After the
cakalang (Minahasan for skipjack tuna) fish is cleaned (scaled and gutted), the flesh of the
cakalang is split into two parts and clipped to a bamboo frame that has been prepared previously. Then the fish meat is cured using
soda powder,
salt, and some spices for flavouring. The cakalang meat later undergoes the
smoking process; the heat of fire and smoke must be evenly distributed so that all parts of fish are exposed to the heat, done, and dried. The tuna meat curing process takes about four hours and the cooling process takes about two hours. The process goes on until the color of the skipjack tuna turns reddish and the meat texture is rather dry and not watery. If processed correctly, cakalang fufu could last for a month, thus can be distributed throughout Indonesia as processed
seafood. In North Sulawesi, cakalang fufu is a popular dish and often bought by travellers as gifts. Although it is well known throughout Eastern Indonesia, the main production center more precisely is the fishing town of
Bitung, North Sulawesi. It has a strong smoky flavor, thanks to being cooked over burning coconut husks. ==Product distribution==