76 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIH, 



cannot be used for fish canning, even if procurable in India, 

 Coconut-oil refined by various other processes and pressed so that 

 a white fat, resembling camphor in appearance, results at English 

 temperatures, is merely a limpid colourless oil in India, with the 

 usual coconut-oil characteristics. At present coconut-oil is im- 

 possible in fish canning. 



85. Til or Gingelly oil. — This again, while an excellent cooking 

 oil for all domestic use, has too strong a specific flavour for use in 

 canning ; possibly refinement might render it suitable, but no such 

 refined oil is available. 



86. Sardine oil. — At Tanur Government Yard very fine sardine 

 oil is manufactured which is called A-I ; this is light or bright 

 yellow, almost free from acidity, and possesses but slight odour 

 and flavour; the flavour indeed is largely that of the oily fish from 

 which it is derived and which are those most desired for canning. 

 This can always be used for frying, and an admixture of the same, 

 in moderate proportion, with groundnut oil not only masks the 

 specific flavour of the latter, but adds richness to the fish. But in 

 using this oil only absolutely first-class yellow oil must be used, 

 free from acidity and of slight odour and flavour, and the proportion 

 must be moderate. When properly used the sardines are usually 

 considered to have a better flavour than without such oil. Sardine 

 oil similar in character to Tanur A-I oil, is now made by several 

 private factories on the West Coast under direct instruction from 

 the Fisheries Department. 



87. Butter. — Certain articles (de luxe) are canned in butter, but 

 this is not used in India, and good oil is better than bad, adulterated 

 or rancid butter which is too often the only sort available. 



88. Condiments.— Under this head are included the spices and 

 sauces used in canning fish. With sardines it is customary to 

 add a clove, two or three black peppers, and a fragment of bay 

 leaf with, sometimes, a sprig of thyme, in each tin ; it has been 

 found that cinnamon leaf (not bark) is an excellent substitute for 

 bay leaf, which, however, is obtainable at Ootacamund where it is 

 grown. In the United States of America mustard sauce (see recipes) 

 is largely used, as also tomato. These are used in India also, but 

 at Beypore curry powder with oil, a curry leaf, and ginger have 

 been substituted for mustard sauce, and the products are largely 

 sold. In all cases of the use of condiments it is for an intelligent 

 superintendent to vary his recipes and mixtures to suit varied public 



