, making it difficult to grow many fruits and vegetables. So we rely on the ocean to provide food for us.
A typical dinner for us in Maubara is white rice and locally caught fish.
The first time my family made whole fish with the head and eyes still on it, I'll admit that I was a little freaked out. I'm used to it now though.
In the dry season, when fish are less easily available, I enjoy having fish for dinner because it is a nice change. But in the wet season, I get tired of eating fish because it feels like we have it every single day for weeks on end!
People here typically prepare fish one of two ways: either boiled or pan-fried in oil. The fish is usually prepared whole with the head, eyes, fins and bones still on it.
For special events, people sometimes grill the fish over the fire, but this takes a lot more work. When fish are plentiful, my family will also buy a large amount and preserve them by drying them in salt so they will last longer.
