PUBLISHED ONAugust 19, 2022 7:08 AMByDrima ChakrabortyAre you an adventurous foodie who would try anything once?
A hawker stall in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia has recently gained attention online for serving up biawak (monitor lizard) claypot curry rice, and opinions are divided.
Food blog KL Foodie shared on Thursday (Aug 18) that Sattisorru Loke Yew is known for their sattisorru, or wok rice, a common South Indian dish. Its curry menu apparently includes exotic meats such as monitor lizard and wild boar alongside more common fare like chicken and mutton.
KL Foodie further wrote: “It's said that the monitor lizards used are tree lizards that eat leaves and fruits only, thus they're safe for human consumption.” Certain monitor lizards, including the common Asian water monitor, eat meat and carrion.
Some netizens raised concerns as to whether the meat was legal, including one who pointed out that the monitor lizard was “a protected animal unless approved” by local authorities.
In fact, according to the Malaysian Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources, Varanus salvator (Asian water monitor) is a protected species. However, they may be harvested under the Wildlife Conservation Act “if subject to strict regulations”.
Other monitors, such as the tree-dwelling clouded monitor, are protected under Malaysian law due to the demand for their meat. It is not clear which species the hawker stall is using for their curry.
One user lamented that people are “basically eating everything to extinction” and wondered why humans “devour everything”.
Others were concerned about the health implications of eating the animal, with comments ranging from worrying about “Covid 2.0” to warning against eating its gallbladder.
However, there were some in favour of eating monitor lizards, with a user claiming it “tastes like chicken” and others claiming health benefits provided by the meat.
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drimac@asiaone.com
