Camouflage Grouper 杉斑

One of my favourites. The flesh is slightly firmer and tastes just as good as 東星斑 or 西星斑. But slightly less expensive.

Resembles and easily confused with the Brown-marbled Grouper 老虎斑. They both have larger blotches and small brown spots. On the 老虎斑 the small spots cover the eyes, but not on the 杉斑.

Many 老虎斑s are now farm-raised. Those from the sea are pale yellowish brown but those farm-raised are darker in colour. My father said it is because those living in the sea can swim to the bottom and get less sunlight. It is important to distinguish them because the wild ones are very tasty but the farm-raised are not as good.