Pattarai Karuvadu’, a unique process of making dry fish in Rameswaram:
‘Pattarai Karuvadu’ is made by treating the fish with salt and turmeric powder and keeping it buried in the sand for 10 days. The fish caught in hooks is used because the flesh will be in good condition. Salt is collected from salt pans to ensure that no iodine is added.
‘Pattarai Karuvadu’ is a contradiction in terms. ‘Karuvadu’, or dry fish, is normally made by drying the excess catch under the sun. But the making of ‘Pattarai Karuvadu’ follows the process of treating the fish with salt and turmeric powder and keeping it buried in the sand for 10 days.
fleshy fish species such as ‘Vanjiram’ (seer fish), ‘Parai’ (Trevally), ‘Soorai’ (tuna), ‘Thirukkai’ (stingray), ‘Koduva’ (sea bass), and ‘Sheela’ (barracuda) would make better ‘Pattarai Karuvadu’.
After removing the entrails of the fish, Dheena and his friend would treat it in turmeric and salt. They would first cover the fish in a jute bag. The bag will be wrapped in a layer of palm leaf mats. They will again cover it with a jute bag before burying it in the sand. “’Pattarai’ refers to the pit we dig to bury the fish.
Dehydration, salting, smoking, pickling, all these methods have been employed since time immemorial to preserve food of all sorts. Whether it's India’s classic mango achaar or Scandinavian pickled fish, there are instances all over the globe of using natural techniques to preserve and extend the shelf life of various food types.
In the coastal city of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, where fishing is one of the primary occupations, locals have been following their own methods for preservation which align with the region’s climate and resources.
This process, also known as "paadam" (meaning preservation), involves treating fish with turmeric powder and burying them in mud. This method is particularly suitable for large, blood-rich fish species such as Kingfish, Vanjaram, Seer fish, Ribbon fish, Mackerel and Leather Skin Fish.
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