132 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XI U, 



moist yet thoroughly penetrated by the smoke produced by a 

 mixture of teak dust and paddy husk ; if the fish are smoked slowly 

 in a smoker with strong draught, the fish become dry and hard, and 

 must then be soaked to such an extent as to lose most of the salt 

 and smoked flavour, and even then much flesh will adhere to the 

 bone or be unduly hard. Properly smoked mackerel for paste 

 should be fairly tender, bright and light in colour; they must then 

 be used at once, arid not left to taint, mould, or otherwise spoil. 

 The freshly smoked fish are then dipped a few at a time and only 

 for a minute or so, into water at full boiling temperature ; on 

 removal the flesh can be readily stripped with a fork from the 

 bones with comparatively small loss. The flesh is then passed 

 through cutters, mixed with pepper, some of the liquor from the 

 boiling pan in which the fish were steeped, butter, oil, water, etc., 

 according to the state of the paste and the character required, 

 rolled, ground, and packed, etc., as mentioned for prawn paste. 



The character of the paste may be varied so as to be strong or 

 mild in flavour; this may be effected by the duration of brining, 

 by the character and duration of smoking, and by the addition of 

 diluent materials such as milk, dry bread powder, etc. 



208. It should be noted that pastes (prawn or other) appear 

 to solidify in processing; a very soft, moist and viscid paste 

 becomes much firmer in the can when processed ; this must be 

 allowed for by adding sufficient fluid ; smoked mackerel paste is 

 also apt to darken by processing. 



209. Other fish pastes. — As mentioned in paragraph 202 many 

 fish may be pasted and numerous recipes may be devised, 

 though for ordinary fresh fish pastes simplicity should be the rule. 

 A French recipe for cod paste may be used for pasting seer, etc. 

 Take a fresh fish, cut it into slices, place the slices in milk and 

 water (more water than milk), and heat until just below boiling point 

 say 200^ F., so as to sterilize it ; remove from the fire and leave the 

 slices in the fluid for about 15 minutes; then drain, remove skin 

 and bones and pound it — perhaps with minced cooked onions — till 

 it forms a creamy mass ; some thick cream sauce may be added if 

 not sufficiently moist. Spices may be added to taste. Pack, and 

 process according to the size of cans. 



It is obvious that this recipe may be varied to any extent ; the 

 addition of milk to water in which the fish is simmered, is excellent ; 

 in Beypore milk is frequently used for pastes, as it softens and 



