MAN TURNS FAMILY RECIPE FOR "ETOK SALAI" INTO BOOMING BUSINESS

By Noornasrin Salsabila Othman

KOTA BHARU,  April 17 (Bernama) --  Continuing the legacy of his late mother, a young entrepreneur from Kampung Badang has turned a family recipe for “etok salai” or smoked etok into a booming business, with daily sales reaching an impressive 400 kilogrammes.

Muhd Haffiz Hassan, 26, previously a farmer, never imagined that taking over the business left behind by his late mother, Hamina Ibrahim, 54, who died in early 2020, would lead to such success.

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What began with sluggish sales has now grown into a thriving venture, attracting local customers and foreign tourists.

“There was a time when I nearly gave up due to poor response. But after about two months, I was inspired to open a second branch along Jalan Tok Sadang, Pengkalan Chepa.

“That decision proved to be a turning point, especially after popular influencer Abe La uploaded content about our smoked etok and it went viral at the end of last year," he told Bernama recently.

The fifth of seven siblings, Muhd Haffiz, explained that maintaining the freshness and quality of the smoked etok requires a meticulous cleaning process.

Each batch is washed at least five times until the water runs clear to remove all traces of mud and sand, he said.

Every two days, Haffiz sources around 800 kilogrammes of raw etok from his supplier.

The etok is then marinated for nearly an hour in a blend of special spices inherited from his late mother’s recipe, before being smoked over a shell fire for two hours.

Haffiz offers his smoked etok in six flavours -- original, spicy, sweet, tomyam, BBQ, and paprika.

“Each pack is sold at RM5 or RM10, and we deliver fresh stock four times a day to maintain quality,” he said.

The smoked etok has gained popularity not just among Kelantanese customers, but also from Thailand and Singapore.

Haffiz runs the business with the help of his younger brother, Muhd Sukri, 24, and their aunt, Sarini Mahmood, 50.

He also shared how going viral on TikTok helped skyrocket the business, drawing curious customers from beyond Kelantan who came to sample the famed smoked etok for themselves.

Etok Salai is a cherished delicacy synonymous with the people of Kelantan. It holds a special place in their hearts, particularly when paired with the beloved “nasi kerabu”.

Etok (or sometimes called Etak) is a river bivalve mollusc, scientifically known as Corbiculacea. It can be cooked in various ways, such as gulai lemak putih (white creamy curry), singgang (lightly sauced), goreng berempah (spiced fried) and the most popular preparation, salai, which means smoked. 

 -- BERNAMA