Dishes made of the ‘pulasa’ variety of fish have gone missing from the dining tables of many a gourmet in the twin Godavari districts.
The COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on the culinary delight of the region, rue foodies.
‘Pulasa’, or ‘Hilsa’ in local parlance, is the most sought-after fish variety not only in Andhra Pradesh but also in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
The species is found in abundance in the Godavari during the monsoon season from July to September, and fishermen wait for its arrival.
Traditional dish
“Irrespective of its cost, it is our tradition to share ‘pulasa curry’ with our family members, friends and well-wishers every year. A few hotels and restaurants in the Godavari districts are known for their culinary skill in dishing out ‘pulasa chepala pulusu’ that commands a lot of demand,” said Chodisetty Nagamani of Narsapuram.
“The ‘pulasa curry’ is a traditional dish in the Godavari districts. It is prepared on a firewood stove at low heat in a mud bowl. The soup will acquire a distinct tinge and taste the the next day,” said A. Savitri, taking pride in her expertise in preparing the curry.
Impact on exports
A fish vendor and exporter, G. Satyanarayana, said that depending on the demand, ‘pulasa’ costs anywhere between ₹2,500 and ₹4,000. But this year, the poor market and export facilities shattered the dreams of the fishermen,” he said.
“Pulasa is sold in the fish markets at Palakol, Chinchinada, Narsapuram, Razole, Akiveedu, Siddantham, Dowleswaram, Bhimavaram and other places. Normally, we export the fish variety to Nellore, Chennai, Bengaluru and other places. But COVID-19 has impacted exports this year,” said V. Ramakrishna, a seafood exporter.
“Pulasa has a taste of its own. As the catch dwindled and with many hotels and restaurants closed due to COVID, we have missed the ‘pulasa chepa pulusu’ this year. Ban on operation of international flight services and inter-State transportation has impacted its export,” said Ch. Sri Vidya, a student of Veeravasaram.
“Pulasa travels into fresh water from the backwaters during the rainy season. Fish lovers buy it by paying advance every year, and most of the stocks are on the river bund itself. This year, due to pandemic, there are neither catchers nor buyers,” said Sri Lakshmi.