Sukkat anyone? For seafood lovers, time’s come to go dry as the wet season looms

NAVI MUMBAI:

Fish

markets across Navi Mumbai might boast of having an array of fish varieties, but this is also the season when many sellers focus on the

dry

fish business. Once the rains arrive the fishing boats cease to venture into the seas and the fishing community depends largely on dry fish.

Being the hottest period of the year, fishing villages all across Navi Mumbai are dotted with endless rows of fish put up for drying, enough to last through the monsoon. The harsher the heat, the quicker they dry. The drier they are, the longer they last.

The fisherwomen are experts at drying fish and they ensure it is never too moist, nor too dry. In

Panvel

’s Tapal Naka, there are quite a few shops selling fish, but

Bombay Ducks

and shrimp are most popular. “Dry fish is an acquired taste, everyone doesn’t like it but it makes for an ideal monsoon meal,” said

Bharati Koli

, a fish seller from Vashi.

Small variety of prawns, locally called sukkat, or big varieties, are spread on a flat surface to dry and the process is repeated every day. “The work is very hard and we do it for weeks taking advantage of the heat,” said

Nandan Tirekar

, another dry fish seller.

Apart from the popular shrimp and Bombay Ducks, one can buy dried baby shark, eel, salmon, kingfish, mackeral and platefish. While the larger fish are sold per piece, the smaller varieties are sold on weight and prices are Rs 75 and upwards. The sellers tell buyers the fish should be stored in a dry place away from heat or moisture. “If stored well, it can last for up to six months,” added Tirekar.