Fishy Tale

Getting up at 5 and going fishing is a good and interesting idea, but getting up at 5 and going to buy fish is something that no one will look forward to.
But I had promised wifey that we would do it as that is the only way we can ensure that we get good and fresh stuff at a reasonable rate. The fish supply for Pune comes mainly from Bombay and it hits the main market (near Aplana theatre) by around 4 am. So if we are there by around 5.30 we can pick up some good stuff which is sold at whole sale price.
So off we went and after a lot of wading around in that smelly water we got some good bargain. (every time I promise myself to get some gumboots for this purpose, but it never happens) The ones we got today were prawns, nai meen (Seer fish), and Chaala (Sardines)
There are two ways to ensure that you buy fresh stuff. Either you should be very good at judging the freshness by just looking/touching them, or you have to keep a watch on the containers unloaded from the vehicles and displayed so that you know that this is the latest stuff. I usually opt for the second one.
The Sardines guy was just setting up his shop so he allowed us to select and pick. Wow such fresh and big ones. The only problem is that they don’t cut and clean them, so its another big task to get it home and do the cleaning.

So wifey occupied one corner of our terrace and started her work. I told her that if this scene was in Kerala under a tree, we could have some cats and crows around.
Mum in law was particular in cleaning the chaala herself as “there is a particular way for cleaning when you have to make meen thelapichathu “
Yesterday’s lunch included meen thelapichathu, made under special instructions by mummy. But I should say it tasted great and something different.
Today we had Sardine fry.