Watch when you eat

  • | Thursday | 22nd February, 2018

You can, however, eat pomfret, whiting, seer fish, squid, sardines and Indian halibut, according to In Season Fish (www.inseasonfish.com), a newly launched calendar that encourages consumers to eat a wide range of fish through the year, thus avoiding species that are breeding and giving them a chance to regenerate. Influential eco-gastronomic movement, Slow Food, which runs the Slow Fish campaign, promoting artisan fishing and underloved species, encourages people to interact with fishermen and vendors to learn what to eat in which season. According to Slow Food, there are around 25,000 species of fish, out of which thousands are edible. Add the fish pieces, close the lid and cook for five minutes. Add the fish pieces.

“I hope you’re not eating mackerel,” says Divya Karnad. “Or barramundi. Or snappers...” The striped grouper, anchovy and Indian white prawn should also be avoided this season, if you live on the East coast of India. You can, however, eat pomfret, whiting, seer fish, squid, sardines and Indian halibut, according to In Season Fish (www.inseasonfish.com), a newly launched calendar that encourages consumers to eat a wide range of fish through the year, thus avoiding species that are breeding and giving them a chance to regenerate. Put together by Karnad, a marine biologist with a PhD from Rutgers and Chaitanya Krishna, a sustainability and safeguards specialist, along with designer Anil Adireddi, this calendar attempts to simplify breeding timetables, so it is easier for consumers to make responsible choices. If you’re on the West coast, take a look at Know Your Fish (knowyourfish.org.in), which describes itself as a “voluntary initiative towards an ocean-friendly lifestyle.” The team, comprising researchers, scientists and academics, works on empowering consumers by providing them with well-researched, responsible choices for the coastal areas of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. According to a November 2017 release from the Press Information Bureau, Government of India, the country is now the world’s second-largest producer of farmed fish (aquaculture). Combining the production of all types of fisheries (capture and culture), the total fish production in the country was at about 11.41 million tonnes in 2016-17. About 1.5 crore people are employed in this sector, and India’s exports were at $5.78 billion (?37,871 crore) during 2016-17, reportedly the highest so far. However, this acceleration in production, aided by technological progress and intensive fish farms, combined with a relentless demand for certain species spells a serious risk to biodiversity. Influential eco-gastronomic movement, Slow Food, which runs the Slow Fish campaign, promoting artisan fishing and underloved species, encourages people to interact with fishermen and vendors to learn what to eat in which season. They do, however, have one universal ‘Not on my plate’ list, which includes bluefin tuna, which are being fished more rapidly than they can reproduce. Also shrimp farms, which have led to the destruction of wide swathes of mangrove forest along tropical coastlines. And Atlantic salmon, reduced to dangerously low levels because of overfishing, pollution and habitat deterioration. Ginger and Garlic Sea-Catfish Curry 4 catfish, sliced 2 tbsp soybean oil 1 cup sliced onion 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp onion paste 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp red chilli powder Salt as needed 1 cup hot water 4 chopped green chillies 1 tbsp coriander leaves Wash the fish and drain the water out. Heat a pan with the oil. Fry the onions just for a bit. Add the ginger, garlic and onion pastes, turmeric and red chilli powders and salt. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the fish pieces. Cook until the water released from the ingredients dries up and oil starts to simmer on top. Pour in 1 cup of hot water. Cook with lid on for 10 minutes. By now, the onions and fish pieces should be mixed well. Garnish with chopped green chillies and coriander leaves. According to Slow Food, there are around 25,000 species of fish, out of which thousands are edible. In the Mediterranean alone, there are about 500 edible fish. Yet, in almost every country, only 20 or fewer are commonly eaten. Paula Barbeito, Slow Fish International Coordinator at Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, says, “We are eating the popular species, but there are so many we don’t eat because of our lack of knowledge, not because they aren’t tasty.” In the Caribbean, for instance, they encourage people to eat the predatory lionfish, which is multiplying and threatening other species. “People don’t know how to cook it, or don’t find it attractive, so we work with chefs to show them how tasty it can be,” says Barbeito, adding that they pick similar underloved, abundant, local seafood to promote. They work with the powerful Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance, a network of almost 1,000 chefs around the world, who use their influence and culinary skills to help consumers widen their larders and expand their cooking skills. “Fishermen are becoming an endangered species all over the world,” says Barbeito, ruing how destructive trawler fishing is reshaping the industry. “Our approach is holistic. We work with not just fish and fishermen, but also scientists, consumers and chefs... Our events are gastronomic on the surface to attract people, then we educate them.” “We need to diversify consumption,” agrees Karnad, leaning over a gorgeous fish display counter at popular Chennai restaurant, The Marina, which has partnered with them, to gently guide customers into make better choices. Panfried Tongue-sole in butter sauce 2 fillets of Sole Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 tbsp Oil 2 tbsp Butter 1 tbsp Capers drained 2 tbsp Lemon juice 1 tsp Freshly Grated Lemon Zest Heat a large non-stick skillet over a medium flame. Season fish with salt and pepper and saute on the skillet with some oil; three minutes each side. Transfer cooked fillets to individual serving plates and cover with aluminium foil. Meanwhile, make the sauce. When you turn the fish, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. As soon as the butter is melted add the capers. Let them cook for 45 seconds to a minute, until they become fragrant. Add the lemon juice and zest and remove from heat. Stir to combine and spoon over fillets. When Karnad worked with a fishing community in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, where some villages decided to be more sustainable by adopting line fishing instead of trawlers, they started harvesting about 100 species of fish. However, the market was interested in barely 10% of their catch. The rest went to waste, or was sold for ridiculously low prices. “They felt they were being penalised for making responsible decisions,” says Karnad. ITC Hotels, a participant in WWF’s ‘Choose Wisely’ Programme — a collaboration with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute — is in the process of replacing species that are under threat with better choices. Ajit Bangera, Senior Executive Chef of the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai, says they like to adhere to seasonal fish varieties to provide variety and maintain freshness through the year. Experimenting with a variety of fish enables you to discover new flavours. Small fish, eaten with bones, are a good source of calcium. Anchovies and sardines, which mature faster, are safer than bigger, older predatory fish, which tend to have higher levels of methyl mercury, because they’ve had more time to accumulate it. Karaipodi (Silverbellies) pepper rasam 500 gm Silverbellies (karaipodi) 3 tbsp Coconut chopped 2 tbsp Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp Black Pepper 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 8 to 10 Dry Red Chillies 1 cup Sambar Onion chopped 2 Tomato chopped 3 Green Chilli 1 stick Curry Leaves 1 cup Tamarind water 1 cup Water 3 tbsp Gingelly Oil Salt to taste Roast the coriander seeds, pepper, cumin seeds and dry red chilli in a kadhai. Grind the roasted ingredients. Add the coconut and grind into a paste with a little water. Heat oil in a pan, add onion and curry leaves, sauté until the onion becomes light golden. Add the tomato and green chilli and cook till tomato becomes tender. Add the ground masala paste and sauté for a minute. Now, add the tamarind water and water and bring to a boil. Cook for eight to ten minutes on medium flame. Add the fish pieces, close the lid and cook for five minutes. Remove from flame and let it stand for five minutes before serving. While you are at it, eat nose-to-tail so there’s less wastage. Fish head curries are traditional in fishing communities. Sample the delicious dried fish made from more obscure, hence cheaper, varieties. Use the bits and bones to make rich stocks, or bouillabaisse. At a recent community event in Chennai, Muthulakshmi from the Urur-Olcott Kuppam fishing village taught visitors how to make thimalai puttu or electric ray mince, explaining that according to legend, it could impart the fishing power of 10 men to one fisherman. Now, it is used as medicine in the village, as well as given to new mothers. Just another example of what urban customers are losing out on with their bland slabs of frozen basa and imported salmon sashimi. Recipes by In Season Fish

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