31 



SECTION IV. 



METHODS OF CURING FISH. 

 WEST COAST— SOUTH CANARA DISTRICT. 



GANGOLI. 



Large fish such as seir, pomfrets, cat fish, small sharks, kora, 

 palameen, etc., are split through the dorsal line from the root of the 

 tail to the tip of the snout and the guts and gills are removed. In this 

 position the vertebral column remains attached to one side of the 

 fish. The vertebral column is severed from the skull by a trans- 

 verse cut at their junction and the knife is again placed below 

 it at the point vi^here it is cut and passed downwards till the root 

 of the tail is reached, thus separating the vertebral column from 

 the fleshy side of the fish for the greater part of its depth but still 

 keeping it attached to the fish by means of the uncut portion of 

 the skin on its dorsal side. This operation gives the fish a wide 

 flat shape of enlarged appearance, an important matter since such 

 fish are usually sold by number and not by weight. Scores are 

 then made in the thick fleshy parts by passing the knife length- 

 ways. Some curers who want to defraud their customers cut off 

 wedge-shaped fillets from the fleshy parts without disturbing the 

 skin and it is not easily detected ; when fish are sold by number 

 this benefits the curers to the extent of the flesh thus removed. The 

 fish is washed and salt is applied to the scores and well rubbed all 

 over the cut surface. They are then arranged in layers in salting- 

 receptacles such as half barrels, tubs, or small dug-outs, and kept 

 usually for a night. Next day they are washed in the self-brine 

 formed in the salting vessels and put out in the sun on coir mats 

 or cadjans spread on the sand. It takes at least two full days to 

 dry the fish. In the case of thinner fish such as ribbon fish, macke- 

 rel, small pomfrets, etc., only the first dorsal cut is made and the 

 vertebral column remains attached to one side of the fish and no 

 scores are needed. Mackerel are also slit on the abdomen and salted 

 after removing the guts and gills. Sardines are cured either by 

 rutting off the head and the abdomen with a single diagonal cut 

 or by simply slitting and removing the guts and gills. Large 

 sharks are cut into pieces of convenient size and filletted. Skates 

 and rays are cut on both sides of the vertebral column which 

 together with the head and tail is removed and remaining portions 

 which are really the two elongated fins are cut into fillets. These 

 remain attached to the skin at the apex of the fins and when 

 separated are of a wedge-shape. Smaller fish of various kinds 

 are gutted by pulling off the gullet or are simply roused with salt 

 or put in brine and sun-dried. Some very small fish such as uethali 

 small sardines, prawns, etc., are simply sun-dried without salt by 

 spreading them on the beach. All cut up fish are washed usually 



