Fishy tales about Bengali fish lovers

Bengalis love fish – it is immaterial whether the fish are tiny kucho chingri or huge rohu or katla meant for marriage celebrations. The fact is that the menu of Bengalis are incomplete unless there is at least one item related to fish in it. Given the scarcity of this all important food item and sky rocketing price of whatever is available, Bengalis have to not just innovate but also go in for economy measures to the extent possible.
Of course, when one hears about Ilish festivals and when the cooking reality shows on TV make it a point to showcase different preparations of this wonder fish called Ilish, one wonders how many Bengalis can really afford to go in for such luxurious food items – it was rumored that Ilish from Bangladesh was selling for up to Rs 1500 per Kg and the fish on show weighed at least 2-Kg which translates into Rs 3000 for one fish!!

Obviously, there are Bengalis who can afford such luxuries and that the cry about unemployment and poor Bengalis are far removed from reality.
I stay in Nashik and there are fish but, not the wide variety that is available in Bengal. I get rui, katla, pabda, tangra and, of course, prawns that come from the Arabian Sea. Of late, lobsters are also seen – these are being cultivated locally in the Gangapur Dam that supplies water to the city. Ilish does come once in a while but these are again the Arabian Sea variety and size is never more than one Kg. Hence, the taste of Ilish of Bengal never comes through.
However, in Bangalore or in Pune, the varieties of fish are much more and, in fact, the fishmongers arrange to airlift the fish directly from Kolkata – the fish are fresh but the cost is more due to the air freight charges.
One thing I have noticed – nowadays, the fishmongers have a system to descale and cut the fish to size as per your requirements. The reason is that the housewives of today do not know just how to go about this work. They just store the fish in separate packets and put in the freezer – to be removed and cooked on as and when required basis. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Some more interesting 'must reads'-

CBSE to check cheating in AIPMT exams – examinees can wear only T-shirt and jeans

Mamata’s TMC received hate mail before her tour of UK to woo investors

Vallauris beach closed to tourists because Saudi King Salman will holiday there in private

Good news keep pouring in – major uranium reserve found in Srisailam

Uttar Pradesh repents and repeals ban on screening of films in luxury buses


Britain’s MI6 joins Turkey to fight ISIS

Gang of 80 suspected Boko Haram men attack village in Cameroon and kill 23

Father of two, living in Liverpool, tries to buy deadly ricin powder – then, a pet to test it on


Some live years after retirement, others do not

No escape from the jaws of death